Nikon SP Desilvered Split Prism

[TenEleven]

I would at least get the fungus taken care of ASAP.
You don't want it to spread or etch the coatings and/or glass surfaces.

There should be someone cheap enough - maybe even in Manila who can take it to bits and at least wash the fungus out.

You could also try Kiitos - old Nikon engineers in Japan. They fixed up my SP and my Nikon F with excellent results, but I do not know whether or not their accept international repairs.

Edit:
Your picture seems to show it in the early stages with the mycelium still spreading out and not yet forming a blob.
Also oxygen loving fungus is often more benign and doesn't attack surfaces as much as the one that grows between enclosed elements etc. I would expect a finder to be more open than say - a lens middle element. (That all said, I am certainly no mycologist!)

 

[bucs]

I would at least get the fungus taken care of ASAP.
You don't want it to spread or etch the coatings and/or glass surfaces.

There should be someone cheap enough - maybe even in Manila who can take it to bits and at least wash the fungus out.

You could also try Kiitos - old Nikon engineers in Japan. They fixed up my SP and my Nikon F with excellent results, but I do not know whether or not their accept international repairs.

Edit:
Your picture seems to show it in the early stages with the mycelium still spreading out and not yet forming a blob.
Also oxygen loving fungus is often more benign and doesn't attack surfaces as much as the one that grows between enclosed elements etc. I would expect a finder to be more open than say - a lens middle element. (That all said, I am certainly no mycologist!)

Yes, already looking for options. Hope to get it cleaned asap 🤞🏼

 

[Bill_0531]

@Bill_0531 were you able to have your Nikon SP’s prism repaired? If so, could you kindly share the contact info of the person who did repair?

Thank you!

Sadly no.

All technicians that I've contacted from China & Taiwan straight up refused to work on a #6200184.
I am currently experimenting with Improvised DIY options. Will update if it's successful.

Bill

 

[bucs]

Sadly no.

All technicians that I've contacted from China & Taiwan straight up refused to work on a #6200184.
I am currently experimenting with Improvised DIY options. Will update if it's successful.

Bill

best of luck! will wait to hear from you.

 

[Duofold RF]

Sadly no.

All technicians that I've contacted from China & Taiwan straight up refused to work on a #6200184.
I am currently experimenting with Improvised DIY options. Will update if it's successful.

Bill

If the prism only has balsam separation and the semi‑translucent coating is still intact, you can simply clean and re‑cement it. However, if the coating has been etched, the prism will need to be re‑silvered, and the time and cost involved can easily exceed the price of buying another camera in good condition.

 

[Bill_0531]

If the prism only has balsam separation and the semi‑translucent coating is still intact, you can simply clean and re‑cement it. However, if the coating has been etched, the prism will need to be re‑silvered, and the time and cost involved can easily exceed the price of buying another camera in good condition.

Not only is the prism separated, the coating has degraded too. resulting in a very blurry and extremely dim patch. it will need to be resilvered.
I am currently attempting a (what I would call) sketchy fix, and If that does not work I will attempt to chemically coat it myself.

 

[Bill_0531]

Ok, so the jank method seems to have worked. Currently waiting for proper optical cement but it's promising.

 

[NIKON KIU]

Bill!
Time to open a shop!
The line will be long and around the alley…lol
BTW! The S3/S4 viewfinder prism is supposed to be much simpler.

Kiu

 

[bucs]

Not so good news from Kanto…

 

[enasniearth]

many of the old Nikon SP have some finder degradation
the finder unit is sealed with the set screws locked in place with black sealer
there is a front assembly that has the rf spot - ive been told that the reflective material
inside the prism is gold plated not silver which makes sense with warm toned spot
the rear unit for the bright lines sits closer to the eyepiece
these are both sealed optical units
there is a small space between them covered with a vertical metal band
years ago ken ruth at photography on bald mountain removed this
& cleaned haze inside this recess - he made a small ball out of lens cloth
& used low pressure compressed air to move it around to clean the two surfaces
there was no way to get anything else in there as space is very tight
ken did specialized repairs - and is missed since his retirement
neither him or dag would disassemble the sealed optical units
sadly dag doesn't do nikon rf repairs only leica now

 

[enasniearth]

from an old sp repair service guide