OM 50 f1.8 sticky blades.

[Ducky]

I got an OM 10 with the 50 f1.8 from the big auction site. A moment of weakness I guess.
Anyway, the aperture blades on the lens are sluggish, not really sticking in one place, just slooow to return to position. I have worked it several hundred times but it doesn't fix.
I'd get a replacement but it could be worse. This is the second OM lens I have had with this problem.
Is this something I can clean myself? I really don't want to put money in the kit.
Thanks.

 

[nikon_sam]

I would also be interested in an answer as I was given three Olympus lenses that need their blades and some inner glass cleaned...

 

[ZeissFan]

Ideally, you remove all of the lens elements and then flush the aperture blades. However, sometimes, the problem is elsewhere -- such as in the actuating mechanism.

In any case, some disassembly will be required.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I have two 50/1.8 Zuikos with the problem. They can be bought in good condition so cheaplythat the $60 cost of having them CLAd (prices quoted from John Hermanson, the OM repair guru) isn't cost effective.

I have a 28/2.8 zuiko with the same problem that I'll get fixed eventually. The good thing with OM cameras is the camera's actuating arm directly pushes the aperture closed, so slightly oily blades will close fine, but are slow to reopen. Nikon lenses have a spring in the lens that stops them down and if one gets sticky, it won't stop down fast enough. Zuikos seem to be suceptible to this problem though. The aperture mechanism is very simple in most of them and the opening spring isn't that strong, so even a tiny bit of oil on the mechanism (which is normally operated dry, no lubricants) gums it up