Planar 50 self service?

[podcat]

Hi, my planar gets pretty stiff in colder weather when its been sitting in the bag. Its fine at normal room temperature etc. As winter approaches this is increasingly annoying. I assume its been lubricated incorrectly and I'v only had it since summer where I never noticed it.

Has anyone re-lubricated their planar? How tricky is it taking it apart for this, I can't seem to find any technical information through google. I could try and find someone who services manual rangefinder lenses but if it isnt a tricky operation I would rather do it myself

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

If you bought it new, send it in for warranty service. If not, pay a tech to fix it. Taking a rangefinder lens apart and getting it back together where the focus remains accurate is near impossible without the correct equipment used by repairmen. I know, I ruined a lens that way once.

 

[podcat]

Yeah you are probably right. I'v only taken apart and cleaned SLR lenses and I imagine this is trickier. The lens is 2nd hand so no warranty or similar and I'v been happy with it all summer - the stiffness only shows up when I'v been out in the cold autumn evenings with it in my bag.

I'll see if i can find a repair guy in Stockholm. Tips welcome!

 

[Jockos]

Check with this guy: http://www.analogakameror.se/

Or simply send it overseas.

 

[jonmanjiro]

I'v only taken apart and cleaned SLR lenses and I imagine this is trickier.

the planar is a pretty basic lens so i don't see why it would be trickier to relube than an SLR lens. i'd certainly give it a try before sending it off.

 

[podcat]

the planar is a pretty basic lens so i don't see why it would be trickier to relube than an SLR lens. i'd certainly give it a try before sending it off.

well, I'd bet a rangefinder lens is much more sensitive because of the mechanical coupling. It doesn't matter as much if an SLR lens has its focus shifted a bit because you focus by looking through it.

 

[joeswe]

If you're in Europe, send it to Zeiss/Germany or contact them with your problem. After all I've read here, their customer service is excellent. The cost might be much more reasonable than you expect.

 

[podcat]

I already met with from Jonas from http://www.analogakameror.se and he is currently having a look at it. I'll post an update when I get it back.

 

[sojournerphoto]

If you're in Europe, send it to Zeiss/Germany or contact them with your problem. After all I've read here, their customer service is excellent. The cost might be much more reasonable than you expect.

Appreciate you've met a guy, but I'll second Zeiss' service recommendation. Excellent and not as expensive as you might expect.

 

[DNG]

Yes, the cost with my guy in town is under $50 for a re-lube on a lens...

May I make a suggestion the next time you go out in the cold with extra lenses?

Put the lenses in a wool or heavy cotton sock, then in the bag it goes..

 

[podcat]

Put the lenses in a wool or heavy cotton sock, then in the bag it goes..

I seldom bring more than once lens, I find that I spend too much time switching between them rather than taking pictures 😉

Got my planar back from Jonas the other day and the problem seems fixed now, no issue yesterday when I was out in the cold. He said the old grease was of a bad type and had also leaked around quite a bit so he cleaned it and put on new grease.

Also got to drool over some of the cameras he had in for repair, including a real user of an M4 with beautiful brassing all over and the most banged up lens hood I'v seen for a 35.