SP 2005 noisy focusing - US-based repairperson?

[Gordon Moat]

This was what I had in mind - I tried putting my camera on T and I was unsure exactly which bit I would be aiming to lube. I'm guessing the outside of the ring?
Regardless - as stated above, I'm thinking of using it as is for a while and seeing how things go before doing anything drastic.

Use the finger wheel to move focus to minimum distance. Looking through the back, you should see some brass, that’s the helical. The watch oil goes on the edge of the helical, between the black area and the brass. After that, you move the focus all the way through the range with the finger wheel. Start with a few drops placed around the helical, because you can always add more after working the focus through the full range.

 

[dwith3]

I've had a good experience with procamera in the past and would certainly be willing to work with them again, I remember the pricing seeming reasonable and the work was good.

Yes - I saw this thread and it seemed like @Sonnar Brian had lubricated his from inside the body, but without disassembly (which was what I had in mind originally).

This was what I had in mind - I tried putting my camera on T and I was unsure exactly which bit I would be aiming to lube. I'm guessing the outside of the ring?
Regardless - as stated above, I'm thinking of using it as is for a while and seeing how things go before doing anything drastic.

Did it ever get better? I am experiencing the same issue with my Nikon s3 2000.

 

[Steinberg2010]

I think it has gotten a little better by itself. However, I haven't had much opportunity to use it due to work commitments. I hope you manage to fix your issue!

~S

 

[wes loder]

One of my SPs started to squeak. Put in a wee bit of lighter fluid via the back threads without any disassemblying. Rotated a few times and the squeak was gone. Has not returned yet.

 

[hap]

I emailed DAG (see first post of the thread). He’s avoiding non-Leica work at the moment.

Second DAG. He CLA'd my SP and put the titanium curtains as well. This was about 8 months ago. Just call him first.

 

[Steinberg2010]

Second DAG. He CLA'd my SP and put the titanium curtains as well. This was about 8 months ago. Just call him first.

Hmm... That was around the time I asked him! Oh well... I might try a few drops of lighter fluid soon and see how that pans out - I have some time off soon where I can focus more on hobbies.

~S

 

[dwith3]

So I recently acquired an SP 2005 set (kind of a grail camera for me). It seems to be in excellent shape (unused) in terms of usability except for a little noise when focusing (intermittent squeak). I'm guessing that it needs a bit more lubrication (perhaps the original lubricants have dried out a bit?).

I've seen Richard Haw's excellent blog and I'm not necessarily completely against attempting this repair/adjustment myself (although I have essentially zero experience in this area - so far I have only done vertical alignment on Leica's). However, I'm also interested in advice from others who've done things like this before - particularly:

How much disassembly would be required? I can see that at the minimum I need to take the front plate off and then the helicoid too? I don't want to remove any glass from the windows if at all possible (I saw Richard cleaned those first - mine seem completely clear though). Or is there a way to lubricate this without disassembly?

Would I need to flush/clean the focusing gears first? I have no solvents for this and Richard seems to use naphtha/alcohol to clean the focusing gears.

Do I need to fully disassemble the helicoid as well (definitely beyond my comfort level/tools/solvents)?

Alternatively, I'm very willing to pay someone to work on this for me. However, I've struggled to find someone who still works on these cameras.

I emailed DAG and he said he was focusing on Leica hardware right now.
I emailed Stephen Gandy about an S2 and he said he no longer offered classic camera repair (unclear if this was Nikon RF specific).
I walked into Nippon Photoclinic in Manhattan and their receptionist said that they did not work on Nikon S2s (however, she was willing to ask the tech when they came in - it never got that far for unrelated reasons).

So all that being said - who do we know who actually does work on these in 2023? I've always found this site to be a useful resource for repairs and I'm guessing someone on here knows someone who works on these...

I don't want to hand this machine over to just anyone as it's actually unused (still has the paper over the shutter). I want to use it in perpetuity (as far as film is available). But I feel like I keep drawing blanks...

Thanks in advance!

~S

I used Brains technique and put zipper lighter fluid where the helical is exposed thru the back (where you see the brass part after focusing to close setting). Used a q tip carefully. Worked the helical in and out and did it a couple more times. This worked great for me although I would like for it to be a little smoother. Squeaks every so often but almost gone now. I also wiped the helical each time because I did see some dark residue that worked its way out. I think I am going to try to put a couple drops of Liberty oil in there next to just top it off. My Nikon s3 2000 was supposedly unused. I guess they just squeak after sitting for years unused. Feels dry, but the more I work it and do these techniques I feel that it is getting better and better.