bert26
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I recently had my v4 35 Summicron CLA'd but about two weeks into using it the aperture ring is pretty stiff between 8-16. Not the end of the world as it's still useable but sort of annoying.
I feel uneasy about my lens getting disassembled over and over again so am wondering if I can put a drop of something into the aperture ring to loosen it up or does the whole lens have to be taken apart again?
Thanks
I feel uneasy about my lens getting disassembled over and over again so am wondering if I can put a drop of something into the aperture ring to loosen it up or does the whole lens have to be taken apart again?
Thanks
peterm1
Veteran
".....can put a drop of something into the aperture ring to loosen it up......"
I am kind of reminded of my doctor's advice to me about cleaning my ear canals. He told me that nothing smaller than my elbow should ever be inserted into my ear. That I take it is one of those folksy doctor jokes that only someone with an MD after their name finds hilarious but is supposed to be memorable by simple folk like me. But putting a drop of something into the aperture ring to loosen it up is somewhat like this in my view. It may work (if the problem is lubrication) but anything that is of sufficiently low viscosity to be put into the aperture ring without prior disassembly runs the risk of migrating into places you do not want it.
If you are going to risk it anyway, the only thing I would ever consider trying is something like lighter fluid added in miniscule amounts by the tip of a toothpick. It is not oily or greasy, evaporates quickly but might loosen up existing grease to move it to where its needed. But it might also it may do what I described above so it is a risk. I have used this technique at the suggestion of a camera guy I know to slightly free up hardened helical grease in old lenses without a complete strip down. It kind of worked but the lens till needs a CLA to be wholly satisfactory.
But the fact that your lens was CLA'd recently suggests that you need to take it back to the technician who did that job. Stripping it down once more to get it right is a small thing and will do no harm despite your fears. It should also be free. Which, if you end up with grease on lens surfaces as a result of the trick I mentioned above it will definitely not be. It also makes me wonder if there is not some damage in the region of the aperture ring (ie slightly out of round). Sticky helical grease is commonly associated with old grease. I am not so sure about sticky aperture rings. In fact I recall the last time I had something of that sort on a Canon 50mm f1.8 (chrome) my technician told me it was caused by dropping it (previous owner - before I bought it) and while he fixed it, it did take him some extra time. My lens is now fine.
I am kind of reminded of my doctor's advice to me about cleaning my ear canals. He told me that nothing smaller than my elbow should ever be inserted into my ear. That I take it is one of those folksy doctor jokes that only someone with an MD after their name finds hilarious but is supposed to be memorable by simple folk like me. But putting a drop of something into the aperture ring to loosen it up is somewhat like this in my view. It may work (if the problem is lubrication) but anything that is of sufficiently low viscosity to be put into the aperture ring without prior disassembly runs the risk of migrating into places you do not want it.
If you are going to risk it anyway, the only thing I would ever consider trying is something like lighter fluid added in miniscule amounts by the tip of a toothpick. It is not oily or greasy, evaporates quickly but might loosen up existing grease to move it to where its needed. But it might also it may do what I described above so it is a risk. I have used this technique at the suggestion of a camera guy I know to slightly free up hardened helical grease in old lenses without a complete strip down. It kind of worked but the lens till needs a CLA to be wholly satisfactory.
But the fact that your lens was CLA'd recently suggests that you need to take it back to the technician who did that job. Stripping it down once more to get it right is a small thing and will do no harm despite your fears. It should also be free. Which, if you end up with grease on lens surfaces as a result of the trick I mentioned above it will definitely not be. It also makes me wonder if there is not some damage in the region of the aperture ring (ie slightly out of round). Sticky helical grease is commonly associated with old grease. I am not so sure about sticky aperture rings. In fact I recall the last time I had something of that sort on a Canon 50mm f1.8 (chrome) my technician told me it was caused by dropping it (previous owner - before I bought it) and while he fixed it, it did take him some extra time. My lens is now fine.