W-Nikkor 3.5 f/1.8 disassembly and cleaning

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I took my 35/1.8 in LTM to Nippon Photo Clinic here in NYC. This is like a Japanese shop in NYC.

Cost was not inexpensive: about $150.00 I believe.

This was for a CLA.

Cal

A couple years ago Nippon did a great job with my Mamiya 7 (just sold). But I'm kinda wanting to figure out basic lens cleaning ... just was not sure I should make a first attempt with a rather rare lens. 😀

 

[Calzone]

The 35/1.8 Nikkor in LTM is truely a rare lens. Rather costly, but only about 1,600 or 1,700 were ever made. (I believe it is 1.7K over the 1.6K I mention. I mentioned both numbers because I'm not certain.)

Took me a long while to secure one at a reasonable price $1.7K. Also is kinda like a magic lens with a great rendering. Lately I have been using mine on my Monochrom for night shooting at 800 ISO.

Cal

 

[jonmanjiro]

I'm kinda wanting to figure out basic lens cleaning ... just was not sure I should make a first attempt with a rather rare lens. 😀

Don't let the rarity bother you. They're just lumps of metal and glass 😀

When I got my LTM W-Nikkor, the focus was quite stiff so I shot a quick test roll to ensure it was focusing correctly, and then I pulled it apart to clean and relube the focus helical.

This is the focus helical assembly almost fully disassembled. The construction is really very simple and logical.

Here's the lens after reassembling. Now the focus is incredibly smooth with just the right amount of resistance.

Lately I have been using mine on my Monochrom for night shooting at 800 ISO.

I'd love to see some of those photos, Cal!

 

[Papercut]

Well they are all our babies. 🙂

Indeed! Thinking about adopting a red-headed stepchild (Jupiter XYZ) to experiment on first; some babies are more easily replaced than others, after all.

The 35/1.8 Nikkor in LTM is truely a rare lens. Rather costly, but only about 1,600 or 1,700 were ever made. (I believe it is 1.7K over the 1.6K I mention. I mentioned both numbers because I'm not certain.)

Took me a long while to secure one at a reasonable price $1.7K. Also is kinda like a magic lens with a great rendering. Lately I have been using mine on my Monochrom for night shooting at 800 ISO.

Cal

Cal, that's just about what mine cost. (Seller kept dropping the BIN price until I knew that if I waited any longer someone else would snap it up.) Been wanting a lower contrast, more "classic" 35 for a while, so ... when opportunity knocks and all that.

Don't let the rarity bother you. They're just lumps of metal and glass 😀

When I got my LTM W-Nikkor, the focus was quite stiff so I shot a quick test roll to ensure it was focusing correctly, and then I pulled it apart to clean and relube the focus helical.

This is the focus helical assembly almost fully disassembled. The construction is really very simple and logical.

Here's the lens after reassembling. Now the focus is incredibly smooth with just the right amount of resistance.

Logical is good. But, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that raw newbie ignorance, when coupled with enthusiasm, can make a hash out of logical any day of the week! 😎

 

[Calzone]

I'd love to see some of those photos, Cal!

Jon,

You and your thread on 35/1.8 Nikkor images inspired me. I mostly shoot a 28 Cron as my wide.

On my Monochrom the 35/1.8 Nikkor is deadly. So many great shots.

I have to learn how to post. I print and have avoided posting. I promise at this Sunday's NYC Meet-Up that I'll have some of the guys instruct me.

Cal

 

[Calzone]

Kevin,

I consider the 35/1.8 Nikkor a bargain in LTM if you consider how expensive an 8-element 35 Cron can cost. Add on top of that the steep premium of an 8 element 35 Cron without cleaning marks or other defect during a period of Leica soft coatings.

I also love that there is only one distance scale and it is in feet.

Cal

 

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Cal,

Yeah the 8-element Cron was another on my short list to try, but you're right, they're virtually never under $2K and often far more than that. Having grown up overseas, I don't mind working in meters, but a simpler-to-read distance scale (no matter what the unit of measure) will be nice.

Now I'm just crossing my fingers that the lens is really clean and in as good condition as the listing said when it arrives (tomorrow if the USPS doesn't somehow manage to mangle delivery as they do so often). Wish there was a "crossing fingers" emoticon ...

 

[Peter Jennings]

There was a very ugly Canon rf with an ugly ltm W-Nikkor 3.5 1.8 that sold on the Yahoo Japan auction site for over $1k a few months ago. As is usual on that auction site, the seller didn't give much info on the condition of the lens. I'd like to hope whoever got it ended up with a nice surprise. I gave up any inclination of bidding when the price passed 50k Yen.

Oh, for comparison, I paid $350 for this S mount copy.😀

 

[jonmanjiro]

There was a very ugly Canon rf with an ugly ltm W-Nikkor 3.5 1.8 that sold on the Yahoo Japan auction site for over $1k a few months ago. As is usual on that auction site, the seller didn't give much info on the condition of the lens. I'd like to hope whoever got it ended up with a nice surprise. I gave up any inclination of bidding when the price passed 50k Yen.

I watched that auction! IIRC it went up to about 170,000 yen, which is absolutely mind boggling considering the condition 😱

Edit: 171,000 yen!

http://page22.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/l351075495

 

[Peter Jennings]

So, not so ugly as I remembered. But still way to much to pay for a mystery lens.

 

[Papercut]

Thanks again, fellas, for all the advice. The lens is in my grubby paws and there is some oil on the blades but only a thin film on just some of them. Aperture changes are smooth as silk, no hitching or grabbing whatsoever. Think I'm going to use it "a bit" before I tackle the surface cleaning.

It's a little jewel of a lens. Heavy and gorgeous!

This copy did not come with a cap or hood. Any recommendations for those? Are the LTM and S-mounts the same for those?

 

[Peter Jennings]

Both lenses should take 43mm caps and hoods. I use this hood:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/43mm-Metal-...410948?hash=item43f207df04:g:mTAAAOSw0vBUk-uu
For caps I'd just use the cheap plastic ones you find on eBay or elsewhere.

 

[Papercut]

Both lenses should take 43mm caps and hoods. I use this hood:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/43mm-Metal-...410948?hash=item43f207df04:g:mTAAAOSw0vBUk-uu
For caps I'd just use the cheap plastic ones you find on eBay or elsewhere.

Thanks Peter! After I posted I did some (better) searches and yeah, the original hoods are rare and expensive. So something cheap and simple is on the menu for me too.

 

[jonmanjiro]

FWIW I've found my W-Nikkor 35/1.8 LTM to be very flare resistant (quite impressive for vintage glass actually) so I don't bother using a hood. I guess the recessed front element helps a lot here. Instead, I use a quality UV filter to protect the front element.

 

[Papercut]

Yeah I've heard that before too, Jon.

Sadly, after developing my test roll with this lens, I've discovered flare even when stopped down (f8). Sure enough, closer inspection reveals haze on the front element. Central area is obviously flaring badly. Looks like I either need to send it in to someone or try doing both haze-clean up and oil clean up at the same time.

 

[jonmanjiro]

Sadly, after developing my test roll with this lens, I've discovered flare even when stopped down (f8). Sure enough, closer inspection reveals haze on the front element. Here are two pics from the test roll. Both shot at the sky, but not into the sun (it was darkly overcast). Central area is obviously flaring badly. Looks like I either need to send it in to someone or try doing both haze-clean up and oil clean up at the same time.

The haze looks like its on the inside of the front element? If so, the curvature of the front optics is quite deceiving and there's a pretty good chance the haze is on the surface in front of the aperture blades rather than on the underside of the front element (and indeed the haze might even be caused by the oil on the blades). Since its dead easy to do with the LTM version, I'd unscrew the front optical group and take a look.

 

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The haze looks like its on the inside of the front element? If so, the curvature of the front optics is quite deceiving and there's a pretty good chance the haze is on the surface in front of the aperture blades rather than on the underside of the front element (and indeed the haze might even be caused by the oil on the blades). Since its dead easy to do with the LTM version, I'd unscrew the front optical group and take a look.

That's what I'm hoping!

To remove the front optical group, do I need to take the front ring (with all the lens info and Nippon Kogaku Japan, serial # etc) on it first? Or just use unscrew (rubber band on the chrome filter ring as you suggested above)?

 

[jonmanjiro]

Or just use unscrew (rubber band on the chrome filter ring as you suggested above)?

this !!!!!!

 

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this !!!!!!

Hrmmm, it is on there really tight then. Had a good grip on it and it wouldn't budge one bit.

 

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Okay I got it off and I think the news is bad. I think the haze is on the INSIDE of the front element. Not the backside. So I suspect this is going back to the seller.

EDIT: Well, now I'm not so sure. Okay, I'll go get some lighter fluid later today and do some cleaning of the blades and the rear surface of the front element. See how that looks when I'm through.