Good advice - I will just add a few thoughts of my own. There seem to be a number of greases that will do the job - I think the main idea (especially in a hot country like Australia is to use a grease that has a high melt temperature. I have been using Inox Brand “No melt, High Temp, Extreme Pressure” Premium Machinery Grease - Food Grade. Not sure if I needed the high pressure or food grade but the other parts are necessary. I only have a 30gm tube but it has gone a long way.
Single helicoids need care in re-assembly as is noted - multiple nested helicoids can have permutations and combinations of start points and can be a nightmare to re-assemble correctly and are my main bete noir of lens repair. I have learned to be very cautious when pulling them apart. Many a happy hour of “trying combinations” after the inner helicoid suddenly parted itself without due warning and being able to mark its start thread. The worst part is that you have to have the lens mostly re-assembled before you know for sure that you have indeed picked the right combinations of thread start points. Doesn’t work - start all over again and hope you have picked right this time. I have developed my own technique when I have found a bad combination - at the point of parting I keep a pressure on the joing parts and rotate backwards until the threads click into the next available set of start threads - slow but sometimes it is the only way to re-find a lost combination of start threads.
then I am all ears.Some screws and other components are glued in place to make the budding lens mechanic’s life more interesting. But the satisfaction of stripping, cleaning and re-assembling a lens correctly is good. Just realise that there are bound to be some misadventures along the way.
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This happened to me on my first lens I am trying to regrease (a Minolta MC-X 135/2.8). Suddenly it came loose and I missed to mark where everything was aligned.
What saved me was this image I had taken a little bit before it came apart. I can easily see the original different marks good enough and just count the number of threads from the screw to the left and see exactly where the eight thread disappears under the brass focusing ring part that has a small bright dot above the single scratch.If someone knows a better way, other than marking them in the first parting (as we should)
Fixing lenses is a bit like my attitude to photography - I find the process itself more interesting than the end result. But with lenses I like to try and get them back together as soon as possible as “today” my memory of what goes where is fine. A few days later it is starting to get vague. A week later .... I know that I can take photographs of the work in progress but I usually find that I have nearly finished by the time the photo brain kicks inThis happened to me on my first lens I am trying to regrease (a Minolta MC-X 135/2.8). Suddenly it came loose and I missed to mark where everything was aligned.
What saved me was this image I had taken a little bit before it came apart. I can easily see the original different marks good enough and just count the number of threads from the screw to the left and see exactly where the eight thread disappears under the brass focusing ring part that has a small bright dot above the single scratch.If someone knows a better way, other than marking them in the first parting (as we should)
If I try to reassemble and it doesn't line up like this, then it is wrong. If I for instance only get seven threads when the rings stands like this it is wrong. So I just change one click on the thread start and turn in a little and redo until it looks like on the image.
I've taken it apart several times now and I can fairly quickly get it correctly together. The finer thread on the silver ring to the right only has one entry and I adjust that one by checking that the gap looks correct to the brass ring. Would have been better to measure the gap with a calliper at this position since the fine thread on that part makes the gap only a little to big or small if one comes one turn to early or to late. But I managed to figure it out by positioning the camera the same way as on this picture and get the exact same perspective and see that it also is correct when the gap is looking like in this image.
I have now cleaned the thread and I am soon about to use the Helimax XP that I ordered some time ago as the grease, I picked up the tip for that product at the MF forum where several people recommended it.
The original problem I have is that the thread was to loose. I have play on the length axis with about 0.15 mm which I hope the new grease will take away. I can't really see that the threads are worn so I am hoping the play comes from to little grease.
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Best regards
/Anders
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Why is my camera so heavy when all it does is collecting the light?
You don't have to like my pictures, but here they are: http://www.lattermann.com/gallery
I try to find a reference point(screw or slot, or even the infinity mark) on the helicoid before taking it apart, then I slowly unscrew the helicoid with a tiny bit of pressure to pull it apart, at the end of the helicoid the parts jump apart, I then mark the end of the other helicoid inline with my reference point, I can now easily find the start position, I usually place the helicoid just past the start point and slowly and gently back it around till the threads drop in, then reverse direction to feed the threads together, this helps prevent cross threading.This happened to me on my first lens I am trying to regrease (a Minolta MC-X 135/2.8). Suddenly it came loose and I missed to mark where everything was aligned.
What saved me was this image I had taken a little bit before it came apart. I can easily see the original different marks good enough and just count the number of threads from the screw to the left and see exactly where the eight thread disappears under the brass focusing ring part that has a small bright dot above the single scratch.If someone knows a better way, other than marking them in the first parting (as we should)
If I try to reassemble and it doesn't line up like this, then it is wrong. If I for instance only get seven threads when the rings stands like this it is wrong. So I just change one click on the thread start and turn in a little and redo until it looks like on the image.
I've taken it apart several times now and I can fairly quickly get it correctly together. The finer thread on the silver ring to the right only has one entry and I adjust that one by checking that the gap looks correct to the brass ring. Would have been better to measure the gap with a calliper at this position since the fine thread on that part makes the gap only a little to big or small if one comes one turn to early or to late. But I managed to figure it out by positioning the camera the same way as on this picture and get the exact same perspective and see that it also is correct when the gap is looking like in this image.
Hmm, I caution against using too much grease, because it will just get squished out and end up somewhere you don't want it, you're better off using a slightly thicker grease I think.
I have now cleaned the thread and I am soon about to use the Helimax XP that I ordered some time ago as the grease, I picked up the tip for that product at the MF forum where several people recommended it.
The original problem I have is that the thread was to loose. I have play on the length axis with about 0.15 mm which I hope the new grease will take away. I can't really see that the threads are worn so I am hoping the play comes from to little grease.
I mark their infinity rest positions before taking it apart such that I know when I've assembled it correctly because all my marks line up again, as I'm taking the helicoid apart I slow down as I get further along only rotating the helicoid a degree or two at a time trying to keep my reference point facing me, then the point that it separates is not far from my reference point, I then mark the tip of the other helicoid with a witness mark, with multiple nested helicoids, I do this even slower and more methodically.Good advice - I will just add a few thoughts of my own. There seem to be a number of greases that will do the job - I think the main idea (especially in a hot country like Australia is to use a grease that has a high melt temperature. I have been using Inox Brand “No melt, High Temp, Extreme Pressure” Premium Machinery Grease - Food Grade. Not sure if I needed the high pressure or food grade but the other parts are necessary. I only have a 30gm tube but it has gone a long way.
I have more or less worked out the level of grease application thickness by trial and error - too much and the focus is too tight and I have found that putting a few dabs around the threads and working it in evenly seems to work best - less is often better than more. But if the focus action is too light then you need more.
Many old lenses such as from Russia and also “Komura” seem to have had what appears to be regular automotive grease of some odd variety - in the case of Russian lenses this can liquify and is often used very liberally. In the case of Komura it can go hard and sticky and actually bind the focus almost rigid. Most Komura lenses that have a nice focus action must have been re-greased at some time - they are capable of being “silky smooth” when properly greased. Other brands will have their own idiosyncacies.
Single helicoids need care in re-assembly as is noted - multiple nested helicoids can have permutations and combinations of start points and can be a nightmare to re-assemble correctly and are my main bete noir of lens repair. I have learned to be very cautious when pulling them apart. Many a happy hour of “trying combinations” after the inner helicoid suddenly parted itself without due warning and being able to mark its start thread. The worst part is that you have to have the lens mostly re-assembled before you know for sure that you have indeed picked the right combinations of thread start points. Doesn’t work - start all over again and hope you have picked right this time. I have developed my own technique when I have found a bad combination - at the point of parting I keep a pressure on the joing parts and rotate backwards until the threads click into the next available set of start threads - slow but sometimes it is the only way to re-find a lost combination of start threads.
If someone knows a better way, other than marking them in the first parting (as we should)
I must add that your first adventure into lens servicing shouldn't be your favourite lens, pick a cheap junk lens like a Helios 44-2, not that it's junk, there are 1000000's of them made they don't cost much,they are built like a tank and not very complicated to take apart and pot back together.
That was my plan as well but the separation caught me by surprise despite doing the whole operation slowly.
Is there a better grease than the Helimax XP that you would recommend?
The #30 in my earlier post should do the job.
I missed your post, good to hear that the H-XP worked outAs per recommendations above, I just rebuilt two of my favorite lenses which have very fine threaded double helicoids using the Helimax XP grease. It was my second time doing it since the first grease I used was too thick/gave me toomuch resistance. The Helimax XP is pretty thin feeling, and good for fine pitch threads. The amount of damping turned out to be just right.
Takumar 35mm f4 Left is collector's mint. Right is the one I use with hood & plastic caps. It's almost as nice.
Plenty of my timelapses and images are shot with this lens regularly. I particularly like it on cloudy or misty scenes. However, separating them out by lens is not something I often do or could reliably do after the fact... But I do have several example/comparison images in my review video that I did comparing Pentax 35mm focal length lenses:I missed your post, good to hear that the H-XP worked outAs per recommendations above, I just rebuilt two of my favorite lenses which have very fine threaded double helicoids using the Helimax XP grease. It was my second time doing it since the first grease I used was too thick/gave me toomuch resistance. The Helimax XP is pretty thin feeling, and good for fine pitch threads. The amount of damping turned out to be just right.
Takumar 35mm f4 Left is collector's mint. Right is the one I use with hood & plastic caps. It's almost as nice.
Have you posted any pics from the 35/4? If not, please do. (I assume they are both the same lens, just one is mint)
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A Manual Focus Junky...
One photographers junk lens is an artists favorite tool.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lightshow-photography/
[My Lens list](http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/viewprofile.php?Action=viewprofile&username=LightShow)
####Where's my FF NEX-7 ?????
Firmware request:
-A button map for toggling the EVF & LCD
-Still waiting for the minimum shutter speed with auto ISO for my NEX-7 and A7r. I know it will never happen.
-Customize the display screen layout, I'd love to have both Histogram and level at the same time.
-More peaking options, being able to set peaking sensitivity and a threshold level.
-An RGB overlay on the histogram -An option to return the focus assist zoom to one button press
-An option to return to how the NEX-7 handled playback, ie. center button to zoom, then you could use the control dial to zoom in and out, then center button to exit the zoom mode.
My Yahica 35/2.8 preset isn't the best landscape lens, but for most everything else it's absolutely lovely, one of my favorite lenses, it's also a joy to use, smooth light focus and aperture, as good as any lens I've used, including Leica and Zeiss.Plenty of my timelapses and images are shot with this lens regularly. I particularly like it on cloudy or misty scenes. However, separating them out by lens is not something I often do or could reliably do after the fact... But I do have several example/comparison images in my review video that I did comparing Pentax 35mm focal length lenses:I missed your post, good to hear that the H-XP worked outAs per recommendations above, I just rebuilt two of my favorite lenses which have very fine threaded double helicoids using the Helimax XP grease. It was my second time doing it since the first grease I used was too thick/gave me toomuch resistance. The Helimax XP is pretty thin feeling, and good for fine pitch threads. The amount of damping turned out to be just right.
Takumar 35mm f4 Left is collector's mint. Right is the one I use with hood & plastic caps. It's almost as nice.
Have you posted any pics from the 35/4? If not, please do. (I assume they are both the same lens, just one is mint)
--
A Manual Focus Junky...
One photographers junk lens is an artists favorite tool.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lightshow-photography/
[My Lens list](http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/viewprofile.php?Action=viewprofile&username=LightShow)
####Where's my FF NEX-7 ?????
Firmware request:
-A button map for toggling the EVF & LCD
-Still waiting for the minimum shutter speed with auto ISO for my NEX-7 and A7r. I know it will never happen.
-Customize the display screen layout, I'd love to have both Histogram and level at the same time.
-More peaking options, being able to set peaking sensitivity and a threshold level.
-An RGB overlay on the histogram -An option to return the focus assist zoom to one button press
-An option to return to how the NEX-7 handled playback, ie. center button to zoom, then you could use the control dial to zoom in and out, then center button to exit the zoom mode.
Issues with this lens are that it doesn't resist flare as well as some others and has a bit of distortion. However, it's nice and poppy while being very sharp and punchy and one of my favorite lenses.
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Your focus is your reality
