NX 50-200mm - cleaning front element

I found this very interesting video for cleaning the front element of the 50-200mm zoom. This zoom can get dusty inside over time, so I guess the video might be useful to some.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSfa9iSlC08

ChuckTa wrote:

I found this very interesting video for cleaning the front element of the 50-200mm zoom. This zoom can get dusty inside over time, so I guess the video might be useful to some.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSfa9iSlC08

Awesome, I'll be doing this soon.  Took a shot at it before, but I didn't realize the front came off that way and didn't want to risk breaking things.  Couldn't get to the front element opening the other side, not for lack of trying.

I first discovered the dust-in-the-lens issue with my Nikkor lenses, especially the large zooms (like my 18-200mm VR). After some reading, I've found that non-weather-sealed lenses, and especially zooms, are quite prone to sucking in dust from the surrounding air while zooming and focusing--but especially so if turning the zoom ring too quickly. This effectively creates some stronger suction of surrounding air into the lens. Some helpful tips to reduce the amount of dust over time were to zoom by turning the zoom ring gradually and slowly and also to avoid zooming in dusty and very humid environments. It's not just zoom lenses that are prone to dust, but I've read some primes are also susceptible, so I gather that any lens with a zoom or focus ring unsealed would benefit from that advice.

P.S.: dust behind the front element is generally not visible with many-element lenses.  It's the dust close to the rear elements that can be visible.

OrdinarilyInordinate wrote:

I first discovered the dust-in-the-lens issue with my Nikkor lenses, especially the large zooms (like my 18-200mm VR). After some reading, I've found that non-weather-sealed lenses, and especially zooms, are quite prone to sucking in dust from the surrounding air while zooming and focusing--but especially so if turning the zoom ring too quickly. This effectively creates some stronger suction of surrounding air into the lens. Some helpful tips to reduce the amount of dust over time were to zoom by turning the zoom ring gradually and slowly and also to avoid zooming in dusty and very humid environments. It's not just zoom lenses that are prone to dust, but I've read some primes are also susceptible, so I gather that any lens with a zoom or focus ring unsealed would benefit from that advice.

P.S.: dust behind the front element is generally not visible with many-element lenses. It's the dust close to the rear elements that can be visible.

Yep, the dust in my 50-200 near the front element is not visible at all in photos as far as I can tell (I have indeed checked high f-stops).  It just annoys me to no end because I can see it whenever I'm cleaning off the front element.

ChuckTa wrote:

I found this very interesting video for cleaning the front element of the 50-200mm zoom. This zoom can get dusty inside over time, so I guess the video might be useful to some.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSfa9iSlC08

Extremely helpful . . . Thanks so much!

Joan

JoanAtlantaGA wrote:

ChuckTa wrote:

I found this very interesting video for cleaning the front element of the 50-200mm zoom. This zoom can get dusty inside over time, so I guess the video might be useful to some.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSfa9iSlC08

Extremely helpful . . . Thanks so much!

Joan

Do you have any idea where I can get a cross point  screwdriver that will fit the Samsung NX 50-200mm lens so I can remove the front glass and clean it?  I tried the internet but with no luck, mostly because I don't know the actual size of this tiny driver. I was surprised at how tiny the screws actually are.

Thanks.

Joan

ChuckTa wrote:

I found this very interesting video for cleaning the front element of the 50-200mm zoom. This zoom can get dusty inside over time, so I guess the video might be useful to some.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSfa9iSlC08

Thanks so much . . . yes it is quite helpful. I took the rim around the outer glass of, but even my tiny screwdriver for eye-glasses is too big for the tiny cross screws that need to come off to remove the glass.   Amazon has sets of these cross drivers  . . . wish I had some idea as to the size I need.

Thanks again.

Joan