Bosun Higgs
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I recently acquired a Nikon 105mm f1.8 AiS that was in very good nick apart from a really stiff focus ring. I am no stranger to this fault, after all, many of the good MF lenses are pushing 40-50 years old now, and some greases become like epoxy after only a few decades.
So, I was all ready to do a lube job on the 105mm, I had even bought a brand new pot of Pig Iron #10 grease as I had run out of my usual JapanHobbyTool lube.
A while ago I read that some lenses with stiff focus rings can be freed off with "exercise", basically winding the ring back and forwards as fast as possible for 5min or so. I have to say that I have tried this with many stiff lenses and it has never worked, hence the empty JHT grease pot.
Despite many disappointments, I tried exercising the Nikon...
... and it worked!
The ring gradually freed off with exercise to the point where it is totally acceptable, several of my other older lenses are actually a tad stiffer.
Now, being a fairly experienced lens bodger, I immediately suspected that this would a temporary improvement, and with rest, the grease would resolidify and the ring would stiffen.
Nope, it has stayed free for several days now.
I was actually looking forward to gutting the Nikon for a relube, but I really cannot justify that now.
The lens looks to be a soft bokeh optic, but I have not used it much yet.
Big soft bokeh bubbles with little outlining.
Soft bokeh with very little edge pickup or patterning.
It is sharp at close distances, which is good for me, but it looked a bit soft at longer foci. I did a quick test with a distant (100m) target comparing it with a Canon FD 100mm f2 and the Canon seemed much sharper.
The Nikon also seems to produce a lot more fringeing.
Hmmm, I can feel a more detailed A-B comparison coming on...
So, I was all ready to do a lube job on the 105mm, I had even bought a brand new pot of Pig Iron #10 grease as I had run out of my usual JapanHobbyTool lube.
A while ago I read that some lenses with stiff focus rings can be freed off with "exercise", basically winding the ring back and forwards as fast as possible for 5min or so. I have to say that I have tried this with many stiff lenses and it has never worked, hence the empty JHT grease pot.
Despite many disappointments, I tried exercising the Nikon...
... and it worked!
The ring gradually freed off with exercise to the point where it is totally acceptable, several of my other older lenses are actually a tad stiffer.
Now, being a fairly experienced lens bodger, I immediately suspected that this would a temporary improvement, and with rest, the grease would resolidify and the ring would stiffen.
Nope, it has stayed free for several days now.
I was actually looking forward to gutting the Nikon for a relube, but I really cannot justify that now.
The lens looks to be a soft bokeh optic, but I have not used it much yet.
Big soft bokeh bubbles with little outlining.
Soft bokeh with very little edge pickup or patterning.
It is sharp at close distances, which is good for me, but it looked a bit soft at longer foci. I did a quick test with a distant (100m) target comparing it with a Canon FD 100mm f2 and the Canon seemed much sharper.
The Nikon also seems to produce a lot more fringeing.
Hmmm, I can feel a more detailed A-B comparison coming on...
