Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!

SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

Basic techniques to repair lenses (and cameras)
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kuuan wrote:
this Japanese shop offers a huge selection of quality lens and camera repair tools and ships internationally: http://www.japan-hobby-tool.com/index_eng.php

They have a eBay store too and here is the link to the tools.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/Other-/162480/i.html?_ssn=japan-hobby-tool


PostPosted: Mon Apr 01, 2013 4:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alex H wrote:
Anyone can recommend good black enamel to repair lost paint on the camera body? Preferably withing EU. Thanks


Seconded...................? Confused

Very useful thread, I've ordered this set pf lens wrench, we shall see how they perform for the price.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200978102480?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649


PostPosted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 12:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is how I used a plastic mug for dismantling a Zeiss 50/4 Embarassed (Sorry, I had no tools)

1. Find a mug of matching diameter (this red one matched nicely)
2. Put several pieces of two-sided scotch on the rim of the mug



3. Voila!



PostPosted: Mon Oct 27, 2014 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

a great idea!!!


PostPosted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 12:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I read that you need 'JIS' screwdrivers NOT Philips type -- well I went to the Philippines and asked in a big store in Ayala Mall and told them I needed 'JIS' But the Guy sold me a set of small philips after all but it was less than £ 1-00 so I left it in Philippines for my Sister-in-law. Where can i get the small JIS type that is used for taking off the base-plate of my ME Super and such cameras ?
PS -- I am in ENGLAND and all the 'links' I have looked at are in American $$$$ and companies in USA !


PostPosted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 1:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

pentaxpete wrote:
I read that you need 'JIS' screwdrivers NOT Philips type -- well I went to the Philippines and asked in a big store in Ayala Mall and told them I needed 'JIS' But the Guy sold me a set of small philips after all but it was less than £ 1-00 so I left it in Philippines for my Sister-in-law. Where can i get the small JIS type that is used for taking off the base-plate of my ME Super and such cameras ?
PS -- I am in ENGLAND and all the 'links' I have looked at are in American $$$$ and companies in USA !


Have you already looked here?

http://www.micro-tools.de/en/home/

They are shipping from Germany which shouldn't be a problem to England (EU-domestic).


PostPosted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I took a camera repair class, the instructor said the correct screwdrivers to use are called "crosspoint". You can easily see the difference just by looking at them. A phillips is much pointier. I have successfully blunted phillips points with sandpaper or grinding stones so their point angle matches that of a crosspoint and this will work in a pinch.

I have found that typically the screwdrivers found in the small jeweler's screwdriver sets you see are crosspoints and not phillips.


PostPosted: Thu Jan 07, 2016 5:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Can someone fix the OP post photos, they are not showing. Thanks!


PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2016 12:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have the same problem vanylapep... I can't see the photos on the first page. Jesito, can you put again the photos of your first intervention?

Many thanks.


PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 7:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looking for a lens element suction tool.


Thoughts on where to get one?


PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 8:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

vroger wrote:
Looking for a lens element suction tool.
Thoughts on where to get one?


https://canonrepair.wordpress.com/2016/02/19/diy-suction-cap-for-lens-disassembling/


PostPosted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 9:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

vroger wrote:
Looking for a lens element suction tool.


Thoughts on where to get one?


There's also this set on eBay:

Click here to see on Ebay


PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 12:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Or, if you are really frugal, you can take one of those bath hooks with locking hook.



PostPosted: Fri Dec 30, 2016 12:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Coyote7625 wrote:
I have the same problem vanylapep... I can't see the photos on the first page. Jesito, can you put again the photos of your first intervention?

Many thanks.



Difficult, they were stored at Imageshack and when they went commercial and asking for money for keeping the pictures, they cleaned all the free accounts, (mine among them), so they are definitively lost.
I'll try to take some new pictures to replace those, but the first post was written quite a long time ago and I don't remember precisely which tools I was using at that time.


PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2019 8:42 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

cooltouch wrote:
Isopropyl alcohol certainly works well, and I too keep a bottle handy. I prefer denatured, however, because the regular iso that you buy off the shelf at your local drug store is about half water, and after the alcohol evaporates, water remains. This can be a problem in some situations. With denatured alcohol, I don't have this problem.

It's worth noting that "lighter fluid" and naphtha are the same thing. Cool


As this is a sticky thread that will no doubt be frequently referred to (even if not updated regularly) I should point out:

There are quite a few types of Naphtha, most if not all are not the same as lighter fluid, several types will no doubt achieve the same results for cleaning lenses (as even gasoline might).
Some solvent naphthas are high in aromatics giving them excellent solvency - which would be good for cleaning glassware but extremely bad for some plastics.
Lighter fluid is typically very low in aromatics, and will evaporate quicker than many types of naphtha.
The petrochemical naphtha we make is more similar to gasoline than either of these (but only has an octane rating of around 50)

iso-propanol is indeed very good, its fully miscible with all common solvents, but not an excessively powerful solvent. I used HPLC grade from work which has very low water content, low residue & is checked for contaminants by UV. Best of all we have a constant supply of it for work Smile


PostPosted: Tue May 21, 2019 1:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

...

Last edited by Blazer0ne on Tue Feb 22, 2022 5:22 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2019 8:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Blazer0ne wrote:
DConvert, Adding my personal garage level experience with over the counter solvents... Hopefully it will compliment your lab experience.

I can confirm that hardware store naptha does soften vinyl work mats and may remove lens element paint. It also evaporates somewhat slower and cuts through oil (tar and grease) nicely.

When cleaning the entire surface of an assembled lens I try to avoid any solvents that evaporate super fast like denatured alcohol or iso-propyl 90%. I only use those solvents when the element is open and separate from the lens housing.

What I have noticed is that the rapid evaporation is causing cooling of the element, which may draw condensation into the backside group or housing.

The most critical personally; Decreased work time because of rapid evaporation may find yourself with no solvent to float the oils while wiping.

Adding a slower evap solvent like Zeiss lens cleaner after applying a rapid evaporating solvent can help with post cleanup of oils without the possibility of ending up with a dry scratchy texwipe, pecpad, cotton swab or kimwipe.

Also note that there is a good chance that many solvents will require the side of an element to be re-painted black.


Like 1 small


Any hydrocarbon solvent will be likely to do all the things you mentioned. Depending on your desired rate of evaporation gasoline, lighter fluid, white spirit, kerosene, or diesel could all be used (listed in decreasing volatility) the last few will leave residues that don't simply evaporate away.
I'm not sure quite what American 'hardware store naptha' is, but I suspect it's a paint thinner/brush cleaner like our white spirit - a turpentine substitute (sometimes sold under that name at higher prices).

Within each of the volatility ranges there will be a wide range of compositions (I've seen hundreds of different gasolines - some very different from each other) which will cause differences in solvency. A highly paraffinic solvent will have less solvency and so be less likely to remove paint or attack plastics, but will still swell rubber & lift most oils etc. Highly aromatic formulations have better solvency but are more harmful both to you & to plastics etc.

The elements I'm currently working on are proving difficult to get totally clear even using aggressive solvents like acetone, but they are gradually improving - you could barely see through them when I started, now after two tries they've almost reached the point where I wouldn't have felt the need to strip them from the lens i.e. almost good enough that I could make do, certainly not good enough to consider done.


PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2019 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Perhaps the best way to avoid or minimize scrubbing of highly contaminated surface is the same as with anything else: give it a proper soak.
By proper, I mean several days of it.

I wouldn't do this to a group though.
Whether it looks glued or not, there is a chance of getting solvent inside, and that would create a bigger problem than the initial haze was.


PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2019 9:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I use the naphtha that's available at the big box stores -- dunno specifically what it is, although I guess the fine print on the can will tell me. I've used it for years, however, without harmful effects. I also use naphtha when finishing guitars. I use a method known as "french polish" where naphtha is lightly mixed with the shellac as a means of extending it before it becomes tacky. But that's a whole different world from cameras.

As for iso-proponal, I wish I could find 100%, the best I've been able to find is 70%. I find that denatured alcohol is a more powerful solvent anyway, but I suspect that one should use it with caution because I know it can damage finishes, so it might also be a bit too agressive with some plastics. But it is a great solvent, and is also a main ingredient in the "french polish" process, which is why I always keep some around.


PostPosted: Wed May 22, 2019 10:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Amazon has everything.


PostPosted: Thu Nov 17, 2022 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi everyone, I'm trying to clean a yashica ML 50mm 1.4 optic full of fungus , but this lens has been glued on every part possible . I've got rid of the front name plate ring , and the ring to remove elements on front group, but i stil need to remove the mount ring that has the 4 screws ,with acetone I've had luck with everything that I've opened till now, but not further more. Any advice ?


PostPosted: Fri Nov 18, 2022 10:46 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

kiddo wrote:
Hi everyone, I'm trying to clean a yashica ML 50mm 1.4 optic full of fungus , but this lens has been glued on every part possible . I've got rid of the front name plate ring , and the ring to remove elements on front group, but i stil need to remove the mount ring that has the 4 screws ,with acetone I've had luck with everything that I've opened till now, but not further more. Any advice ?


I sometimes encounter mount screws that are simply stuck, no matter what.

First, from the images of that lens I have seen on-line, it looks like (as expected really) the mount screws have JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) heads. They don't have the JIS indicator dot(s), but the shape of the crosshead looks like a JIS crosshead to me. On stuck JIS screws you really don't want to be using a Philips screwdriver, use an appropriate JIS screw driver.

You say the lens is full of fungus, which indicates a period of storage at high humidity levels. I'm not 100% sure what materials are involved here (likely steel screws in an aluminium alloy base), but it is possible to get corrosion building up in the threads between the screw and lens base, which may not necessarily be evident from the exterior appearance. If so, no amount of acetone is going to help, but a small amount of a penetrating oil (like WD-40) that breaks down the oxide layer may (I stress may) do the trick. I would normally advise to keep agents like WD-40 far away from any lens, but on stuck screws it may be of use. Just place a tiny amount in the round recess for the screw head only and let it penetrate into the thread for a a few hours.

A heated screwdriver applied to the screw head also sometimes works, but it is rarely enough to break an oxide bond or soften a thread-lock compound.

Sometimes a well-fitting screwdriver inserted in the screw sharply hit with a light hammer can break it loose, but be careful not to damage anything.

Bear in mind that on old lenses, sometimes things simply have got stuck beyond the ability to get them undone without excessive damage to other parts. It happens.


PostPosted: Fri Nov 18, 2022 11:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

RokkorDoctor wrote:
kiddo wrote:
Hi everyone, I'm trying to clean a yashica ML 50mm 1.4 optic full of fungus , but this lens has been glued on every part possible . I've got rid of the front name plate ring , and the ring to remove elements on front group, but i stil need to remove the mount ring that has the 4 screws ,with acetone I've had luck with everything that I've opened till now, but not further more. Any advice ?


I sometimes encounter mount screws that are simply stuck, no matter what.

First, from the images of that lens I have seen on-line, it looks like (as expected really) the mount screws have JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) heads. They don't have the JIS indicator dot(s), but the shape of the crosshead looks like a JIS crosshead to me. On stuck JIS screws you really don't want to be using a Philips screwdriver, use an appropriate JIS screw driver.

You say the lens is full of fungus, which indicates a period of storage at high humidity levels. I'm not 100% sure what materials are involved here (likely steel screws in an aluminium alloy base), but it is possible to get corrosion building up in the threads between the screw and lens base, which may not necessarily be evident from the exterior appearance. If so, no amount of acetone is going to help, but a small amount of a penetrating oil (like WD-40) that breaks down the oxide layer may (I stress may) do the trick. I would normally advise to keep agents like WD-40 far away from any lens, but on stuck screws it may be of use. Just place a tiny amount in the round recess for the screw head only and let it penetrate into the thread for a a few hours.

A heated screwdriver applied to the screw head also sometimes works, but it is rarely enough to break an oxide bond or soften a thread-lock compound.

Sometimes a well-fitting screwdriver inserted in the screw sharply hit with a light hammer can break it loose, but be careful not to damage anything.

Bear in mind that on old lenses, sometimes things simply have got stuck beyond the ability to get them undone without excessive damage to other parts. It happens.


Thank you so much for your answer .
The fungus has cleaned away pretty nice, a bit of the edges coatings affected left over on the front group I could remove till now.
The screws are JIS and I'm using specific screwdriver , the screws are mare of steel just as the mount, but I assume they are screwed into aluminum. The front group has a ring to use with a spanner to open it , but that one is glued also , after two days of acetone applying ,no results at all. Otherwise the lens is brand new , I can see the focusing ring's screws inside the lens (3 of them steel made) all have a red glue on top of them and surrounding. Just as the retaining front ring for the front grip , that I was able to open with acetone ,I assume most of the threaded parts have the same glue so no corrosion suspicious at all. I've read about using CRC brake cleaner (the red one) to unlock red glue on threads , or using a very fine torch to heat up properly to get em loosen. I assume repair shops would have a better option but i don't know any other one and I feel bad because of this lens, that is supposed to fill the gap on my c/ymissing FL


PostPosted: Fri Nov 18, 2022 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I suspect corrosion, I usually turn to the heavy duty stuff -- automotive penetrant like Liquid Wrench or Sea Foam Deep Creep or other similar products. I've also had good luck with glued items using Goof Off's Pro Strength Remover, which is intended for removing adhesives and glues and even dried paint. It smells like acetone, but there are probably additives. And, as RokkorDoctor mentioned with WD-40, it should be applied very sparingly. Perhaps with a blunted toothpick so it can be precisely applied.


PostPosted: Fri Nov 18, 2022 11:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

cooltouch wrote:
When I suspect corrosion, I usually turn to the heavy duty stuff -- automotive penetrant like Liquid Wrench or Sea Foam Deep Creep or other similar products. I've also had good luck with glued items using Goof Off's Pro Strength Remover, which is intended for removing adhesives and glues and even dried paint. It smells like acetone, but there are probably additives. And, as RokkorDoctor mentioned with WD-40, it should be applied very sparingly. Perhaps with a blunted toothpick so it can be precisely applied.


Thanks for your reply, but I can't find the products you recommend in Europe . As for acetone applying ,I'm using a small syringe to allow only the right amount on top of the screws , but no luck after two days .