Series 1 Lens Stuck on Nikon FA . . . help

salttram · Joined: 26 Oct 2011 Posts: 3

Ok, I've searched, Googled, twisted, and shaken . . . and still can't remove a lens from my wife's trusty FA. The lens is a Vivitar Series 1 90mm 2.5 Macro. The camera body was working fine just prior, and I had removed/replaced the lens several times the same day with no problems. As I was trying to remove the lens, it rotated partially (about 3/4") and then became locked in that position. The posts I've seen regarding this aren't helping.
Anyone have a special technique for this, or, a shop I can send it to that will be willing to tackle this? Thanks so much in advance for any replies.

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

Welcome salttram

Suggest camera repair shop unless somebody else knows.

Never heard of it before.

Could be aperture coupling is stuck?

SkedAddled · Expire: 2021-08-12

Could it be that a release-lever/button spring has died off?

Just specualation here; I have no knowledge of Nikon F cameras.

I hope you get it sorted out successfully,
and welcome to the forum.

salttram · Joined: 26 Oct 2011 Posts: 3

Thanks . . . I'll take another stab at it. I'm such a dedicated DIY-er . . . pains me to take it in. Thanks again . . .

hasan · Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 313

since 2 years?
https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/options-for-lens-stuck-on-nikon-fa.509027/

look here
https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/stuck-lens-on-nikon-fa.441913/

and here: ....weak battery
https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/nikon-fa-troubleshooting.470011/

Excalibur · Expire: 2014-04-21

Well no help sorry as I had a Nikon 301 and the non Nikon lens was stuck, so I decided the lens was worth more than the camera and used a hacksaw on the body to get at the release mechanism.....what did I learn? well the Nikon body was well made.

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas

If you've decided to go the repair shop route, and if you live in the US, I can recommend one. They do excellent work, they're fast, and reasonably priced. They repair both old and new stuff:

http://professionalcamerarepair.com/

I am in no way affiliated with Professional Camera Repair -- just a happy customer.

Gardener · Joined: 22 Sep 2013 Posts: 950 Location: USA

Are you sure you put it on correctly? I've recently bought a Nikon teleconverter which had a top cap jammed into the wrong slot, so I imagine it's not entirely impossible to do the same with a lens.

cooltouch · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Posts: 9097 Location: Houston, Texas

It might be possible to jam a cap on wrong, but not a lens. The mounting lugs on the lens appear to be slightly asymmetrically spaced, so there's only one way for a lens to drop into place. I just tried this on a Nikon of mine, and it was not possible to get the lens mounted incorrectly.

There's a pin on the camera's mounting flange at the 3 o'clock position that drops into a slot cut into the lens's mounting flange. If you lens has an AI aperture ring, rotate it all the way anti-clockwise, then if you look there you can see the slot in the lens flange. I'm thinking that a repair shop may just have a tool they can fit down in there to lever the pin back so the lens can be removed. Or you might be able to make one out of some stiff shim stock. Other than that, I don't know what to suggest, short of ruining parts of the lens or the camera. Like using a zero-kerf metal sawblade to shim between the lens and the mount and cut the pin. Then you might be able to source the pin from any number of Nikon parts cameras, I'm thinking. Finding such a sawblade might be a feat all its own, though. Or a cut-off wheel. Micromark has several items that might work, if it comes to that.

Gardener · Joined: 22 Sep 2013 Posts: 950 Location: USA

So, it turns out I have a copy of this very same lens, and in my case it is missing a little stop on the mount. Why? I don't know. It could be that it was never there, or it worked itself out and got lost, or it could be some later alteration. In any case, without this stop the lens can slip too far counterclockwise when it's mounted and get stuck - something I quickly discovered when I put it on the camera. The only way to get it for me was to force it full circle, and yes, if you have a non-folding Ai tab it may break in the process.

salttram · Joined: 26 Oct 2011 Posts: 3

Thanks so much for all the replies since I last checked. After giving up, I'm starting to give it another go.

Gardener's point is well taken, as I did turn the lens further counter-clockwise (wrong direction) in my attempts to remove it. I was able to determine via feeler gauge that the lens release is working, so I'm taking his advice to heart . . . just a little hesitant to crank it all the way around ccw. As it is now, I can't budge it in either direction, so am not sure even that can work. I suppose if I damage either (or both) mounting flange(s), it wouldn't be too expensive to replace them.

I'm going to try to drift it back cc with a pointed punch on that mounting groove as gently as possible, and will try Gardener's suggestion if all else fails.

I'm selling off my Nikon film gear, but am keeping certain lenses, as they hold up surprisingly well on a modern ff DSLR sensor. Thanks for keeping the F-mount alive (for now) Nikon!

Again, thank you all so much, and I'll post my results.