Tonight's Challenge: Save a Lens!

480sparky · Joined: 16 Apr 2013 Posts: 355 Location: Iowa

Stopped by the local brick-n-mortar toy store today just to see what was up. They tossed me this:

Said someone left it (Nikkor 200/4 Ai) under the seat of their truck for 3 years. Brought it in to see if it was worth fixing, and Nikon said how much it would be. He said, "Forget it!" and wanted to toss it. So they kept it and waited for me to darken their door.

What the heck, I thought! It's a free lens! It's at least worth trying to clean it up. These old lenses aren't that difficult to disassemble. So tonight, after supper, I cracked out the tools. Other than the dust on the front element, there was a lot of fungus on the rear of the second element.

A couple rounds of scrubbing cleaned that up nicely!

But more trouble lurked further in.

But still within reach of going in through where the aperture blades are. Several q-tips and some cleaning fluid later;

Reassemble, and I get a rather nice 200mm Ai out of the deal.

Yes, there's still some fungus further in, but not on the glass. And there is a slight amount between the front two elements. But heck. It's free!

I'll need to get a spanner wrench to take off the retaining ring between the front two elements, but that can easily wait for now. Now to take 'er out and shoot 'er (as opposed to it's fate as of this morning, and that was landfill fodder!)

I love saving old glass!

iangreenhalgh1 · Expire: 2014-01-07

Congrats, looks like the coatings haven't been damaged at all.

Should shoot fine. Smile

tromboads · Expire: 2015-10-01

Well Done

You win the community service award tonight Razz

mo · Expire: 2016-07-30

It comes with a free sticker Like 1

Great job and nicely told and shown!

miran · Joined: 01 Aug 2012 Posts: 1367 Location: Slovenia

One more:

sceptic · Joined: 01 Jun 2013 Posts: 255

Great illustration of the fact that fungus (even severe cases like this) isn't necessarily a death sentence for a lens. That being said, I definitely don't mind the widespread notion that fungus is something to avoid like the plague. That simply means cheaper lenses for those of us that know how to get rid of it...

Lloydy · Expire: 2022-01-01

great job. I always said spotless glass is over rated. Wink

jamaeolus · Expire: 2015-08-20

Nice work Sparky.

quidam · Joined: 28 Sep 2012 Posts: 216 Location: Belgium

Congrat. nice work.

bychance · Joined: 24 Apr 2013 Posts: 345 Location: Kent, England

Good man

WNG555 · Joined: 18 Dec 2014 Posts: 784 Location: Arrid-Zone-A, USA

Yes! I like happy endings like these! When a shop owner knows you well enough to consider saving such items for you.
They more than deserve your patronage and recommendation.

Lightshow · Joined: 04 Nov 2011 Posts: 3670 Location: Calgary

Congrats, looks much better, I would give it a UV bath when you open it up again for the final cleaning, right down to the helicoid, or look for some anti-fungal cream or similar to be sure it won't come back.

bluecoast · Expire: 2016-08-26

i love to see work like this where it all ends well (as in, still in one piece).