How to learn lens maintanance?

[Ivan Lee]

Hey folks...
I'd like to ask you how can I start learning lens maintenance. I'm asking this because I'm too tired of being ripped off by lens technicians here in Brazil.
Or they are very expensive, or they just don't know how to fix something in the lens, or they just say "I only fix Canon or Nikon lenses!!"
I'm really really tired of this... so the only thing I can do is learn how to do this thing...

I would like to ask you: first, good books that cover this... like "Lens optics for dummies" then something more specific like fixing lenses itself... but I think I must know something about the principle of optics, physics etc, right? I have no problem with that...

Then... what tools are necessary? how can I clean a lens with fungus? How can I lube a focus mechanism? what kind of lube is necessary? Where can I get lens schemes?

I have lots of lenses to start learning, that would not be a problem...lol

Thanks!!

[ZoneV]

Ok, I would suggest you read all the pages linked here on my website:
http://www.4photos.de/camera-diy/index-en.html
During that you make some practice with your lenses at hand.

Afterwards you could buy some books here:
http://www.micro-tools.de/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=Eng&Category_Code=BOA

And buy and read some service manuals for lenses and old Camera Craftsman magazins

But in fact I suppose practice with cheap lenses, some reading on the internet would probably help you enough. That is mainly what I did.
A bit of optics would be good too - but I think as far as you understand a bit about principle planes it is enough - you won't design lenses at your own.

Don´t start with lenses you love!

[Himself]

Trial and error.
Buy a 5 dollar japanese prime, take it apart, put it back.
See what parts you have left.

[William]

Seconded on the primes. Zooms are a lot more complicated.

[hinnerker]

This is a good starting point.. you can find a lot of informations, advices in forum etc.. walk around in this endless spaces of the website..
have a look in the archives.. etc.. there you will find cameras, lenses etc..


http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/forum/messages/2/16440.html?1252961141

Cheers
Henry

[Ivan Lee]

Wow! thanks a lot for all of you! that's why I love this forum!

I have some cheap japanese 28mm lenses and some Minoltas with fungus that I can start practicing

[ludoo]

You don't need many tools:

* a lens spanner is mandatory; you can also skimp and use a compass of the kind used in construction and carpentry, essentially like a drawing compass but sturdier and with two fixed points

* a set of good jeweler's screwdrivers is essential, don't be cheap on them as if you strip a screw the lens is done

* some kind of rubber tools to grip the front rings, lots of people use sink rubber caps

* a rocket blower, you can buy the specialized ones or get one from a pharmacy, they are used to inject liquid in ears/bottoms etc. you get the picture)

* a soft brush

* q-tips, the cotton buds used to clean ears

To clean fungus, the easiestand most reliable method I've used is ponds cream (hands cream, Nivea would work, I use a cheap one named Leocrema). It absolutely zaps fungus, does not damage coatings even on old lenses, is not toxic (of course it isn't) and often works to remove other kinds of impurities too. I then clean it with Zippo lighter fuel, and a last pass of pure acetone (the one sold in paint stores, not the one used by ladies which is full of oils). Careful with acetone, it burns easil and is very toxic.

To regrease helicoids, I clean the old grease with the same lighter fuel as above and lots of q-tips, then use white lithium grease of the kind you find at auto parts stores.

Read past threads on lens repair here and look around for the tutorials on repairing well know lenses, and you'll understand the basic principles. The try with cheap lenses you don't care much about, and a) go slowly, b) take lots of pictures.

[Ivan Lee]

Thanks Ludoo!

After some quick ebaying, I found these:

Rocket Blower:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Giottos-Super-Rocket-Air-Blower-AA1900-AA-1900-K010-/290459525270?pt=Digital_Camera_Accessories&hash=item43a0bca096

Spanner Wrench:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Spanner-Wrench-w-Long-Handle-3-32-Great-Tool-Lens-/200526709962?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2eb052c4ca

Jewelry Tools:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Jewelers-Screwdrivers-5-Assorted-General-USA-Made-New-/230547147306?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35adae4a2a

http://cgi.ebay.com/REVERSIBLE-BLADE-7-PC-SCREWDRIVER-SET-MADE-FRANCE-/250455160618?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a504a772a

Rubber Tools:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Set-8-Rubber-Lens-Repair-Tools-Fix-Lenses-NEW-/370219723415?pt=Lens_Accessories&hash=item5632d0aa97

Am I going into the right direction?

Thanks!

[Attila]

Rubber is ok, spanner is crap I have to set from them , this spanner is not enough precise , easy to make damage with it. I don't know you can find better or not.

[mo]

I finally bought the Giottos large rocket blower,cleaned the dust right off the sensor...I do not regret spending the money.$14 is a good price I paid $27 delivered

[luisalegria]

All good advice above, particularly on tools.

Some more -

Instead of the rubber tools set, used for removing rings, you can also look for crutch tips in your hardware store. They come in several sizes.

Also, for look for plastic, copper or iron pipe and liquid rubber, you can make any size of rubber lens tool.

Brass strip, very useful for all kinds of repairs and conversions.

Pin vise, like these -

http://www.micromark.com/SWIVEL-HEAD-PIN-VISE,6730.html

And drills and taps to go with them -

http://www.micromark.com/Drill-Bits-Taps-Dies-and-Reamers.html

Very useful to remove and replace those screws you will destroy.

Small plastic clamps are very useful to assemble aperture leaves -

http://www.micromark.com/MINIATURE-SPRING-CLAMPS-3and4-CAPACITY-SET-OF-6,8211.html

Strangely, I have found these a very useful tool -

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00945570000P

And of course, expect to lose a few lenses.

[cooltouch]

Well, I'll echo Luis -- good suggestions. And I'll add a few of my own.

Lighter fluid is also known as naphtha. You can buy a 1 quart can (or metric equivalent) of Naphtha for not much more than what a small bottle of the Ronsonol lighter fluid costs. Ditto with acetone vs. naill polish remover -- basically the same thing, but the acetone in the qt. can is cheaper.

For re-attaching camera leatherettes and sometimes lens rubbers, you'll need to use a flexible cement. An old camera repair instructor I had swore by Pliobond. It can be hard to find sometimes, in which case contact cement will work as a decent substitute. Personally I can't tell the difference between the two.

I got started repairing cameras and lenses when I was a camera dealer some twenty-odd years ago. Every once in a while I'd get a lens or camera that had a problem, and being reasonably mechanically inclined, decided just to jump in and give it a go. About this same time, I came across a camera repair class at a local community college and attended it for a couple of semesters. It was taught by an old guy who'd been repairing cameras all his life -- probably since the 1940s. Not very organized. We just brought projects in and asked questions when we got stuck. So, it was all hands-on stuff. Honestly I didn't learn all that much in the class -- mostly because I didn't get stuck that often, I guess, and because I was careful when I bought used gear and was really cautious about the sort of broken gear I was willing to buy.

So I think the advice you've been given about just giving it a go once you've gotten some tools is very valuable. I found it helped to take good notes. Nowadays it's easy to document the dismantlement process with a digital camera. Use it.

Another interenet resource I always like to recommend for people who are willing to do their own repairs is the following one. There are some well respected repair folks who frequent the forum. They've helped me out more than once when I've gotten stuck. Click on "Maintenance and Repair."

http://www.kyphoto.com/cgi-bin/forum/discus.cgi

[blende8]

And, important:
Whatever you do, make photos!
It helps a lot to get it back together.

[Ivan Lee]

Thank you for all the replies!

Where can I find some free service manuals to download? I bought some on Ebay, but I think that maybe I could find somewhere for free...

thanks!

[ZoneV]

On my before mentioned site you will find some links to sites with service manuals:
http://www.4photos.de/camera-diy/index-en.html

[cooltouch]

Repair manuals are also available from here:

http://www.kyphoto.com/cgi-bin/forum/discus.cgi

(Same link as the last one I posted)

Look at the top row of menu choices and select "Repair Manuals." You have to be a member of the forum, though, because the files are password protected. You'll get access to the password once you've joined. Also, I'd recommend you post a message in the repair forum asking about manuals. I did a while back for my Yashica 124, and one of the members gave me directions to a file at his website that had exacty what I was looking for. I've also found repair manuals on eBay and by googling for them, which sometimes shows them available for free.

[Ivan Lee]

[Ivan Lee]

Hey! it's me again =D

I have started my little project... the first victim is a Minolta MC Rokkor 135mm 2.8 with fungus. But I have some questions:

1- I can't figure it out how to dissassembly the lens elements completely. I opened the 135mm with the Spanner, then I removed 2 blocks with it looks like 2 or 3 lenses inside. Now I can't dissassembly these blocks...(one of the blocks I could unscrew one side, but not the other, even with my full strenght!!!) even so I could remove some fungus that was in the elements that I could have access.

2- As ludoo said, I used the Nivea cream with a Q-tip on the element, then I removed with zippo lighter fuel. I think it worked... but is this correct? to use with Q-tips? How much time is necessary to leave the cream on the lens?

3- There's some fungus in the inner housing of the lens (in the metal) what's the best method to remove these?

thanks again!