CZJ 200/2.8 Sonnar opening for greasing pictorial

Anu · Joined: 14 Apr 2009 Posts: 879

For the first time I decided to take pictures as I opened this lens for the second time. The first time reassembly took way too long, and funnily the subsequent reassemblys have taken quite a bit less time even though I've not had use for these pictures.

Tools needed: a screw driver. One size is enough.

Here is the hero - please take similar picture of the lens focused to infinity, so you know how it looks then. This helps in proper reassembly.

As you see, I've taped the lens cap for the operation so that I won't use my greasy fingers to create any kind of unwanted soft focus filter Wink

I recommend you do the same. Anyhow, this lens is in my opinion the most beautiful of all my lenses - pure functional style.

Remove the three screws from the back of the lens - it is the three similar sized big screwes. Don't touch the small ones (if there are any - the electric version may have different kinds of screws).

I use the back lens cover to hold the screws in a place I can still find them. A magnegtic cup would be better still.

Here is the back with the screws removed:

Remove the mount piece by pulling it:

This is how it looks after that, neat and nice:

Focus the lens so that it is not in either end, just somewhere in the middle. For example like this:

The reason is that you will next remove the screw in the next image, and if you've focused to infinity or to minimum, you might damage the screw.

You can now screw the focusing unit off - this is the lens naked:

From the top - very pretty. We don't need to go any deeper.

Removed part:

Now, remove the cap from the part you took off - count the rotations needed - for my lens it was about 4.5. I guess this can be and is used to infinity focus adjustments. There might be enough space for Nikon users.

Here the cap has been removed:

This is the grease I have been trying to use. I am not sure it is usable with this particular lens. I am sure some of the Soviet lenses would love this grease because of their more liberal tolerances, but the CZJ 200/2.8 is a high quality craftmanship lens with tight tolerances, so something with lower viscosity is better, I am sure. If you choose this grease, apply much less than you think is the bare minimum, really really little. Also, please remember to treat both the major and minor thread (ie. the one in contact with the body, and the one in contact with the cap).

Label: (this is for computer geeks - there will be explanation later).
The focusing unit can be screwed in from many different positions - I have no good instructions here on which is the right spot to start the rotation - you may have to return to this spot a few times. As I said, it can be rotated in from many places, but only one is right. Trial and error is a good way of learning. If something is wrong regarding the focusing scale, redo this step. Sorry, bad English, small vocabulary and bad memory Wink

Once the focusing unit is on it's thread, screw it out so much that it almost comes off - as you see from the following image, the shiny thread just barely shows - aim for this.

Now, take the cap and screw it back on. I hope you did count how many rotations it took to remove it as you will now rotate it back the same amount. The cap luckily only enters the thread from one place, so you only need to count the rotatons. Probably it is the same 4+ rotations it is for my lens. Once you're almost there, look inside the lens - you need to rotate till the "feet" of the cap are properly aligned so they'll be on top of the slots they'll enter - like in the following image:

Now, you need to hold steadily from the cap, and rotate the focusing unit slowly in so that the "feet" will sink into the slots as in the following picture:

Now rotate the focusing unit somewhat it, put the following screw back in:

And put the mount back and you're hopefully done.

Actually, before you put the mount back, you might want to check that the focusing is properly aligned, so that you reach infinity and the minimum and are stopped properly at each end by the screw in the side of the barrell. If now, it's time go goto back to the part above where I talked about possible needing to do some screwing around. Ie. Goto Label for computer geeks.

If someone wants to clean up my broken English and maybe reuse/edit the photos, or even add some more, or correct errors in my procedure, or whatever, feel free to do so. These images and the text are hereby in public domain.

martinsmith99 · Expire: 2013-11-18

Very useful info as this seems a common problem and a lens I am in the market for.

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Many thanks Anu for this guide!

indianadinos · Expire: 2011-12-05

Hi, many thanks for sharing this tutorial ...

Gonzoo · Joined: 29 Mar 2010 Posts: 231

Thanks for the tutorial. Helped me a lot!

mork74 · Joined: 22 Nov 2014 Posts: 1

Thanks a lot for this beautiful tutorial Anu! I Have the same lens -i love it- with a fungus starting in the front lens....any chance to have the same infos about cleaning that part? How can i expose the front lens?

thank you