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Nikkor pre-AI to AI conversions in Europe?
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PostPosted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:34 pm    Post subject: Nikkor pre-AI to AI conversions in Europe? Reply with quote
Converting old Nikkors to AI is actually not rocket science, but Nikon's service asks for 75 Euros to do it. Of course, they do it right and not with a nail file. But this price goes beyond the value of most of these lenses.

Is there a camera garage in Europe that does good conversion jobs at a reasonable price?


PostPosted: Fri Dec 18, 2009 4:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Please contact to Trifox in pm! He has service for doing this.
http://www.cameraserviceone.com


PostPosted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Just to put this 75-euro price into perspective -- about 20 years ago, when I was really into buying and selling photo gear -- I used to convert pre-AI lenses to AI. I lived not far from Nikon's parts and service facility in Torrance, California, and I would drive down there and buy the AI kits. Typically, they cost me anywhere from $20-40US, depending entirely on the lens. And then it would take me anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour to do the conversion. You have to include labor charges into the overall cost of the conversion.

So, given that my US$s buy me about half as much now as they did in 1990, I'm thinking this isn't too bad of a price. The fact that the pre-AI lenses may not be worth the cost of conversion has nothing to do with the conversion cost itself.


PostPosted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
Some things get cheaper over the years:

http://www.aiconversions.com/PricesAndShipping.htm

Today it's $35 for a good conversion by a very reputable man. I would send my lenses there, but shipping from Europe and back is more expensive than the conversion.


PostPosted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 7:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
cxo wrote:
Some things get cheaper over the years:

http://www.aiconversions.com/PricesAndShipping.htm

Today it's $35 for a good conversion by a very reputable man. I would send my lenses there, but shipping from Europe and back is more expensive than the conversion.


Yes, but it bears mentioning that there's a rather big difference between converting a pre-AI Nikkor using a Nikon conversion kit, which included a new aperture ring and all necessary linkage pieces, and converting by machining a notch in the existing aperture ring, which is what the above fellow does.

When I converted an AI lens, I included the old aperture ring in the sale so the customer would have all original components, thus not harming its collectible value, if any. Modifying the aperture ring will affect a lens's collectible value. But if you're not concerned about it, then go for it. Machining a notch works just the same as the replacement ring does.


PostPosted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 8:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote
cooltouch wrote:
cxo wrote:
Some things get cheaper over the years:

http://www.aiconversions.com/PricesAndShipping.htm

Today it's $35 for a good conversion by a very reputable man. I would send my lenses there, but shipping from Europe and back is more expensive than the conversion.


Yes, but it bears mentioning that there's a rather big difference between converting a pre-AI Nikkor using a Nikon conversion kit, which included a new aperture ring and all necessary linkage pieces, and converting by machining a notch in the existing aperture ring, which is what the above fellow does.

When I converted an AI lens, I included the old aperture ring in the sale so the customer would have all original components, thus not harming its collectible value, if any. Modifying the aperture ring will affect a lens's collectible value. But if you're not concerned about it, then go for it. Machining a notch works just the same as the replacement ring does.


That depends on the lens.

Making a simple but functional AI conversion for a 'mint' condition, rare lens, like a 13mm f/5.6 new in its box would be stupid. Such 'white elephants' are for collectors only, you get a much better and more modern lens for less money, and it's new.

But what is the collectible value for a popular lens like a 1.8/50, a 2.8/135 or a 4.5/300? These are great lenses, millions of them were sold, and most of them were used and show some wear. A friend of mine has a 1.4/50 that looks as if the barrel had been sandblasted. It is still sharp and works fine, but the value without AI conversion had been practically zero. Hulk has better motor skills and better knowledge of precision engineering than this guy, but now he has a working lens.

I think, for a common-or-garden lens it's just fine to have it converted by someone who machines a notch in the existing aperture ring.


PostPosted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I did not know that some Nikon service departments still have original Ai conversion parts; after all Ai had been around for more than three decades.

For the record:

http://www.pacificrimcamera.com/catalog/ch73.htm

http://www.pacificrimcamera.com/pp/nikon/f/aikithelp.htm


PostPosted: Sat Dec 19, 2009 11:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Seele wrote:
I did not know that some Nikon service departments still have original Ai conversion parts; after all Ai had been around for more than three decades.

For the record:

http://www.pacificrimcamera.com/catalog/ch73.htm

http://www.pacificrimcamera.com/pp/nikon/f/aikithelp.htm


Back in about 1991 or 92 maybe, there was a guy who had a camera repair business who bought out all of the Nikon Torrance facility's remaining conversion kits. I remember being a bit unhappy to hear about this, since it meant that I could no longer buy the kits from Nikon, and he would not sell the kits to me by themselves. If this is the same guy, he's obviously had a change of heart in the intervening years. But looking at his selection, there really isn't all that much of one, really. His prices look to be better than what I was paying all those years ago. Too bad he doesn't have a kit for my 55/3.5 Micro.
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