Hello, everybody. This video is kind of late and I should have made this years ago. I was a bit busy but I finally found some time to make a video about this topic. Beginners usually face this problem and quit It so I hope that this video will reach somebody in trouble and I hope that I can help him before it is too late.
To make sure that you know more about working with helicoids, make sure that you see my post on working with helicoids. The link has plenty of information on how to work on helicoids and is a part of my “fundamentals” series. Make sre you read it!
Making a video is not natural to me specially when I am working on a lens. I am sure you can hear my getting lost in my thought all the time this is because I need to concentrate on what I am doing rather than what I am saying. It is kind of like driving a motorbike on the highway and at the same time talking to your wife on the phone. It is dangerous and irresponsible. Anyway, so long as somebody learns from these videos; it is all OK to me. Thank you for watching this video and see you guys again next time, Ric.
Help Support this Blog:
Maintaining this blog requires money to operate. If you think that this site has helped you or you want to show your support by helping with the upkeep of this site, you can simple make a small donation to my paypal.com account (richardHaw888@gmail.com). Money is not my prime motivation for this blog and I believe that I have enough to run this but you can help me make this site (and the companion facebook page) grow.
Helping support this site will ensure that this will be kept going as long as I have the time and energy for this. I would appreciate it if you just leave out your name or details like your country and other information so that the donations will totally be anonymous it is at all possible. This is a labor of love and I intend to keep it that way for as long as I can. Ric.
Richard Haw's Classic Nikon Repair and Review 
Jun 13, 2017 @ 02:43:47
This is a trivial question… or not: I just saw a 105mm f/2.5 Ai lens for $32. Why so cheap? It is *FILLED* with fungus!!! The focus is also stiff to turn.
I have a few questions out of curiosity: We *know* it is filled with fungus, but does the fungus etch the glass? Assuming the fungus does not etch the glass, the lens would have to be taken totally taken apart and CLA’ed to put it back into shape. I have no intention of buying it since I have Parkinson’s Disease and have severe tremors.
My second question is sort of related: Assuming the fungus does not etch the glass, how much would you charge to completely overhaul such a lens? Here is the link:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-Nikkor-105mm-f-2-5-AI-Manual-Focus-Lens-for-Repair-/322549386097?hash=item4b19710b71:g:yMkAAOSw~e5ZOzQi
Given my restrictions I *try* to buy CLEAN lenses to start with so I don’t have to go through this process, and then try to insure that the conditions do not exist for fungus to grow ( I keep a lot of desiccant in my camera/travel bag and keep it in a cool closest so that haze does not form, etc.) — in short an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Even though there is no way for me to service my own lenses I have enjoyed reading you blog as it is very informative. I look forward to your reply as it may provide me a reasonable way to buy a lens on the cheap side, then have it CLA’ed, and end up with what is essentially a new lens… or at least optically.
I look forward to hearing your reply. Thanks
Jun 13, 2017 @ 05:05:36
Hello, Sam!
$32 isn’t a bad price at all but for that condition, I would low-ball him further. I cannot open the link since ebay is restricted here at work.
I do not have the time to service other people’s stuff and if I do, it takes me weeks or months to even get to yours. If I am correct, a complete overhaul would cost you around $150 in the US.
My best advise for you is to just wait for a cleaner copy and then just buy that instead and you lose the risk of gambling on old junks and it will end up saving you money,too. I love tinkering and this has helped me acquire a considerable collection of things for not a lot of money so I am ready to gamble with the odds.
I would like to refer you to my lens damage artefacts and fungus cleaning articles. You can backtrack or Google them as they seem to be very popular so they get the top results.
Parkinsons can be difficult, had a neighbour with that,too. And I thought having gout was bad. Be well, Sam. Ric.
Jun 13, 2017 @ 06:33:10
Thank you Ric!!! Yep, that is what I have been doing. I try to buy stuff on Fleabay that is rated at least Excellent +++ or better (if it comes from Japan) or ask a lot of questions if I buy it from someone here in the US (where no one seems how to grade a lens — there is a lot of junk lenses sold that some camera stores rate as being “Excellent” that would only be rated as “Good” in Japan.). If I buy a lens here in the US it is usually from a private seller that hasn’t a clue as to the quality of the lens they are selling. I’ve gotten two great lenses this way, but again only after asking a LOT of question.
I live on Social Security Disability so I have a set limit on what I will pay for a lens. I have knocked my expectations down from buying an AiS lens to an Ai Lens, which are PERFECT for my old Nikon F FTn and Nikon F2S. I have plenty of time on my hands, though I may have found a 105mm f/2.5 Ai lens rated Excellent +++++ for $179 (US) which includes a Lens Hood. Shipping adds $26 so my total would be $205. Still I ask the seller questions if something is not mentioned. (Saw a very nice lens that looked like an excellent deal, but there was no mention of Front or Rear caps, so asked if the price included the front and rear lens caps… it did NOT, and turned it down for that reason.). I take to heart the old adage “Buyer Beware”. Asked the current seller a question and waiting for a response. IF this lens is as clean as it looks depending on the reply I get back, I plan to pounce on this one.
The $150 CLA you quoted is about what I had pegged it would cost me, without the price of the lens included. I figured a GOOD buy would cost me between $175-$200 without shipping, for a CLEAN lens rated Exc. +++ –> Exc. ++++, and anything with a better grade from Near Mint –> Mint would be an excellent buy to being a steal!! (And Yes some of them do show up on Fleabay from time to time).
Again Thank You for your response as it confirms my guess on how much it would cost me to buy a junk lens and have it CLA’ed, –vs– buying a CLEAN lens to start with. Also thank you for writing your Blog — I may not have the ability to service and tear down a lens, still I learn things every time I read one of your posts.
Sincerely yours,
Sam