Repair: Nikkor-Q•C 13.5cm f/4 (LTM)

16 Mar 2025 Leave a comment

by richardhaw in nikon,lens repair,lens maintenance,nikon repair,, Nikon,museum,classic lenses,, Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

Hello, everybody. Do you listen to heavy metal? My favorite band is Judas Priest, I love their style and the music that they make. It has been several decades since they debuted but their music never gets old. The frontman (Rob Halford) left the band for some time but now he’s back and he is just as metal today as he was more than 45 years ago. His voice became the basis of the metal sound and the guitar work became the influence of so many bands that came after, their legacy lives on each time we listen to young bands shredding and screaming at the stage. Today, I will show you another “heavy metal”, and just like Judas Priest, it has left a lasting influence in Nikkor history.

Introduction:

The Nikkor-Q•C 13.5cm f/4 is part of the original lineup of Nikkors that Nikon made right after the war. It was1946 and Japan was in shambles with most of her industrial base fire-bombed by the Allies down to the ground, literally. Through determination and a lot of hard work, Japan has risen from defeat. A lot of that was fueled by companies like Nikon. Post war dollars had to be earned and Nikon was one of the few companies that had the capability to help. And thus, Nikon was transformed from making optics for the military to a consumer optics company. You can read more about this in my other Nikkor-Q•C 13.5cm f/4 article where I also mentioned the rest of the initial 6 great Nikkors that came out right after the war.

The barrel is made from heavy duty brass, making it a very dense lens when you hold it. It is certainly a lot heavier than it should be. You’ll notice that the workmanship isn’t as good as later Nikkors, that’s because Japan was a covering from a devastating war at that time so materials are scarce and the machines that’s left weren’t up to the task, it’s really a story of struggle and triumph for Nikon.

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Repair: W-Nikkor•C 2.5cm f/4

25 Jul 2024 1 Comment

by richardhaw in nikon,lens repair,lens maintenance,nikon repair,, Nikon,museum,classic lenses,, Uncategorized Tags: , , , ,

Hello, everybody! Do you have a vice that you have been staying away from with the best of your ability? I am sure but we all do. Is it smoking, alcohol or pornography? Or is it something more benign like buying cameras and lenses? It is very hard to keep the urge, the longer you keep it the stronger the climax is. This is how I felt when I made my latest purchase, it’s something that I have always wanted but the price is not something that I can easily afford. I was lucky that I found one for a reasonable price, it’s not cheap but it is fair. When I finally got it, I felt an overwhelming release, as if something that I have been keeping in for many years suddenly came out. I have nothing more to hide so I will show you my latest yo-yo.

Introduction:

The W-Nikkor•C 2.5cm f/4 is the smallest rangefinder Nikkor that you will ever find, that is if you measure it from the lens mount of the camera. As a W-Nikkor, it fills a unique place in the catalog for a super-wide lens. During that time, a 35mm lens is already considered wide and 28mm is the entry point to the really-wide category. It was made from 1953 up to an undetermined date so we assume that production lasted until the final days of the Nikon rangefinder era. There are only 2 variations for the Nikon S-mount, earlier ones come in shiny chrome like you see here while later ones are painted black. These were also made in Leica M39 screw mounts, too. Just like everything Leica, they will cost you more than a kidney to acquire.

It is very compact, it feels dense in your hand. The build quality is typical for its time, which means this is a very well-made product. There’s nothing much to manipulate with this lens as it lacks a focusing ring, this is one of the defining traits of this lens. It is truly unique in many ways.

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