Can anyone here rebuild a lens?

[Pyrex]

Hmm... Disassembling a lens would be the last thing I do when it comes to repairing photo equipment. I've done my share of 'take-it-apart-and-put-it-back-together' to know better than working on lenses. However (and this is no encouragement of any kind), if and when you decide to take a lens, or any other photo equipment apart, always take digital pictures of every step of the disassembly. That way you'll kow your way back. Also, make notes along, drawing, if necessary. My advice to you for the lens you just took apart? Send it in to Nikon. Swallow the cost and think of it as a lesson in camera/lens disassembling experience. I know, I have done the same...

Well, honestly I do remember how it went back together, I just dont have the patience to try and get these little plastic nuts that slide in the element carrier to hold in place so I can screw it back together. But yes, I won't try this again. As for all of the 'precision instrument' replies.. being an engineer I can understand the close tolerances for optics, but there is nothing variable in this lens, besides the torque of the fasteners. I just don't see what they are talking about.

 

[table1349]

Well, honestly I do remember how it went back together, I just dont have the patience to try and get these little plastic nuts that slide in the element carrier to hold in place so I can screw it back together. But yes, I won't try this again. As for all of the 'precision instrument' replies.. being an engineer I can understand the close tolerances for optics, but there is nothing variable in this lens, besides the torque of the fasteners. I just don't see what they are talking about.

If you want to send it my way, I can probably get the parts all back in place where they belong and seal it up. You adjust it and set the focus. (Thats were the precision comes in.) Deal?

 

[Pyrex]

If you want to send it my way, I can probably get the parts all back in place where they belong and seal it up. You adjust it and set the focus. (Thats were the precision comes in.) Deal?

Sure thing, it's a paperweight unless reassembled, so theres no harm in giving it a shot, unless you're being sarcastic

 

[Pyrex]

Well - Once again I learned never to trust people that don't know what the hell they're talking about.


I rebuilt the lens and it works perfectly. And the "special tools, precision instruments" required? a small Phillips screwdriver. Oh, and I got the metal shaving out of the housing.

If anyone on here has a question about rebuilding a lens - message me as I do know what I'm talking about now, unlike many that care to comment.

 

[Mitica100]

Now, now... All the comments that were made by the 'rest' of us that don't know what the h*ll we're talking about were made with the best intentions for you. Disassembling a lens and putting it back together is a hard task for most of us. Good for you for having succeeded in your task but please, don't put the rest of us down just because we're not engineers like you.

I would definitely warn others, not encourage, to not disassemble a lens just because you were successful. Chances are that they will have a lens that's out of whack, even if it seems to focus properly. There is the proper alignment with the film plane to consider and a collimator is the proven way of recalibrating a lens.

There are simple tests that can be done to establish whether a lens is perfectly aligned with the FP. Have you done any? If so, do you care showing us the results?

 

[Mike_E]

Call Nikon, believe me it will be worth it. If you need any parts from a Mamiya or a Tokina let me know.

On the plus side I did put my Nikon 70-210 back together and it now works wonderfully so if you keep trying you may get it.

Which part of this was incorrect? LOLOL Congrats on getting it back together.

 

[Mitica100]

What? No tests to show??

 

[RyanLilly]

Well - Once again I learned never to trust people that don't know what the hell they're talking about.


I rebuilt the lens and it works perfectly. And the "special tools, precision instruments" required? a small Phillips screwdriver. Oh, and I got the metal shaving out of the housing.

If anyone on here has a question about rebuilding a lens - message me as I do know what I'm talking about now, unlike many that care to comment.

Congrats, and don't be too hard on the others, Although they could be shills for the Nikon service department!:lmao:

Really, these are the same kinds of comments when some one wants to rebuild their rear end on a truck forum. They talk about the precision required and the tight tolerances and most people don't feel that they can do it themselves. Other people like us, say "what do I have to loose?"

Personally I think that everything is a DIY job, It just requires patience dexterity, and some time. (plus I just don't have money to pay other people to do things)

I spilled a few drops of beer on my MacBook 3 weeks after I bought it. The beer somehow was sucked into the LCD. I found a take apart guide online, but no one had disassembled the LCD module itself. I sure as hell was not paying $300 for a new screen less than a month after I bought the laptop, so...
There is a piece of glass, the LCD itself, three layers of plastic fresnel lenses and the fluorescent backlight, backlight inverter, along with three wi-fi antennas, a camera and microphone and all of the wiring to go along with it. Cleaned off the beer from each section/layer, the thing works great . Not to mention that You have to dissemble the whole bottom case to get the screen off to begin with, And I only had one extra screw.:lmao:

Did you take any photos of the disassembly/reassembly?

 

[castrol]

Dang, I was gonna offer to put it back together for you. I disassembled my
SB600 and replaced the strobe bulb in it which required a bit of soldering and
LOTS of patience with little, tiny pieces. I know its not quite the same thing,
but I was in the same boat... it was an expensive paperweight otherwise. Cost
me $12 (the cost of the strobe replacement from Nikon) and I had my flash
unit back again. Not to mention it works better than new (zoom problem)
because I was able to get some wires re-routed that was keeping it from zooming.

Great job. Sometimes it just takes a little time and patience to put things right.

Post up some pics with your NEW, basically free lens. Don't forget to buy a
new lens now, as you basically saved yourself a couple of hundred bucks.

 

[Pyrex]

I apologize for being abrasive in my initial post, I was definitely being a little combative. I agree with Ryan - I approach everything as a DIY - it's just your patience and to some degree, your skills. I honestly did not find the lense to be very challenging - mind you I rebuilt this lens from the smallest of pieces a month after I initially disassembled it - so I basically was rebuilding it with no knowledge of how it went together - took me about 2 hours and some change... It was definitely trying on my patience, but when it's all said and done I'm grateful for the understanding and knowledge of how the more complex DX lenses are constructed, and how they operated - most of my experience rebuilding lenses comes from the older models without he onboard silentwave motor. But, I also enjoyed it costing me nothing ... even though I paid some dip****s in fort worth 30 bucks to quote me their inabilities.

The real reason for all my animosity is when people give advice they probably shouldn't be giving - I just worry that people that are capable of accomplishing such tasks are inadvertantly avoiding them.

 

[jon_k]

there has to be someone who can assemble a lens on this forum.

If someone has this knowledge they might charge as much or more to do the job.

I've taken apart some OM manual lenses with dirt inside. This is because I got them for $20 bucks. Lots of trouble to work on, but worth the effort.

If I did this work for someone else I'd probably charge that much for labor too. It's a pain in the rear. If it was an easy task, it wouldn't cost so much!