Sticky aperture blades in Ai-s Micro-Nikkor 55mm 1:2.8 UPDATE 2021

[@kurtharlem]

My mother (RIP) taught me close-up photography using this lens on a film body. It was her favorite lens. I inherited it and used it on my DSLR until the aperture got stuck wide open. This video gave me the confidence to execute the repair. Now the old Micro-NIKKOR is back in action. Thanks!

[@VenturesInSpace]

Thanks for the video! I never even knew about JIS screwdrivers! I had a problem with aperture stuck wide open. A few humble tips: 1. the bayonet screws were hard to turn on my lens, my screwdrivers were small with thin handle so not enough leverage. I wrapped the screwdriver handle with cloth, gently turned with pliers, the screws gave easily. 2. I had size 00 and 0 and used 0 (the bigger one) 3. I took the bayonet off, and then just moved that thingy that closes the aperture and the aperture closed. I worked it a few times and it was fine. So was no need to disassemble further. I used Vessel TD 51.

[@fredrikolofsson6107]

Thank you so much. Your calm voice with clear instructions, step by step, (and you showed it is not a problem if you miss something) encouraged me to do the same thing with my Nikkor lens with very greasy aperture blades. You helped me to do it! Thanks Mike! Kudos! Mange tak!

[@airestuff]

Copied your video. Now the lens works perfectly. Many thanks.

[@richardsisk1770]

I like this! Wish I had seen it when I was trying to fix the stuck aperture on the one i have. I suspect the spring may have became detached before I got it. Thanks! So interesting.

[@wlodkoziivova]

Hi Kenneth! I constantly enjoy watching your videos. Have a question or suggestion. On the Internet it is very rare for a full service of lenses. If you have the opportunity and time, create several videos with a full lens service. Flushing all parts, lubricating and cleaning the lenses. I know it takes a long time. Thank you so much for everything!

[@sinus2220]

Hi Kenneth! Your videos are great - I've fixed stiff focusing ring on my Micro-Nikkor 55 f/2.8 AI-S and it works perfectly smooth now. Thank you for sharing your expertise!

[@davewebster6945]

My word Kenneth that lens is swimming in grease 😯. I have one of these that has oily sticky aperture blades too, so I'm expecting it to be in the same state when I open it up 😑. This is a perfectly timed video for me so thank you very much for re doing the original one 👍🏽. Happy New Year too you 🙂.

[@mikeno62]

Thanks Dave, yeah the focus helicoids are very oily from separation oil from the old grease, but when I have the time I will re-grease my old lens. Happy New year too :-)

[@aryansanders8567]

Hi after watching your video tutorial I was confident about repair my Nikkor with sticky blades and hazy cristals just want to share two more steps That I consider important at least in my case, the first was the screws, they was stuck really stuck and nothing could release them neither acetone, alcohol or even oil so I went to the final resource, one butane torch, well after that the screws went easy and the second step was the cleaning of the blades, I used benzine instead of isopropyl alcohol and was marvelous, benzine use in watch repair is in the way of cleaning machines with dried oil, just 30 seconds in benzine and clean as new, after that everything was easy specially with your kind tutorial, thanks for make it

[@deepseadiver8191]

Very valuable and comedic at times 😂

[@tomc8273]

Hi Kenneth, Happy New Year! What perfect timing. These are so inexpensive to buy I have 2 of them 20US and 50US. I need to work on the cheaper one so your video is perfect! THANKS!

[@alexblaze8878]

His dental instruments are: 1). Hollenback Carver 2) “plastic instrument” (a.k.a. stellite) 3). Wall’s carver. They’re about $5 each on EBay.

[@mikeno62]

Thank's for the info Alex, I will put Stickers with those names on my dentist tools, next time I make a video and use those tools :-)

[@alexblaze8878]

@@mikeno62 it’s the least I can offer after showing me how to repair this lens. I got a good deal on a sale of 5 of these lenses on eBay...all with either sticky aperture blades or dried-out lubrication. I fixed my first one last week and it works like new now. Thanks!

[@mapol7297]

Thanks for this great and useful video! Work finished.

[@anasrida3454]

enjoy watching your channel. i was wondering, have you ever fixed VR in a lens? i have a 16-35 f4 that sometimes makes a grinding noise when VR is on, and the image comes out blurry. i read somewhere that VR doesn't have any moving parts, so it's probably just electronic contacts. you have any advice? thank you and happy new year!

[@larsulrich2863]

Great video many thanks , now my macro lens is working fine

[@Garacha222]

Wonderful videos! would like to see cleaning dust and spores reaching rear element of a much sought after nikon 50 1.8 pancake from Japan (min focus 0.45 version). I just bought one, and found large thread like dust on 3 elements, and spores beginning on rear element, and very slight haze throughout. Beautiful cosmetics on this lens. unfortunate about glass, though. this seems a complicated lens, and can only reach rear element by going through the lens. (I think)

[@Jacob-64]

Thankyou Mike ,this is my task today 👍

[@martinkasper8047]

Hi Kenneth, I really appreciate your work and your videos. Often you helped me out with a problem and even without a problem, the videos are interesting and fun to watch. Do you have a paypal for donations?

[@maxreaume3593]

Great videos! Do you have one for the 28mm 2.8 ai-s?

[@kilincs]

Thanks for the great videos! Could you please tell me how to remove the rearmost lens element from the iris mechanism of this lens? Some previous repair guy might have assembled my lens in a bakery... It's full of dust that makes it impossible to use for negative scanning in strong backlight 😕 what tool do I need and what parts are safe to grab onto? Thanks!

[@abdulkadir1990]

did you do a video where you show how to aligne the focus? casue mine is slightley missaligned on infinity

[@eksund1900]

Kenneth! I have cleaned a lens just like this one that had oily aperture blades. But I was never able to losen the screws that hold the bayonet. I tried with nail polish, aceton and to heat the screws with a soldering iron. It ended up in a drill press. I had to drill out all the screws. Probably have somebody been in to the lens before me and locked the screws really good. However I know that Nikon lenses can be a pain in the a.. to losen. How do you do it, if it is stubborn screws? Most of the time your demonstration is with lenses that already been opened.

[@wirasandiruslan]

Thank you!

[@tomasolsson9241]

I have a carl zeiss 4/150 cf to my hasselblad. The depth of field preview button doesn't work. Nothing happens when I engage or disengage it. So when i close to a smaller aperture the focusing screen goes dark making it hard to set the focus. Can you do a tutoriel on how to fix that. I guess you have to take the lens apart and probably replace some part... Great channel and work btw! Tomas Sweden

[@steinar4844]

Greate video. Thank you

[@peterswain5525]

Hi. I decided to clean my sticky aperture blades and was doing really well dismantling the lens until I got to the tension spring. Unfortunately I didn't heed the warning as much as I should of and the spring sprung off and appears to have disappeared from the face of the earth. I have tried to get information about replacing it but no luck. I have taken measurements from screen shots of your video and come up with rough dimensions as follows : Free length 11.5mm (including hooks), Length inside hooks 8mm, Coil diameter 2mm, number of coils 50. There are Chinese sellers on ebay but I haven't found these dimensions. There are also companies that will sell custom made springs but I am not confident that my measurements are accurate. I would be very grateful if you are able to give me any information about the size of the spring.

[@mikeno62]

Hi Peter, I have just made a video about that and I hope you and other can use the info, here you can see it: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mn-6g3aNbdScjbs

[@orsofranz]

Hi! I have a simple question: is it possible to blacken the blades if they have worn and reflective areas?

[@thanhdong4195]

Hi Kenneth, what cause blades become oil? please advised

[@jagerardi]

The only thing that can make the blades oily is if the grease on the helicoids breaks down over time. cleaning and re-greasing the helicoids will stop it from happening for years to come. ..Joe

[@tpmarkham]

Can I ship my lens to you and pay you to repair it? I know I will mess it up.

[@stevemcdonald8537]

2021.

[@johnkaplun9619]

Well all I had was Phillips and now the screws are stripped. Just fucked myself totally. Should've listened.