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Pailes
Tinkerer
Username: Pailes
Post Number: 1
Registered: 07-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, July 23, 2011 - 11:57 pm: | 
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Hello Everybody,
Yesterday I got hold of a Canon FE SLR with a 50mm f1.4, a 28mm f2 and a 17mm f4 for a very good price. Unfortunately the 17mm lens shows fungus deep inside the lens and I wonder if it's possible to disassemble the lens for a cleaning attempt?
Here is some info about the lens:
http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/canon/fdresources/fdlenses/earlyf dlenses/1720mmfd.htm
Is it worth a try even if I have never done lens disassembly before?
Thanks in advance |
Br1078lum
Tinkerer
Username: Br1078lum
Post Number: 120
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, July 24, 2011 - 05:58 pm: |
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I can tell you that for getting rid of the fungus, athletes foot cream works very well. Just slather it on, let it sit ovenight, then clean off with lens cleaning fluid. But for tackling a lens like that for your first time? Not a good idea. I'd start with something that is cheap, and discardable.
PF |
Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 136
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 25, 2011 - 02:08 pm: |
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Some 20 years ago, I was probably luckier than most, in that I found a camera repair class at a local community college and took a couple of semesters of the class. All the class was, was students bringing in pieces that needed work, and the instructor telling them what they needed to do. But he also gave us a list of "must-have" tools. So after acquiring the tools, I got started in repairing cameras and lenses by just doing it, under the occasionally watchful eye of the instructor. Overall, I was successful.
So before you even start, you need to assemble the right tools for the job. If you don't have the tools, then don't even attempt it. Once you've got the tools you need, since you mentioned that the fungus is deep inside, and assuming this is an FD lens, I would approach things from the rear. Remove the mount. Chances are this will expose a rear element group that can be removed using a spanner. Remove it. At this point, you might get lucky and find that doing this brings you to the elements that have the fungus. If it's even deeper inside, there will probably be additional retainer rings that a spanner can be used on. So you may have to attack them. Anyway, all this is guestimation since I've never had an FD 17mm apart, although I've had lots of other FDs apart. You learn as you go. |
Pailes
Tinkerer
Username: Pailes
Post Number: 2
Registered: 07-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 25, 2011 - 02:51 pm: |
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@Br1078lum:
You're probably right, I should get some very cheap dirty lenses and do some trial and error first. The fungus is not a very big one, but still I wanted to know whether it's possible or not, especially since this one seems to be complicated lens to begin with.
@Cooltouch:
Wow I wish they offered classes like this over here. You're right, disassembling the lens from the rear side seems logical, there are screws at the mount to begin with. I'm going to get a few throw-away lenses and the tools for some experiments. Are the tools provided at this site a good starting point or do I need additional tools?
Thank you very much for your answers. |
Br1078lum
Tinkerer
Username: Br1078lum
Post Number: 122
Registered: 11-2010
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 25, 2011 - 06:26 pm: |
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There are plenty of threads here on lens repairs that you could study. Spanners are a must to be able to get retaining rings off, and a set of them is better. Sometimes you have to make one out of a piece of pipe, as a normal spanner won't fit in the lens body, or inside a folding camera bellows. You have to look out for things like ball bearings falling out and getting lost in the carpet, so a good work surface with a cloth to catch anything is important. The one thing that is hard to fix on a lens is if something is between cemented elements. Fungus there is not easily gotten rid of, as it entails seperating the elements, then gluing them back together in proper alignment using a special glue that is UV activated.
Other than that, it's a lot of fun.
PF |
Michael_linn
Tinkerer
Username: Michael_linn
Post Number: 17
Registered: 04-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, July 25, 2011 - 09:28 pm: |
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Canon FD lenses are going up in price because they can be used on a variety of digital cameras with adapters. If your lens is otherwise in excellent cosmetic condition, it could be worth more than you think. |
Pailes
Tinkerer
Username: Pailes
Post Number: 3
Registered: 07-2011
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 - 07:33 am: |
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@Br1078lum:
It's the first time I'm looking at lens spanners and there seems to be a variety of spanners available on Ebay. How do I know it's any good? Of course I could start off with one or two arbitrarily chosen spanners, get a dirty lens and see how far I get. I'm very interested in this lens repair topic and I'm eager to learn something new. This forum is an awesome source of inspiration :-)
@Michael_linn:
Yes I know, that's how I got into it. First it was only about a few prime lenses to adapt on my m4/3 system camera. Now - two years later - I have plenty of lenses for different mounts and I started with analog photography as well. It's funny how things develop. |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 943
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 - 08:11 am: |
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Do not open up this lens without first buying a copy of the official Canon repair notes and manuals. Yes I said 'Buy' - I cannot understand why people are so reluctant to purchase the proper manual when they are prepared to fork out on tools.
Without the set up data, DIY on the Canon extreme wideangle FD lenses will produce a handful of scrap. This lens is certainly no beginners entrance into lens repairs - get it professionally cleaned and ask if you can watch them do the job. |
Cooltouch
Tinkerer
Username: Cooltouch
Post Number: 137
Registered: 01-2009
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, July 26, 2011 - 09:58 am: |
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Hey Glenn, got a good source for the official Canon repair notes and manuals? |
Glenn
Tinkerer
Username: Glenn
Post Number: 944
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, July 29, 2011 - 10:41 am: |
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I got mine from OTC Ltd. and the link below goes direct to the repair manual page.
http://www.oldtimercameras.com/manuals/
At the time I got mine they were in the process of cataloging all the Canon manuals - I had to explain what I wanted in some detail, but eventually got all the manuals in A4 softback books. They cost but are very good value for the money. I do know that at the time of my purchase, they held ALL the official Canon microfiche issued by Canon's repair department. So if you do not find what you want online, phone them with the exact details of the lens or camera etc that you want to repair - this will allow them to print the correct microfiche.
It is worth noting that in general Canon published their repair data as follows - A general Repair Manual for a series of lenses, ie Wideangles and a parts manual/sheets for individual lenses within this classification. The exploded views in the parts manual are useful, but will not allow one to fully dismantle the lens unless one is really experienced in Canon construction techniques. |
