Canon nFD 50 mm/1.8: Cleaning the lenses

[Andreas Thaler]

Removing the rear lenses for cleaning

Sometimes you get to your destination faster if you find the way yourself.

That was the case today

The rear lenses that need to be removed for cleaning.

I was able to rotate the ring around the lenses using the rubber cylinder.

But that didn't make any difference; the lenses stayed where they were.

The ring is made of plastic and elastic. Carefully prying it out didn't work.

So I had to disassemble the rear unit in order to remove the lenses.

Before doing this I documented the status.

This is the position in which the lens is screwed into the camera bayonet. Both red dots are aligned.

Three screws fix the rear assembly.

The rear lenses are now accessible.

There is a retaining ring here that is locked in place. It can be rotated, which is what I noticed at the beginning.

I carefully pry off the plastic ring.

Now the two rear lenses and an intermediate ring can be lifted out with the lens sucker.

The aperture is then free and can be moved.

Good to know in case I ever need to clean the aperture blades.

A composite lens that cannot be further disassembled.


Reassembly

After cleaning and reinserting the lenses, I clip in the retaining ring.

The aperture mechanism with three springs for adjusting the aperture and transmitting the aperture values to the camera.

These two elements must be coupled (red arrow).

Note the position of the aperture control curve (green arrow).

 

[Andreas Thaler]

Insert the rear assembly and turn it in the direction of the arrow until both red dots are aligned.

This allows you to study the New FD system, where only the outer part of the lens moves when attached to the camera.

Position of the bayonet ring when inserted.

To ensure that the holes for the screws are aligned precisely, it helps to press the release button. The ring then snaps into place with a click.

Test on the Canon F-1n, everything works.


+++

All information provided without guarantee and use at your own risk.

 

[forest bagger]

Maybe this also works with the Olympus counterpart?

Olympus Zuiko Auto-S 50/1.8: Front lens group cannot be separated

A 50/1.8 Zuiko, heavily molded, was quickly disassembled: The rear lens group consists of two lenses lying one on top of the other that are easy to clean: The unpleasant surprise comes from the front. The front lens group forms an optical unit - literally: The fungus sits between...

www.photrio.com

Of course this may work. Sometimes I have to separate lens groups which are similarly constructed, the last one was the front lens group of an AF-S 200-500/5.6 VR Nikkor with 95 mm diameter...

 

[Andreas Thaler]

Of course this may work. Sometimes I have to separate lens groups which are similarly constructed, the last one was the front lens group of an AF-S 200-500/5.6 VR Nikkor with 95 mm diameter...

You play in the League of the Fearnought!