Manual Focus Forum

Discuss how to buy, fix, clean, and use all the old manual focus photography kit you can find.
M42, Pentacon 6, Contax, Leica, Canon, Nikkor, Carl Zeiss Jena, Asahi Pentax Takumars etc!

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#1 2008-12-22 17:15:35

Bloosman
Member
From: Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Registered: 2007-04-09
Posts: 15

Stiff Focus Ring...

Hi,

I have a couple of lovely Helios 58mm lenses, one is a Helios-44, the other a Helios-44M.

My only niggle at present is that the focus rings are a bit stiff, the 44 especially so...

Is this an easy task to rectify...?

I haven't tackled the opening up of a lens before, but feel confident enough and do have decent tools.

Thanks in anticipation...

Dougie,
Aberdeenshire.


Canon 30D, Jupiter 11A 135mm f3.5, Helios 44M 2/58 f2, Asahi Super-Tak 55mm f2, Pentacon 50mm f1.8. (and some Canon "L" glass gathering dust..!)

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#2 2008-12-22 19:13:41

awldune
Focus: Infinity
From: NC, USA
Registered: 2007-07-27
Posts: 763

Re: Stiff Focus Ring...

With old lenses, sometimes they will loosen up a bit with use.

I can't speak for the Helios lenses in question, but relubricating the focus can be a fairly easy job. I would encourage you to avoid unscrewing the parts completely, since they can be difficult to re-engage at the correct point, or in some cases it is difficult to avoid cross-threading.

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#3 2008-12-22 21:54:29

Lempicka
Focus: Way Over There
From: UK, South-West
Registered: 2008-05-09
Posts: 255

Re: Stiff Focus Ring...

I have cleaned and relubricated the 44M and the 44M-4. They are a little different. I think that the 44 may be quite different. I think that it's helpful to completely disassemble the focussing helicoids before cleaning, re-lubricating and reassembling.  I would say that it's a little tricky to re-engage at the correct point but not impossibly difficult. I've never had a problem with cross-threading with these two lenses (2-3 of each). Unfortunately I don't have a 44M at the moment otherwise I could easily take the back off and guide you through the first few steps with photographs. Have you carried out a search ? People often publish this sort of thing. I've done it myself - but with other lenses unfortunately.


John

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#4 2008-12-23 12:02:11

glimavitor
Focus: Way Over There
From: Lisbon, Portugal
Registered: 2008-09-21
Posts: 194

Re: Stiff Focus Ring...

Hi.

Check this out:

http://forum.manualfocus.org/viewtopic.php?id=12363


It's about something else, but it shows the disassembling of an Helios 44-2, so you can see how to do it for cleaning/relube.

BE ADVISED: you WILL get your hands dirty wink

See ya!


Nikon: D40; FM; Nikkormat FT-N. Vivitar: MC 19 3,8; S1 70-210 (Kiron); Tamron Adaptall 2: 28 2,5; 135 2,5; SP 300 5,6; 35-70 3,5 CF; 80-210 3,8-4; Nikkor: 24 2,8; AI-s 50 1,8; Micro 55 2,8; Series E 100 2,8; 135 2,8 K; AI-s 200 4; AI-s 80-200 4; TC-200; Industar 50-2; Helios: 44-2; 44-M; MC Rokkor PG 58 1,2; Ensinor 24 2,8 Macro.
And some others...

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