Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: loose focus Nikon 60mm  (Read 1361 times)

HSakols

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1239
    • Hugh Sakols Photography
loose focus Nikon 60mm
« on: October 31, 2013, 09:05:13 am »

I inherited my dad's Nikon AF 60mm macro lens that still looks brand new.  Unfortunately, I notice that when I compose an image when the lens is pointed down, the focus slips out of focus.  Can this be repaired under the cost of a new lens, or is this lens just going to be a paper weight? 
Logged

NancyP

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2513
Re: loose focus Nikon 60mm
« Reply #1 on: October 31, 2013, 12:55:44 pm »

Does it autofocus? Does the manual focus "feel" loose? I don't know enough about lens construction to be of much help, but I can imagine that an internal friction stop might be missing or the helicoid lubrication inadequate. I have a used Nikon 50mm f/1.2 AIS MF lens that has a strange feeling focus ring but at the moment holds focus and has good optics, so I am not messing with it. It was Army Surplus, and may have been stored under conditions that degraded the helicoid lubrication. If yours is non-functional, you might be able to find some DIY fix-it info on the web. Lots of people in the manual lens world rebuild their lens housings, commonest is to de-click the aperture ring, also common is to change mount using adapter kit.
Logged

Colorado David

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1178
Re: loose focus Nikon 60mm
« Reply #2 on: October 31, 2013, 01:29:48 pm »

Call this guy and ask him; Bernie Barge.

http://www.pho-tech.net

HSakols

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1239
    • Hugh Sakols Photography
Re: loose focus Nikon 60mm
« Reply #3 on: October 31, 2013, 06:57:17 pm »

Thanks for all the suggestions.  Manual focus does not feel loose. However, it appears to slip focused at close range facing down. At the moment when I need macro I either use my 105 AFD micro or my old manual AIS 200mm micro.
Logged

NancyP

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2513
Re: loose focus Nikon 60mm
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2013, 11:04:35 am »

if you search for your lens and repair in your favorite search engine, you may find information such as schematics, if you care to DIY and are sufficiently equipped to do so. If you don't have JIS screwdrivers and a lens/filter wrench, and don't like disassembling things, you may find it cheaper to see if it can be fixed. It may just need a cleaning and re-greasing of the focusing helicoid. This might cost you $85.00 to S130.00 plus shipping, given generic prices by non-Nikon-owned repair places, some of which are Nikon authorized repair shops.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up