CLA

[fluffybunny]

So I have quite a few “vintage” lenses that I still use and value. Most are from the 70’s to 80’s and would be hard to replace especially for the the amount I have invested in them.

Do any of you use a particular shop or person to do CLA (clean/lube/adjust) work?

Skill with older lenses is important, as is turn around time.

Trying to determine if it’s worth my time to do the job myself or farm it out.

[staplermofo]

http://www.tccamerarepair.com will give you an estimate via e-mail, which is nice. I only know one guy who’s used them, but he had them fix up a lens that fell into and sat in mud for a while. He was happy.

[orionid]

I probably can’t offer much. I tend to do my own, but in my mind, 70’s and 80’s glass is “modern without the better coatings or electronics” glass. Vintage is pre-60s.

If it’s not something I’d feel comfortable, tackling, and I was particularly attached to it, I’d probably be here asking the same question. Otherwise, old glass is relatively cheap. If it’s not sentimantal (ie. I have a 200mm prime that I learned to shoot with and used to take photos of the Space shuttle challenger when I was four. Book value on the lens is $50. Sentimental value is irreplaceable), I’d just try to buy a new one and hawk the old one.

[nobigdeal]

These are my go to guys. Not just because they are up the street but because they do fantastic work.
http://www.midstatecamerarepair.com/

[orionid]

These are my go to guys. Not just because they are up the street but because they do fantastic work.
http://www.midstatecamerarepair.com/

Interesting. Any ballpark idea what their price and turnaround time for a cleaning and AF calibration runs? Nikon told me “more than the camera’s worth and longer than you want to wait.” Well, those are my words paraphrasing the quote they gave me.

[fluffybunny]

I probably can’t offer much. I tend to do my own, but in my mind, 70’s and 80’s glass is “modern without the better coatings or electronics” glass. Vintage is pre-60s.

If it’s not something I’d feel comfortable, tackling, and I was particularly attached to it, I’d probably be here asking the same question. Otherwise, old glass is relatively cheap. If it’s not sentimantal (ie. I have a 200mm prime that I learned to shoot with and used to take photos of the Space shuttle challenger when I was four. Book value on the lens is $50. Sentimental value is irreplaceable), I’d just try to buy a new one and hawk the old one.

Yes I guess vintage may have been a little off chronologically . Not terribly sentimental but it seems people have caught on somewhat to the idea that manual lenses from this time frame are a good bargain, prices have gone up significantly since I acquired most of mine. That and I sought after very specific glass and it was not easy to find, and having watched over the few years since that hasn’t changed.

Mainly I just want some confidence in the person who does the work. I barely have time to use the stuff let alone do the work. I promised myself that this outage I would actually perform some astrophotography which will absorb what little time I have if I can pull it off at all.

And yes, what orionid asked, moar details please:
(http://www.midstatecamerarepair.com/)

[nobigdeal]

These are my go to guys. Not just because they are up the street but because they do fantastic work.
http://www.midstatecamerarepair.com/

Interesting. Any ballpark idea what their price and turnaround time for a cleaning and AF calibration runs? Nikon told me “more than the camera’s worth and longer than you want to wait.” Well, those are my words paraphrasing the quote they gave me.

Hmm..I typed out a reply to this. Don’t know where it went.
Anyway, turnaround for me is same day for cleaning because I pass the place going to and from work. Last time I had it done the cost was $40-ish? You would be 24 hrs for cleaning plus shipping.
As for calibration, you would have to call and ask.

Nikon service has had my D600 for 5 weeks now for oil spots on the sensor. Supposedly they are replacing the mirror assy & the shutter but the parts are on backorder. Needless to say I’m not real happy about that.

[bender16v]

nobigdeal wrote:

orionid wrote:

Nikon service has had my D600 for 5 weeks now for oil spots on the sensor. Supposedly they are replacing the mirror assy & the shutter but the parts are on backorder. Needless to say I’m not real happy about that.

Good luck! They had my D7000 for oil spots and a line on the images for just shy of three months. That does include them returning it to me unfixed the first time and me shipping it right back. I’m afraid to send my D600 in and have been cleaning the sensor myself, a lot.

What I read recently from another guy is that it cost over $600 to get new filter threads and a new AF motor on a 24-70. I’m not sure how long it took. I think that I would rule out Melville unless needed. I did recently get an older 24mm f2 lens that could use some TLC inside, so thanks for advice on where to send it.

[CauseISaidSo]

Nikon service has had my D600 for 5 weeks now for oil spots on the sensor. Supposedly they are replacing the mirror assy & the shutter but the parts are on backorder. Needless to say I’m not real happy about that.

Rethinking our decision to switch to the darkside, are we? 😉

[ravnostic]

Nikon service has had my D600 for 5 weeks now for oil spots on the sensor. Supposedly they are replacing the mirror assy & the shutter but the parts are on backorder. Needless to say I’m not real happy about that.

Rethinking our decision to switch to the darkside, are we? 😉

ROTFLMAO for honest to God real.

//Okay, not. But LMAO, fershur.

Oil spots? WTF; Nikons get oil spots? Do you live near the La Brea Tar Pits, or Houston?

[bender16v]

Oil spots? WTF; Nikons get oil spots? Do you live near the La Brea Tar Pits, or Houston?

Mine seems to have a deep sump, since I clean and clean and still get crap like this and this. It’s bad enough I try not to shoot less than f11 anymore.

[Barracuda]

Oil spots? WTF; Nikons get oil spots? Do you live near the La Brea Tar Pits, or Houston?

Mine seems to have a deep sump, since I clean and clean and still get crap like this and this. It’s bad enough I try not to shoot less than f11 anymore.

Damn, I change lenses on the fly like it’s going out of style and I don’t have near the dust/oil/crap show up at high f-stops as that shows. That would drive me absolutely batty. 😯

[ravnostic]

I got my spots, but that would be a pain to shoot through! I clean the sensor every few months or so and the lenses mroe often than that, but then I live in a desert with high dust content and do astrophotography where the lenses/camera body often sit for longer than I should let them without being properly attached to covers and such.

[nobigdeal]

Oil spots? WTF; Nikons get oil spots? Do you live near the La Brea Tar Pits, or Houston?

Mine seems to have a deep sump, since I clean and clean and still get crap like this and this. It’s bad enough I try not to shoot less than f11 anymore.

Damn, I change lenses on the fly like it’s going out of style and I don’t have near the dust/oil/crap show up at high f-stops as that shows. That would drive me absolutely batty. 😯

My D7000 is due for another cleaning. I may contact Nikon about it when I get the 600 back. I was told that they are doing a soft recall on them for the oil/dust issues. I’ll let you guys know what I find out.

[Author]

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