Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/03/10
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]> From: Gabe > > I have a Summitar and the aperture ring is sticking. It moves, but it's a > struggle. Also, it forces the lens not to be locked in place and I have to keep > resetting it. Is there any hints on loosening it up that anyon has tried? > Hi Gabe - I learned this trick just about three months ago from Ralph Holsinger, a local camera repair tech and retired microscope/photo equipment repairman from Humboldt State University. Also a fine fellow with his own Leica IIIf and a Leica RT300 slide projector. Here is what you do: Put a couple of drops of lighter fluid on a Q-tip and rub it around the lens barrel along the seam in front of the f-stop ring. Work the aperture ring a bit. It may actually become really loose, but that is OK. The solvent will evaporate, the internal lubricant will get thicker again, but be spread around more evenly. In fact, the next day, the ring may still be fairly stiff again. If so, repeat the process, just using a small amount of lighter fluid each time until the tension feels right on the next day. I did this to a Summitar, it behaved just as Ralph described it would, and works fine now. Now if it were a Noctilux or Super Angulon, I might be a little hesitant to try this home remedy. As a disclaimer, "your actual results may vary." Gary Todoroff