Dismantling the Nikkor-Q 135mm f/2.8!!!

[richardHaw]

https://richardhaw.com/2016/04/21/repair-nikkor-q-135mm-f2-8/
sample photos in the post were shot with a D750 last night 

fixing this is so relaxing, like fixing a VW beetle!

[Jacques Pochoy]

Nice article ! I had mine done by my usual brick and mortar Nikon shop with a very special repair shop authorized by Nikon France for lenses. He had the AI set for my 135mm Q so I was quite happy having got the lens for less then 100€ at my Photofair. All is now clean and I find it an extraordinary lens for it's age ! :-)

[John Geerts]

Very informative article again, Richard.

The 135 Q is a very nice lens. But somehow the 135mm is not my favourite focal length.... (I have identical 'problems' with the 24mm)  I prefer rather the 105 or the 185 /200 instead.

[richardHaw]

Nice article ! I had mine done by my usual brick and mortar Nikon shop with a very special repair shop authorized by Nikon France for lenses. He had the AI set for my 135mm Q so I was quite happy having got the lens for less then 100€ at my Photofair. All is now clean and I find it an extraordinary lens for it's age ! :-)

wow, you are lucky! that lens is going to last 2 more lifetimes. it is that well built!

[richardHaw]

Very informative article again, Richard.

The 135 Q is a very nice lens. But somehow the 135mm is not my favourite focal length.... (I have identical 'problems' with the 24mm)  I prefer rather the 105 or the 185 /200 instead.

hello, John!

it is an oddball focal length for some. I shoot a 50mm mostly so this is just OK for me.

[John Geerts]

Is the 135/2.8 Q easy to AI, Richard?

[richardHaw]

Is the 135/2.8 Q easy to AI, Richard?

Hi,John!

I would say so but be careful NOT to trim too much from the aperture ring. I trimmed just enough so that it reached the base of bunny ears and extend by 0.5mm
I have now found an Ai kit so I am now happy

[John Geerts]

Ah, great find !  Thanks for the reply, Richard.

[richardHaw]

Ah, great find !  Thanks for the reply, Richard.

just trim enough to make it flush with the chrome bayonet, and the give the ring a try. if it gets in contact with the aperture feeler on the camera then trim a bit more some people also trim the bunny ears or just remove everything so the bunny ears has nothing to attach to but I use the Nikkormats and the photomic finders so I leave these all the time.

[Erik Lund]

Cameras vary quite a bit as to how far out the aperture follower is compared to the mount surface, I usually cut the aperture ring about 0.5mm shorter than the F-mount so that it doesn't press down on the rather 'fragile' aperture follower - fragile due to the ceramic print board just behind it, could actually be why many people experience breakage of that board,,,

[richardHaw]

Cameras vary quite a bit as to how far out the aperture follower is compared to the mount surface, I usually cut the aperture ring about 0.5mm shorter than the F-mount so that it doesn't press down on the rather 'fragile' aperture follower - fragile due to the ceramic print board just behind it, could actually be why many people experience breakage of that board,,,

Yes, around that
a good example is the aperture tab of the D7200 is 0.25mm taller than that of the D750
so I give an allowance of 0.5mm or a bit more. I only had to cut the ear once by around 1mm but I forgot which lens.

[John Geerts]

Cameras vary quite a bit as to how far out the aperture follower is compared to the mount surface, I usually cut the aperture ring about 0.5mm shorter than the F-mount so that it doesn't press down on the rather 'fragile' aperture follower - fragile due to the ceramic print board just behind it, could actually be why many people experience breakage of that board,,,

Very good point.  I think it's clever to ask the seller about the specs. of the modification when purchasing a 'manually' adapted Ai'd  lens.

[Hugh_3170]

If one is doing an Ai modification to the aperture ring as fitted to the very early Nikkors, do be aware that these rings were screwed onto the back of the lenses with a fine pitched thread. 

Thus there is a variation in the gap between full and minimum aperture settings of around 0.25mm IIRC.  Thus this variation needs to be included in the fitting tolerance to ensure that the aperture follower tab always is free of fore/aft compressions at all apertures.

[brent_e]

Thank you for these, Richard.
they're a great resource for tinkering with these lenses!

Brent

[richardHaw]

If one is doing an Ai modification to the aperture ring as fitted to the very early Nikkors, do be aware that these rings were screwed onto the back of the lenses with a fine pitched thread. 

yes, I forgot about that version  it has the triangular fork!