Zeiss Makro-Planar T* 100mm f/2 ZF.2

[Leophallak]

Does anyone have any experience fixing the "Zeiss Wobble" in this lens?  Or is this something that should be sent in for repair?

Leo

[pluton]

I have the ZF version of this lens, which still works fine after 9 years of light use.  Unless one considers focus creep when pointed straight up/down an issue requiring repair, which I don't.
What is the "Zeiss wobble" that you speak of?
Zeiss handles USA repairs through their New York office.  They have a PDF form that you fill out and send along with the lens.  You send it to them, they send it to Zeiss in Germany, then it comes back to you via the New York office.  Last time I used their service(2015) the fixed charge for repair was $175.  It might be a bit higher now.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

The screws holding the three internal guide rails might have commenced working themselves loose. This will manifest itself as a "wobble" during focusing. If so, fixing the issue should be pretty trivial if the proper tools (JIS screw drivers ec.) are at your disposal.

[Martin Zimelka]

I'd be curious as to how this is done... my Distagon 35/2 ZF has the wobbles too.
I can't send it in, as it needs to be sent to Germany.
I've repaired the CPU on this lens, so I'm fairly confident going in... just depends on how far 

[Leophallak]

JIS Set ordered. Feeling confident.

Leo

[richardHaw]

really interested to know what that wobble is like 

[Martin Zimelka]

Well, on my Distagon the front part of the lens barrel is slightly loose and has tiny rotational play.
When punched in at 100% magnification during live view, and I fine tune the focus, the image wobbles slightly. For me it's the haptic feedback during focusing that bothers me very much.

[pluton]

Almost every Nikon K/Ai/AiS lens I've ever owned has had a certain amount of the side-to-side judder when focusing, presumably caused by a loose or worn helicoid key.  Not surprising since these are old lenses that I acquire in used condition.
None of my Zeiss ZF lenses have it...I must not be using them enough to wear them out or vibrate the mechanism loose.
Supposedly it is repairable (as a general rule) but when I have occasionally had the old Nikon lenses re-lubed, most service shops seem to ignore the issue and don't fix it.
Recently, I sent a 16/3.5 Fisheye-Nikkor to be serviced.  The shop returned it with the focus freeplay unfixed, and claimed (on the phone) that it couldn't be fixed because "there aren't any parts anymore" for this lens.  The lens was returned to that same shop for separate mis-repair issue, and when I got it back the second time, the freeplay had also been mysteriously fixed.  Maybe the "good" technician came back from vacation...

[Martin Zimelka]

I used my Distagon 35/2 ZG.2 a lot, but never abused it and looked after it better than most Nikkors I've owned... today, it looks and feels worse than Ai and Ais Nikkors I've had for longer that I've also bought second hand...

I'm not terribly impressed with Zeiss ZF build quality. I've had multiple CPU failures too.
I'de very much like to get rid of the wobble. It just feels terrible...
My lens is littered with flaking paint spots. My 100/2 ZF is not as bad but then I use it much much less. My older Nikkors look like new compared to it.

[Martin Zimelka]

Cross post from FMForum;

I have yet to do this on the Zeiss 100/2 MP, but I can't imagine it to be very different...


OK, so I just decided to wing it, and it worked.
The Distagon is easy to disassemble, and most of the hardest parts can be avoided completely for this fix.

I did it the long way, removing the mount, the mount's baffle, the CPU, the aperture ring (and its tiny click ball)...
The short and easy way is to simply remove the mount screws (careful, there are extremely thin washers/shims between the mount and the lens. They are important and they look like they can be damaged by just looking at them!)

Once the mount is removed one can see 4 screws, marked with red circles below. Note, the image shows how the lens looks like with the aperture ring, etc removed.
Loosen these 4 screws and the whole DOF scale ring, with aperture ring, will come off from the lens barrel.

You'll probably notice some infinity adjustment shims ( I had two, one thick and one thin). Remove these carefully as they are thin and susceptible to dirt. Under these shims are 2 copper helicoid guides. They are each held in place by two screws. Mine weren't particularly tight. I tightened these screws, assembled the lens, and the wobble/play problem was solved.