Taking apart the legendary 43-86!

[richardHaw]

https://richardhaw.com/2016/06/25/repair-zoom-nikkor-43-86mm-f3-5-13/
Just posted an article about how to take apart the 43-86 lens! It took me a lot of hours to write, I hope that you like it!

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Another excellent in-depth article, Richard.

I know of some people here on NG  who would love to have this page open while they go through the motions of opening a 43-86.

Which reminds me I have one or two copies of the first versions floating around somewhere, not CPU-modified as the newest model. The last incarnation is great in IR. I wonder about the earlier models - now is time to locate a sample and find out !!

Thanks are extended form the Team and the entire NG community for your sharing these practical instructions with us. Just what the nerds amongst us could wish for.

[richardHaw]

Thanks for the compliment

I really like this lens a lot. it is very practical for street photography. This and the 35-105mm might be great candidates for CPU modification as there is enough clearance at the back.

these lenses are amazing specially if you consider when they were designed and using what.

[Hugh_3170]

Congratulations Richard on yet another very handy article, as Bjørn has already noted. 

I have two of these 43-86mm old timers. 

The newest version came to me as an Ai lens, with a factory aperture/diaphragm ring, and it has had one of Bjørn's U-type metering chips/pcbs added by myself.  This was a very straightforward enhancement as this version of the lens has an older thin walled bayonet mount and fortunately its diaphragm spring is attached to the aperture lever well away from where the contact block is situated.  Its Serial No. is 963237.  Either of Bjørn's U-type pcbs (that fits into a long contact block), or one of his I-type pcbs (that utilises the short 5-pin block) can be easily fitted to this lens.  (The L-type pcb might possibly be fitted with a large amount of bending and contortion to the print - however my present skill level is certainly not up to using the L-type print in this way on this lens.)

The other lens is much older and is similar to yours; it was non-Ai when it left the factory.  It has been very roughly Ai converted by a previous owner and the diaphragm spring is anchored right in the middle of the area where the contact block for a metering chip would be placed.  So for older versions that are to be cpu enhanced, this spring must be re positioned to clear way for the contacts - similar to how the late models of the 43-86mm lenses are done and it looks very easy to do space-wise.  Once this re-positioning of the spring is done, it will be just as easy to "chip" as the Ai version. The serial no for my old version of the lens is 478237, and is similar internally to the one that you have worked on Richard (Serial No. 479154).  Its aperture/diaphragm ring is also one of the very early screw on types, as is yours is I see. 

My older copy of lens does need some servicing, i.e. a C-L-A and much T-L-C, and your article is perfectly timed for me and therefore most welcome as always.

Both lenses with their rear stray light baffles removed, showing the internal differences in respect of their diaphragm spring positions:

[richardHaw]

Hi, Hugh!
Thanks for the encouragement! 

Thanks for the information, may I add that to the blog?

Well, if you only need to blow some dusts out of the optics then it is not going to be a lot of problem. if you want to overhaul the everything then you will probably spend a few nights on this hahaha

re-greasing the helicoids is easy. just remove the focusing ring and front elements assembly and the helicoids can be accessed rather easily.

[Hugh_3170]

Hi Richard, please feel free to add the information as required.  Sites such as NG are good for sharing information and for making iterative refinements to articles and postings.

According to Roland Vink's lenses database/web site, Nikon produced F and C type versions of the 43-86mm lenses with a 9 element/7 group configuration and K and Ai lenses with an 11 element/8 group configuration.  Multicoating came with the C type, i.e. for Serial Numbers from 570025 and upwards.  With fewer elements and older coatings, I wonder how Bjørn's older version will fare in the IR spectrum.

Other differences that I have noticed between my two lenses is that the focussing collar on the newer lens is about 5mm longer than for the older one, so I am not sure how many internal differences there are between the two lenses with their different optical setups (other than the diaphragm spring position already noted).  According to Roland's web site, your lens and my older lens weigh in at 410g weight, whereas my newer Ai lens is a little heavier at 450g, is slightly fatter and longer, and has a 165 deg focus throw versus the 170 deg focus throw of the older lens.

[richardHaw]

Thanks, Hugh. I will add it after lunch.

I am not sure about the optics of my version C but internally, there are several differences that are worth noting. they are improvements and simplifications. things that would make the lens easier to manufacture and also make it tougher. however, the real change was implemented on the latest version which followed to the AI-S version.

[richardHaw]

https://richardhaw.com/2016/10/24/repair-zoom-nikkor-43-86mm-f3-5-23/

Here's part 2! 

[richardHaw]

http://richardhaw.com/2017/02/05/repair-zoom-nikkor-43-86mm-f3-5-ai-33/

and here is pt3 to end the series! 

[Roland Vink]

"The minimum focusing distance can be quite annoying at times so please bear this in mind because 1.5m is really too far for close-ups. "

Should read "1.2m" (still to far for closeups)

[Bjørn Rørslett]

True, but this lens can use either a 4T close-up attachment or a short extension ring to bring it into the near range. Image quality is surprisingly good for both alternatives. One does lose some flexibility with the extension approach, though, but still a viable option.

[richardHaw]

Thanks, guys. I will revise the page now

i owe a lot to you guy for helping me improve the quality of the blog.