Stuck Lens Cap

[Michael Erlewine]

Not sure if this relates to your case, but what always works for me is to place the filter face-down on a piece of hard rubber and turn in the correct direction. I often use the rubber sole of a shoe. I have yet to have it not work.

[Akira]

LF-4 has a "flange" which makes its diameter a little larger than LF-1.  I suspect that the flange stuck in the rear end of the helicoid?

[Andrea B.]

Michael, good suggestion. I did use a rubber jar lid gripper. But not in the position mentioned. I did try pushing "in" though.

Akira, I've just looked at the LF-4 and LF-1 each when placed on the helicoid. But that outer flange doesn't seem to interact with the helicoid. This is a factor to remember, however, when retrofitting various non-Nikon F-mount lenses or helicoids with lens caps. Make sure that outer flange doesn't get caught on anything.

While I like to consider myself "strong enough - for a girl", it has to be noted that I will never have the hand strength of the male of our species!! If my husband Michael had been home it is likely he could have made short work of removing that stuck lens cap for me. He plays piano and has very muscular hands & fingers, but was out in California judging the papers from a mathematics contest.

Eric: The problem you encountered is due only to the dimensions of your 'not-original' F-Mount.
I also think that is indeed the case. I do like the new style Nikon lens caps. They do stay put better as noted by Dave. But this 'not original' F-mount helicoid is going to wear an old style cap from now on.

Also note that even though the new cap might be softer plastic, it seems tough. It held up well under mallet blows and pry tools. I only managed to damage it with that not-original F-mount. 

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Lens mount caps (front and rear lens caps, camera mount caps) are expendable items. Their fit will decline over time and sooner or later it will be impossible to make it stay put because there is no grip any more. Then, discard the item to the waste bin. Front caps are the ones that last almost forever though.

I have a big box into which I dump all caps from the various systems I entertain (or is it the other way around, they entertain me?). Whenever I need a particular cap, grab one from the container and if it doesn't fit properly, get another and throw the first specimen back.  With the arrival of the Sony A7, I purchased a bag of caps on eBay and emptied it into the container. Now the latter is filled to the brim and the contents threaten to spill over. I might have to get a bigger box.

[Andrea B.]

For the Nikons I order only brand rear caps from B&H. They just fit better. I do not keep off-brand rear caps.

I get lots of replacement front caps off the 'Bay though. I like the new pinch style. Sensei pinch caps are really nice and can be gotten also from B&H.

For my M42 collection, I've found some nifty, very plain metal caps from China which are really much better than Pentax's Takumar caps.

And interestingly, I just found a stuck Takumar cap (original style) on one of my UV lenses. It must be Stuck Cap Week here in New Jersey. Thankfully Michael is home so I'm going to ask him to apply some hand strength to this stupid Takumar cap. Now if only I can find the new order of metal M42 replacement caps. I know it's around here somewhere.

Merciful heavens if my house isn't starting to look like Bjørn's Lens House. We both need Bigger Boats.

[David H. Hartman]

I buy a couple of those Mexican Coca-Colas every now and then, and they are indeed made with real sugar. I was surprised that they had a different taste - less sweet, but a better sweet.

Cane sugar has a bite. Corn syrup has a mushy sweet taste. They used to call Coke battery acid probably because it was less sweet compared to other sodas. I wish I could afford Mexican Coke. It should be the real Classic Coke.

Dave