It's Not Supposed To Be An AI Version, But It Is

[Akira]

John, this is an envious lens!

So long as the aperture is opend and closed properly, you shouldn't need to worry about the wear of the aperture lever of Ai (original or genuinely factory-modified) and older lenses.

[rosko]

So, it looks like it's working fine with the cut back aperture lever.

I own this very sharp lens too.

Mine come from the second (and last batch), numbers 19****, according to Roland' website.

No issue with it, I use it on my Df.

You posts and pictures intrigued me, so I checked my version and guess what ?

The tab has been filled too, as you can see on the picture attached...

But the job seems to have been messed up on mine 

Never mind, it works very well, that's the most important.

Here is my experience with Teleconverters :

# the TC 14E (AF-I version, same optics than the AFS) works fine, but I have modified it, filling a tab inside in order to adapt it on old Nikkor telelenses.

# the TC 16A modified for use on recent nikon bodies. That makes a 480mm AUTOFOCUS ! However, you have to ''pre-focus'' the lens.

You won't be disapointed...

Francis.

[Erik Lund]

Looks like pretty heavy wear on the aperture lever, from the camera stopping it down and up again many times...

[Jukka L]

Here's a much better picture of the aperture lever and the amount of material taken off of it.  Shouldn't make a difference - should it?

This can have been made to prevent the loud bang-noice when firing the camera. I had an AIS 50/1.4 that was very loud and the lens moved a bit every time the camera's lever stopped the lens down. After filing the lever (not that much though) the lens was as silent as my other more modern lenses. I was not sure how the lever would behave after having filed it since it was anodized aluminum and the filing took the harder anodization away and a soft aluminum was left to fight against the cameras much stronger lever.

[jhinkey]

Here's a much better picture of the aperture lever and the amount of material taken off of it.  Shouldn't make a difference - should it?

This can have been made to prevent the loud bang-noice when firing the camera. I had an AIS 50/1.4 that was very loud and the lens moved a bit every time the camera's lever stopped the lens down. After filing the lever (not that much though) the lens was as silent as my other more modern lenses. I was not sure how the lever would behave after having filed it since it was anodized aluminum and the filing took the harder anodization away and a soft aluminum was left to fight against the cameras much stronger lever.

Ah, anodizing doesn't do much for impact damage or mechanical strength, but is better at protecting against corrosion and rubbing wear - the underlying Aluminum is not that strong.

I just picked up another 400/5.6 ED AI (non-IF) and it appears to have the same treatment on the aperture lever arm, though much less material has been removed.  Interesting as these are the only two MF Nikkors I've ever seen with the aperture lever arms filed down a bit.

[rosko]

Looks like pretty heavy wear on the aperture lever, from the camera stopping it down and up again many times...

Erik, I think your  hypothesis is the right one : I had a look on most of my old Nikkor lenses. They all present more or less the same shape of my version. in addition, the tabs of newer lens are pristine.

So, I reckon that on the jhinkey's version, the tab has been filled purposely to make it nicer before sale it.

Francis.

[jhinkey]

Actually, now that I've inspected several of my old Nikkors almost all of them have the thin edge of the aperture lever worn or deformed a bit, some worse than others.  So I suspect that someone took a file to a particularly badly worn edge and made it nice looking . . .

[pluton]

When inspecting older Nikkors for general condition and wear, finding the aperture lever heavily eroded was an indication that the lens in question used to belong to a newspaper photojournalist or other high-volume shooter.

[basker]

This can have been made to prevent the loud bang-noice when firing the camera. I had an AIS 50/1.4 that was very loud and the lens moved a bit every time the camera's lever stopped the lens down. After filing the lever (not that much though) the lens was as silent as my other more modern lenses...

Had the same problem on a used AI 50/1.8 and I started to apply the same fix, but changed my mind almost immediately after starting. The problem was occurring at the end of the cycle when the aperture is reset to wide open, which explains why filing the lever works. I repeatedly disassembled and reassembled the lens looking for a worn, damaged or incorrectly installed part that could cause the problem.

I could not see a way to adjust the radial position of the iris assembly without opening the optical unit, and I resisted doing that. Turns out there is a way to adjust the optical unit to the focussing unit that seems to solve the problem. On the optical unit (of this lens) there is an eccentric "cam" that looks like a large slotted screw. That cam fits a slot in the focussing unit to provide radial positioning. It was so simple even I could do it. I just had to find it.

Sam



   

[David H. Hartman]

Here's a much better picture of the aperture lever and the amount of material taken off of it.  Shouldn't make a difference - should it?

I should not post when I'm so tired. My logic is backwards and I've been inside a few manual focus Nikkors so I never should have posted such rubbish.

Sorry

Since that lever stops down the lens if it is a problem I'd expect it would be at the smallest apertures where a telephoto lens is seldom used. Even if shooting close-up with tubes you probably won't want to stop down past f/11 marked. I doubt that it will cause a problem with any apertures.

Dave

[basker]

Since that lever stops down the lens if it is a problem I'd expect it would be at the smallest apertures where a telephoto lens is seldom used. Even if shooting close-up with tubes you probably won't want to stop down past f/11 marked. I doubt that it will cause a problem with any apertures.

Dave

Dave,

I do not think the filed down part would do you any harm at any aperture. However, I respectfully disagree about the purpose of the lever being to stop down the lens. I see it having the function of holding the aperture wide open between exposures. When an exposure is made, the camera releases that lever completely and the setting of the aperture ring is what controls where the iris stops. If using a lens with a CPU and shooting in P or S mode, the above does not apply.

What filing the lever might do, is keep the aperture from being opened hard against the limit and causing a bang.

Sam

[David H. Hartman]

I see it having the function of holding the aperture wide open between exposures.

Absolutely correct: the lever holds the aperture open. A spring pulls the aperture closed.

Dave

[jhinkey]

Wow!  Revival of a year-old thread with more great info.

[basker]

Wow!  Revival of a year-old thread with more great info.

Just showing appreciation to Jukka L for the posting I found when searching for that particular symptom. It was useful, so I wanted to give feedback on how it led to an alternate solution.

Also, I am really envious of the cool 300 ED you showed. May you always enjoy it!

Sam

[jhinkey]

I don't post here much as I mainly use this site for technical discussions, but yes the 300/4.5 ED has been a very nice lens on my A7RII.
It's just the right size to carry in my bag and still have room for other lenses.
One of these days I need to compare it to the 300/4 PF which is smaller and lighter, but you never know how the IQ will compare.
Plus the mechanics of the /4.5 ED lens are great.