Canon FD 20-35mm L 1:3.5 Zoom Ring Loose

[DiscountBurritos]

Howdy,

I have a Canon nFD 20-35mm L 1:3.5 which has been the bane of me. I have spent countless hours trying to find any resource which can show me how to adjust the zoom mechanism.

To put it as simple as possible, the Zoom ring has a little bit of play in it. It is a little loose, but it will hold it's position. I have pulled off the rubber band around the ring, but all of the screws seemed good and tight when I checked them. I initially tried getting to the ring from the rear element side. I felt I was in a little over my head after I got a ways in, so I decided not to test my luck.

If anyone can give any help how to adjust this mechanism, I would greatly appreciate it.

I would like to exhaust my options before taking it to a shop. The shops near me are more than willing to charge much more than I want to spend.

Thanks!

 

[Andreas Thaler]

I was in a little over my head after I got a ways in, so I decided not to test my luck.

I would weigh things up. In order to adjust the zoom - which otherwise works - it will probably have to be partially disassembled.

If you don't know the lens, you have to go on a journey of discovery, which is always risky, as zooms in particular are complicated in design and each one is different.

So perhaps it is better to leave things as they are, as long as the settings can be made reliably and hold.

If anyone can give any help how to adjust this mechanism, I would greatly appreciate it.

Maybe Michael @forest bagger knows what to do?

 

[forest bagger]

No, I'm just as confused as the thread creator.
As long as the lens produces a clean image at any focal length, I would accept that the zoom ring has some play.

 

[John Koehrer]

Most zooms use nylon rollers over a shoulder screw. IF a roller is cracked or broken a lens can appear loose but if you don't have experience and/or parts on hand, Don't mess with it.