hasselblad bent filter thread

mexipike · Oct 30, 2007

Alright so I just bought filters yesterday and last night the camera took a dive. The filter thread is now bent. Anyone have any suggestions on how to bend it back. Cosmetics mean nothing to me I just want to be able to get the filter in. It's an older chrome lens bay 50, 80mm. I know you can buy special pliers but I don't want to spend the money.

Thanks,
John

Dave Miller · Oct 30, 2007

I've repaired filter threads that have been slightly damaged in this way with a hardwood drift sanded to a curve at one end, a slightly smaller radius than the filter ring. Support the lens on a pile of cloth, place the drift on the inside of the filter ring over the damage; and clout the other end of the drift with a hammer. The trick is judging how hard to hit; which is a little harder than you first thought.

copake_ham · Oct 30, 2007

Ouch!

Here's what I would try. Get a strip of the stick-on velcro stuff. Snip off a couple of pieces from the fuzzy side (not the "hook" side) and attach them to a regular pair of pliers to act as protective padding.

Then slowly start to pry the bend out in "steps".

After a couple of pries - see if you can mount the filter. If not, repeat process.

Patience and a padded pair of pliers should do it.

Note: the smaller the pliers the better and if you have needle-nose, I'd try those first since you might be able to go in laterally to the lens plane.

fschifano · Oct 30, 2007

Don't be penny wise and pound foolish. Get one of these Dead Link Removed, or one of these Dead Link Removed. Use the right tool for the job and you're more likely to get a good result and far less likely to royally screw it up.

Sirius Glass · Oct 30, 2007

I inherited a C330 with the filter rings bent on one of the lenses. It costs all of $17 to have the filter ring straighten. Little cost, zero risk and a loss of two weeks of time.

Steve

bdial · Oct 30, 2007

I bought one of the Micro Tools filter ring vises for this exact purpose.
There is a lot of metal in the filter ring of an 80mm Planar. I found that bending back it would take serious force. More than I was willing to attempt. I managed to improve the situation on mine, but I didn't get all the distortion out. And since then I've not tried fully mounting a Hasselblad filter. Off brand stuff, like my threaded adaptor work fine though.
One problem you face in trying to "un-bend" something like this is that the area of the bend is work hardened, and therefore slightly less likely to bend than the metal around it. Getting just the right force, in just the right place isn't easy.

One "solution" might be to get an ugly grade filter from KEH, knock the glass out of it. Next modify the filter in whatever way is required to get it onto the lens and leave it there.

mexipike · Oct 31, 2007

I think I'll order the lens vise. Stever where did you get the lens fixed for 17 bucks? i took the lens to the camera shop (precision camera here in Austin) and the technician didn't want to mess with it but offered to replace the filter thread (for around 200 bucks)

Sirius Glass · Nov 1, 2007

mexipike said:
I think I'll order the lens vise. Stever where did you get the lens fixed for 17 bucks? i took the lens to the camera shop (precision camera here in Austin) and the technician didn't want to mess with it but offered to replace the filter thread (for around 200 bucks)

Bel Air Camera, Los Angeles. Try Samys or KEH too.

Steve

mgb74 · Nov 1, 2007

Dave Miller said:
... The trick is judging how hard to hit; which is a little harder than you first thought.

But not as hard as your second thought?

Sorry, I couldn't resist. But I know that I'd probably wouldn't hit it hard enough the first time, then too hard the second.

Nokton48 · Nov 1, 2007

I have been wondering about this subject, myself. Several weeks ago I bought a second black T* 80mm Planar. It was priced at $110, since it had been dropped, and has a squashed filter ring. I figure that David Odess can straighten it out, when I send it to him for CLA. Probably no big deal.

-Dan, no way mine will take a filter.

John Koehrer · Nov 2, 2007

Dave Millers method works very well. As an alternative to the hardwood drift I use a toothbrush handle with the head cut off. The threads form grooves on the end of the handle which then grip the threads of the filter ring.
The key to success is not to beat it into submission with one or two whacks, but persuade it to return to shape by a series of taps.
Micro tools also sells a hardwood anvil which the lens is rested into so you don't overshoot the target.
The anvil is a hardwood blank with a series of different size notches cut into it. Think in terms of a 2" hole cut in half. Vary the size to suit.
Also the lens barrel is often hardened aluminum & doesn't take to being flexed. With the ring bent it probably is cracked already so be careful.

hasselblad bent filter thread

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