Is this oil leak (on leaf shutter blades)?

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Applesauce

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Hi guys, got a fuji gs645s from ebay. There is something on the shutter blades. Some pics attached. A friend and I thought it might be slight oil leak. I took the camera down to a local camera shop and the guy there said it's not oil but more like a wear and tear kinda thing. what do you guys think? everything appeared to be working ok and was a pretty good deal I thought, if this turns out to be not too serious.
 

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paul ron

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If someone looked at it n says its nothing to worry about.. then use it.

If its not working properly, then return it.

Does the lens work? is the glass clean? Price was right?
 

bdial

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Doesn't look like oil to me, but it's hard to tell from the pic what it might be.
I agree with paul ron though, if it's working correctly, just use it.
 

jvo

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i have one lens that an repair expert said i have "oil" on the blades - once pointed out, it was easy to see. yes it almost look like wear on the blades. the lens still works fine.

from the pictures i can't see anything like that. but if it's there and the lens works - enjoy it!

jvo
 

Helios 1984

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Mate, you call this oil leak? THIS is oil leak. I've been using this Helios for a few years now, never had problems.

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M Carter

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thought it might be slight oil leak.

Just a note regarding semantics - an "oil leak" isn't really what's going on when there's oil on the blades - "oil leak" suggests there's a reservoir of liquid lubricant dribbling out. It's usually solid greases that have dispersed over time, sometimes from cycles of heat and environmental conditions, that eventually get flung around by mechanical action; or lubricants that have off-gassed (heat again?) and resettled, sort of "condensing" on those parts. (I'm no expert though).

They're not an issue until things get sluggish or glued solid, or until some of that crap begins to condense on lens elements. Many people DIY repair them when that happens, or send off to an expert on the gear who can not just clean but adjust. For now I'd run some rolls through it, verify it's giving you proper exposure. If you ever do a shoot where you hire models or if you have a vacation or shooting trip coming where a lens failure could really hurt, I'd consider servicing it if you see any hints of trouble.

DIY lens repair requires a willingness to destroy a lens, or that sort of born-with-it ability to look at a mechanical system and understand what everything does, at a glance. (My brother has that, I most certainly do not).
 

Huss

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That is just wear and tear. Glass looks great. If it works fine I wouldn't give it a second thought.
 

AgX

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I do not see any oil either. And in picture #3 I do not see anything at all.
 
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Applesauce

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Thanks guys for your suggestions and clarifications. First roll turned out beautifully and it was great fun taking photos with it. Keeping it and cant wait to take more photos. :smile:
 

Alan Gales

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It looks like wear to me from your photo. I've seen oil on aperture blades and it looks a bit shiny or wet.
 

mgb74

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It's my understanding that, in general, oil on the blades is more an issue on a leaf shutter lens (like your Fuji) where it will impact shutter speed.
 

AgX

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No, at a shutterless lens oily diaphragm blades can be a problem too, when there is an automatic diaphragm. The lens may then not stop down in time before the shutter opens.
 

mgb74

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No, at a shutterless lens oily diaphragm blades can be a problem too, when there is an automatic diaphragm. The lens may then not stop down in time before the shutter opens.

Note that I said "more of an issue". While I agree that a very oily diaphragm can cause problems stopping down (or opening back up), I don't think it's quite as much an issue as with oil on a leaf shutter.
 
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