Need help with KIRON 28mm F/2

Bryan Murray · Dec 5, 2008

My mother in law gave me a camera she found in her attic - Olympus OM-1 and it had a Kiron 28mm F/2 lens with it. The camera seems to work but the lens doesn't close down when you adjust the aperture. It's stuck wide open and the blades don't move at all. Does anyone know how to fix this? Is this lens worth taking to a repair shop?
Thanks,
Bryan Murray

Ian Grant · Dec 5, 2008

Is it not designed for full aperture metering, so the camera stops the lens down during exposure. So if you just play with the lens it will be wide open regardless of the aperture setting.

Ian

Bryan Murray · Dec 5, 2008

Yes i know, but even when you move the lever on the lens which the camera moves during exposure the aperture does not change. The blades are stuck.

Ian Grant · Dec 5, 2008

You can probably buy another good working lens for less than the cost of having it repaired. On the other hand some Kiron lenses were excellent, it might be quite simple to fix.

Ian

Excalibur2 · Dec 5, 2008

Bryan Murray said:
My mother in law gave me a camera she found in her attic - Olympus OM-1 and it had a Kiron 28mm F/2 lens with it. The camera seems to work but the lens doesn't close down when you adjust the aperture. It's stuck wide open and the blades don't move at all. Does anyone know how to fix this? Is this lens worth taking to a repair shop?
Thanks,
Bryan Murray

That is a very good lens you have, but some kiron lenses had a problem with lubricant drifting to places like the blades..if you have this problem then it's a strip down to clean the blades with lighter fuel or similar........I haven't done this myself just parroting what I have read on forums.

Mike Kennedy · Dec 5, 2008

Pop the lens off and work it while watching T.V tonight.The shutter blades might just loosen up with a bit of exercise.

randyB · Dec 5, 2008

The repair could run around $50+ and it probably is the lube melting into the blades, you did say it was found in the attic where it gets very hot in the summer. Repairs of this type done correctly, require the lens to be completely taken apart in order to get to the aperature blades, flushed then put back together. This is a very labor/time intensive procedure. If you choose not to have it repaired, DON"T THROW IT AWAY, it does have some value, in fact I'll offer a small pittance and take it off your hands, lol. RandyB

phenix · Dec 6, 2008

Optically it is one of the most beautiful 28mm lens you can get. Unfortunately, the mechanics is not sound at all: the aperture blades systematically (each 2-3 years) get contaminated with oil separated from the vaseline on the focussing thread.
However, these days, you can use pure synthetic vaseline (not blended with oil) to lube the focussing thread after cleaning the lens completely, and this might solve the problem for good. The optics really worth the try.

Rol_Lei Nut · Dec 6, 2008

The difficulty of taking a lens apart depends on the make and model.

If you are lucky, you might simply be able to unscrew the front and back lens cell blocks and expose the diaphragm mechanism for cleaning. Sometimes some small set screws will keep the blocks from unscrewing.
If the lens is built so the the lens elements only come out singly and not as a block, I'd only recommend taking it apart if you are used to that sort of thing.

Try it (carefully); you don't have much to lose...

panchro-press · Dec 6, 2008

I never held Kiron lenses in high esteem. They, like Vivitar, Soligor, etc. were lower cost alternatives to the prime lenses offered by the manufacturer, Zuiko in this case. I'd say your money would be best spent on a 28mm Zuiko OM mount lens.

-30-

Ian Grant · Dec 6, 2008

panchro-press said:
I never held Kiron lenses in high esteem. They, like Vivitar, Soligor, etc. were lower cost alternatives to the prime lenses offered by the manufacturer, Zuiko in this case. I'd say your money would be best spent on a 28mm Zuiko OM mount lens.

-30-

Certain lenses from companies like Vivitar were on a par with the manufacturers own. Vivitar are a design house, their top range of lenses the S1's were built by various manufacturers for them including Kiron, to Vivitar's specifications and quality controls. The S1 range was the first that achieved a quality both optically and mechanically that rivalled the major camera makers own lenses, Tamron brought out there SP range to compete.

Some of Kiron's own lenses were equally as good optically and so shouldn't be dismissed lightly.

Ian

Excalibur2 · Dec 6, 2008

panchro-press said:
I never held Kiron lenses in high esteem. They, like Vivitar, Soligor, etc. were lower cost alternatives to the prime lenses offered by the manufacturer, Zuiko in this case. I'd say your money would be best spent on a 28mm Zuiko OM mount lens.

-30-

Look at the prices for a Kiron 28mm f2 on ebay....unless you think they are all idiots to pay so much....then there is the Kiron/lester a dine 105mm (f2.8) macro, these are snapped up for £100-£200 each.

John Koehrer · Dec 6, 2008

The suggestion of "oil on the blades" is correct. The solution from Phenix is correct although I would disagree with the statement that this happens every two or three years. If the lens is correctly serviced it would include relubrication with a proper lube.
This is also a relatively common problem with the Zuiko lenses in several focal lengths.
for pancho-press The Kiron lenses have been sold under many names including the early Vivitar Series Ones that had a great reputation.

Ralph Javins · Dec 7, 2008

The suggestion that you carefully consider dismissing Kiron is a valid idea. The company was founded by some engineers who left Nikon and Nikkor. They made some good lenses, although admittedly, they did not make their own glass as Nikon and Minolta did.

And, yes, the modern lubricants will really help with that migrating lubricant contaminated aperture blade problem.

Russ - SVP · Dec 7, 2008

The lubricant has broken down and migrated onto the appy blades. It's quite a good lens, and worth repairing. I believe we have the repair manual in the Kiron Klub files.

Kiron Kid

Chaplain Jeff · Dec 7, 2008

KK is the subject matter expert.

Every Kiron lens he has ever recommended I purchase has out-performed the Nikkor equivalents that I own.

If he says it's worth getting fixed, then you should do what he says.

Mike Kennedy · Dec 7, 2008

KK is da man for Kiron.
Get the right tools,lots of information and have a go at repairing it yourself.
S.K Grimes spanners are the best.Lighter fluid will remove to oil.
This is a Canadian perspective.Sending a lens to my nearest Can. repair center cost $100.00 (just to open the box).Then +++ depending on what they do.

Bryan Murray · Dec 7, 2008

I called Nippon Photo Clinic in manhattan which has been recommended by everyone for camera repair and they told me it wasn't worth fixing. bummer.

Ian Grant · Dec 7, 2008

Bryan Murray said:
I called Nippon Photo Clinic in manhattan which has been recommended by everyone for camera repair and they told me it wasn't worth fixing. bummer.

So nothing ventured - nothing gained. Go look at Kiron Kids Yahoo Group, he indicated that there were repair manuals there.

It might be relatively easy to clean the diaphragm your self, I've fixed 3 or 3 lenses over the years and it wasn't difficult at all.

Ian

Excalibur2 · Dec 7, 2008

Ian Grant said:
So nothing ventured - nothing gained. Go look at Kiron Kids Yahoo Group, he indicated that there were repair manuals there.

It might be relatively easy to clean the diaphragm your self, I've fixed 3 or 3 lenses over the years and it wasn't difficult at all.

Ian

I've taken a breech lock canon fd 50mm lens apart to clean the elements with no problem, and the blades were exposed, maybe drops of lighter fuel would free them on yours......then a piece of cotton (or similar) to dry up any mess.
As Ian Grant said..you have nothing to lose, but you might get a reasonable price on ebay for the lens, if you didn't want to attempt it yourself.

Need help with KIRON 28mm F/2

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