Normal cost of servicing fix lens

MFstooges · Dec 30, 2023

Hi all, I have old Nikkor Micro 55mm that could use new lubricant. What is the normal cost of servicing this lens?

btaylor · Dec 30, 2023

I don’t know about Nikkors in particular, but I have paid $100-150 in general to service a lens.

MartinCrabtree · Dec 30, 2023

^^^^
Sounds about right for a CLA.

ant! · Dec 31, 2023

I paid not too long ago about 65 Canadian dollar +tx, for a Zeiss Jena biometar 80/2.8 with stuck aperture and mild clouding. Was in Quebec City at Service Camera Pro.

chuckroast · Dec 31, 2023

MFstooges said:
Hi all, I have old Nikkor Micro 55mm that could use new lubricant. What is the normal cost of servicing this lens?

$100-150 US is the going rate. Not sure that lens is worth it. You may be able to find a nice working one for considerably less.

It also depends on what exactly "could use new lubricant". If it is the focusing assembly, that's a full CLA. But if it's just the f/stop selector, if you're handy, you can carefully disassemble the back of the lens to clean and lightly lube that mechanism. I did that to a 35mm f/1.4 I got cheap because it had a very stiff f/stop ring. A couple hours of fiddling and it was like new.

Sirius Glass · Dec 31, 2023

chuckroast said:
$100-150 US is the going rate. Not sure that lens is worth it. You may be able to find a nice working one for considerably less.

It also depends on what exactly "could use new lubricant". If it is the focusing assembly, that's a full CLA. But if it's just the f/stop selector, if you're handy, you can carefully disassemble the back of the lens to clean and lightly lube that mechanism. I did that to a 35mm f/1.4 I got cheap because it had a very stiff f/stop ring. A couple hours of fiddling and it was like new.

You know the provenance of the lens. Fix it and you know the history. Buy a replacement instead and you could end up with two lenses that do not work well or even with latest lens being in worse shape.

MFstooges · Dec 31, 2023

The local camera shop estimated under USD100, so still higher than Quebec. I'll probably wait until I visit Quebec but then again I've heard they only speak French. Since some of you mention about buying another one I found that at KEH the ugly one is offered around USD50. Mine is beyond ugly so I am tempted to DIY. Anyone know what's the good lubricant to use to maintain that smooth MF focusing?

ant! · Dec 31, 2023

MFstooges said:
I'll probably wait until I visit Quebec but then again I've heard they only speak French.

At least the boss (forgot his name) speaks ok English. Even though I speak French and do it daily, I talked with them already in English since they addressed me like this when calling back, I guess due to my non-french name...
I was never in the shop but shipped a few times to them, from Montreal.

beemermark · Dec 31, 2023

Both the 55 and 105 Nikkor micro's are prone to lock up due to the grease. I have both. The $150 is the last quote I had to have the 105 serviced. I would not waste money on buying another one, have the one you own serviced. With new grease it should be good for decades.

forest bagger · Jan 1, 2024

beemermark said:
Both the 55 and 105 Nikkor micro's are prone to lock up due to the grease.

Yes, that's true.
Almost every item of these lenses you can buy today that was not serviced before has a problem due to hardened or liquefied grease: It is too difficult or too easy to focus, and the aperture is often oiled.

Chuck1 · Jan 1, 2024

Any recommendations for repair shops?

chuckroast · Jan 1, 2024

Chuck1 said:
Any recommendations for repair shops?

Dave Easterwood in MI and CameraWiz (Frank Marshman) in VA both do good work. Prepare to wait. They are semi-retired so they don't turn stuff around super fast. But, they are capable and honest.

MultiFormat Shooter · Jan 1, 2024

Chuck1 said:
Any recommendations for repair shops?

You could try Abilene Camera Repair.

ant! · Jan 8, 2024

Just saw that Camera Service Pro in Quebec City switches to semi-retirement mode. The last few years they were open 3 days per week and it took a few weeks, now no counter anymore (I shipped anyways only), and needs to be discussed by email before: http://www.servicecamerapro.com/e-home.html

Guess I should send them some stuff over before it's absolutely too late...

MFstooges · Jan 28, 2024

Does anybody knows if this 55mm is actually has stiffer focusing than normal lens? I am thinking since the DOF is so shallow maybe Nikon make it stiffer.
As an update I disassembled and relubed it but it only improved the stiffness slightly. And I lost the infinity focus since I wiped off the markings that I made when disassembling it.

Normal cost of servicing fix lens

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