Nikon 50mm f/1.8 Series E: Insect Shells Inside the Lens
Originally posted on Instagram. Notes from the repair bench, kept here as a searchable archive. View the original on Instagram
Servicing a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 Series E lens. This lens was in exceptional condition except for one issue: there was a small family of three insects living inside the lens between the front and rear element groups. Of course they were quite deceased when I found them (actually, all that is left of them are their outer shells and from the looks of it, they all appear to have emerged from these shells). I’ve seen these sort of insect shells before in camera lenses and have no idea how they get there. Did they come in when the lens was being manufactured? I seem to see these mostly in Japanese cameras/lenses.
