Mamiya 645 80mm f/1.9: Focus Helicals Separated, Over-Lubrication
Originally posted on Instagram. Notes from the repair bench, kept here as a searchable archive. View the original on Instagram
Another Mamiya 80mm f/1.9 645 lens that has come apart from the focus helicals. This is quite common as the grease sublimates and causes the focus to become stiff and then the focus ring starts slipping and soon after, the helicals are apart!
This lens had a very large amount of moly lubrication on the helicals and also smeared over the focus rings. Please do not use moly lube on the focus rings of these lenses. It will not stand up to use. It’s not the proper lubrication (I use a lithium PTFE grease).
My pet peeve is over lubrication. You might be surprised at the actual small amount of lubrication needed (in the correct spots) on cameras and lenses. I often see the phrase “cleaned and lubed” when someone is trying to sell a camera/lens. I don’t know of any technicians who use this phrase. If someone tells you that they have “cleaned and lubed” the camera they are selling I would be very cautious. Something might be happening that is not to your advantage.
