PDMLers,
With another holiday coming up, I thought I might publish this little DIY project I developed last Christmas. I mean, in case some of you get bored and need an amusing activity to fill the time. I call it:
How to make your own "FA-J" lens in 10 simple steps (using equipment you can find around the house) .
You'll need:
* 1 slightly broken FA "power zoom" lens * 1 small bottle of superglue * 1 flat-nose screwdriver * 1 small carrier bag. * 1 pair of tweezers. * 1 larger bag full of clothes.
The steps:
1. Pick up the lens, whose power zoom motor won't quite move in a
continuous fashion, but which is otherwise fully functional. Make
sure the aperture ring is left in the "A" position. Gently shake
it. You'll notice a rattling sound.
2. Move the focus ring as far to the left as it will go. With on
hand, hold the lens with the front elements facing upwards. With
the other, squeeze the screwdriver down between the focus ring and
the outer cover, and bend it slightly downwards. Move the
screwdriver round to the opposite side of the lens and repeat. The
focus ring will now come loose, and you can take it off by pulling
it upwards. Twist the inner section of the lens - the one
containing the front elements - even further to the left so as to
remove that, too.
3. You'll now have access to the lens internals. Take a closer look
at the components. You'll notice two small perforated wheels,
which are part of the regulators for the autofocus and power zoom,
respectively. Further inspection will reveal that the latter has
come loose; its moving about was what caused the rattling sound.
Take it out and put it down next to you.
4. Bring out your superglue. Identify the position where the wheel
now lying next to you, was originally located (it should be fairly
straight forward.) Apply a tiny drop of superglue to the wheel,
then attach it to its proper position. Use tweezers for help if
necessary.
5. Re-assemble the lens. How it is done should be quite obvious based
on step 2).
6. Try the lens. In particular, test the power zoom function. It will
now work just fine for a short while, but then return to the
faulty behaviour. That happens because you didn't quite manage to
fully affix the wheel.
7. Decide to try once more. Repeat 2).
8. Run out of time. After all, you were just about to leave your home
and go to spend the rest of the holiday with the family.
9. Collect all the lens parts in the plastic bag. Toss in the bottle
of superglue, too. Then put it in the larger bag of clothes, and
bring it along on your little trip - since you may have time to
take another look at it all one of those long, dark evenings...
10. That's it, really. All that remains is to observe the effect of
applying a certain pressure associated with stuffing equipment
into a bag packed with even more bags in the boot of a car, to
lens components and a bottle of superglue...-- - Toralf
