That's the best laugh I've had in a while! ;-) Sounds JUST like something I'do.
Don > -----Original Message----- > From: Toralf Lund [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2005 8:49 AM > To: pdml > Subject: DIY: How to make your own FA-J lens > > > 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 >
