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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

How to lubricate Lens thread, safely? (1 Viewer)

Ptarmi

Dick Glasgow
I am finding it more & more difficult to attach & detach the Tele Lens to my FZ150.

Is there anything I can use to safely lubricate the threads?

I was thinking of trying something dry, like rubbing them with Pencil Lead ... good idea or not?

I'm reluctant to use oil, in case it might soil the lens.

Any tips?

Cheers,
Dick
 
The threads on these components are generally designed to operate without lubrication so any problems are generally due to muck or damage, so if it isn't dirt it may be down to a slightly dinged thread. Inspecting the threads through a maginifying glass sometimes helps to work out the problem.

Before you try anything else I would clean the threads using sharpened matchstick or similar, possibly very slightly dampened with water, lens cleaning fluid or pure alcohol. Carefully remove any muck using the point. Running a cotton bud around after will sweep up any loose debris. This may be all you need to do.

It is possible to obtain PTFE lubricants that may be a safer option if applied very carefully in microscopic quantities and not sprayed in great clouds directly from a can. There are health and safety notices regarding the handling of this you should be aware of.

As you say, a purish graphite pencil is certainly safer than most oily lubricants but will also attach itself to anything the threads come into contact with, such as fingers and can transfer to all sorts of undesireable places - such as lens elements. Don't forget that most pencils have a high filler content of clays etc that may easily make the situation worse if greasy gunk is the main cause.

Greases and oils will generally get all sorts of places you dont want and also glue dust into the threads. The greases that have been used in camera construction are genetrally very specialised and designed to stay put.

One problem we can rule out is excessive machining tolerances on the threads since the problem was not there from new.

A contributor to the Amateur Photographer of many years ago once said that press photographers rubbed the outside of their nose with a finger and used this microscopic quantity of natural grease on sticky filter threads. I have no idea whether this actually worked!

I have seen too many lenses/cameras fouled up from excessive use of lens/window cleaning fluids, lubricants, glues (the fumes of some will attack lens surfaces), and other 'harmless' substances over the years and have made mistakes myself renovating vintage cameras so proceed with care and good luck.
 
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Many thanks for your thoughtful & detailed reply.

I shall proceed with caution & having a big hooter myself, I have plenty material to work with, to follow the example of those Press Photographers. :-O

Cheers,
Dick
 
When cleaning anything optical, try to have gravity on your side.
That means holding cameras face down so the dirt, if any, falls out rather than in.
Getting the dirt off the threads and onto the sensor is not progress.

I have had good luck using Residual Oil Remover http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/64495-REG/ROR_RO212D_Residual_Oil_Remover.html
for cleaning lenses.
For optics threads, Qtips maybe sprayed with a bit of ROR should do the job. This only works if the threads are undamaged, else the cotton snags on the broken thread.
Do note that stuff builds up in the thread valleys, so a cleanout as suggested with a sharpened matchstick or similar soft tool may be a good first step.
 
Agree with not getting muck into a slr body, but in your case the sensor is protected by the fixed lens, however, keeping muck off the lens is also a good idea so the same applies and also the rear element of your tele conversion lens.

On this side of the pond you can get Residual Oil Remover from Amazon. Never tried it as I use something a bit more lethal up to now, but it sounds interesting and I may get some to try out. (Having a purge of all my camera repair stuff so will have room)

Thanks for the tip etudiant on the ROR - just proves how useful this forum is.
 
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