DIY Repair of Nikkor 80-200/4.5 AI lens

I've done several searches on the web and on Photo.net but haven't

found any repair information beyond a shematic of the lens element

groupings for a Zoom-Nikkor 80-200 f4.5 lens (114k serial number).

The lens barrel focuses and zooms with no problem but the image in

the viewfinder doesn't come into focus. I've had the nameplate ring

off and removed the first group of elements. At first I thought that

someone had disassembled it and reversed something when they put it

back together (or even didn't get the interior parts of the zoom

lined up correctly) but there are no marks that I have found that

indicate it had ever been taken apart.

Has anyone ever done any repairs on lenses of this type or had the

same problem? I plan to take it apart further when I have the time to

really sit down and work on it. I purchased the lens at a used

equipment/swap meet event for $10.

The outside and the lens mount show a lot of wear but the glass seems

to be in excellent condition and it mounts onto a camera body with no

problem. I bought it more as a rainy day learning project than

anything else (so if it's beyond reasonable help, it doesn't matter)

but if I can actually get it working again, I would certainly use it.

Thank you for any information you can provide.

KC

I'd suggest you invest in three books, all by Thomas Tomosy:

1) Nikon Camera Repair Handbook (it has a section on the 80-200 f/4.5 AI)

2) Camera Maintenance & Repair Book 1 (has a section on how to build a collimator to optically align a lens that has been disassembled and many more on lens repair)

3) Camera Maintenance & Repair Book 2 (has a section building an aperture tester and many more on lens repair)

If you want to scrimp anywhere, do it on the third book. I believe you can still get them all at Overstock.com.

George

Yup, I've worked on this lens, cleaned all the elements of the major groups. As you already

have gotten the first group out from the front, you just keep unscrewing those slotted

rings until you reach the apeture. Don't worry, they all basically come out in the major

groups, and are easy to put back in. Some are a bit tricky to get out, and I would not be

suprised if somebody had reversed one of them a while ago, I know when I put one back

together I had a head scratching moment figuing out which way they went back in. The

back set of groups is accessed by taking off the mount, careful not to strip those cross

point screws, those buggers are tough on the Ai series, best get a proper cross point

driver and not a cheapy phillips, and use a bit of heat from a soldering iron or some

penetrating fluid (not both at once) if one seems tough.

The one I worked on was the early N.C model, there were 2 models of this lens with less

elements in the newer one. Mine had some fungus and I cleaned it out and was very

surprised at how sharp and contrasty it was when clean. I've given mine away, but had to

do the same cleaning once or twice more since. Enjoy your project!

Thank you for the information. I have found two of the books suggested in local libraries. I have a friend who does repairs for a living and has been giving me advice and thinks it's a repair I can handle myself if I'm careful and do it slowly.

I'll keep you posted on the progress. If I can fix it, I think it would make a good tote-along lens.

KC