sand under manual focus ring

I have a 28-300 lens on my Nikon dslr. I got some sand under the focus ring and it still works but is rough to turn. Anyone have advice on removing this ring to clean it out? Thanks.

When there is sand under the focus ring, I am afraid that you need to take the lens apart to clean it. I would do that sooner than later because when the focus ring is rough to turn, the sand maybe damaging the mechanism. I would let a professional technician take the lens apart, clean the sand, and most importantly, put it back together.

Happened to me once with a 24-50. Didn't care much about the lens anymore and disassembled it myself, cleaned out the sand and managed to put it back together into a working lens. Second Shun's suggestion though - have a professional do the job.

"I got some sand under the focus ring..."

 

- Ouch!

How much sand? Any idea?

If it's a single grain or a few grains, then gravity might work for you.

 

Try this: tip the lens on end so that the 'open' end of the focus ring is downwards. Have a vacuum-cleaner nozzle standing by. Then work the ring back and forth a few times while playing the vac nozzle around the focus ring.

 

If it's just a few grains of dry sand you might be lucky and clear them out. But if the grittiness doesn't clear after a short while, then it's time for a professional dismantle and clean I'm afraid.

and most importantly, put it back together.

 

THAT, indeed, is the hard part.

 

It has been suggested that if you take apart a lens or body repeatedly, you will soon have enough left-over parts to build a duplicate.o_O