How can I modify my Nikkor 85mm tilt/shift les so that the tilt and shift work in parallel rather than at 90 degrees to each other?

I just received this lens today. The instructions state that the modification

is possible. I would like to do this on my own, rather than send it to Nikon.

Has anyone had experience in doing this? I am not afraid to tackle it if it is

not too complicated or fraught with pitfalls.

If I remember correctly, Rorslett of Norway has done just that an ddescribed it on his webpage. Google here and all over to see if you can find this, Alex.

This is Bjorn's site:

http://www.naturfotograf.com/

He says that he did it but doesn't say how. I guess that I'll just have to dig into it.

The mid section connects to the rear of the lens and is kept in place by 4 screws. Remove these, plus the ones holding the lens mount. The parts will start to spill out on your desk. Don't panic. There is internal logic at play here. Locate the thin ribbon cable that connects the contact block in the lens mount with the CPU print inside. The cable has a sharp bend kept together with sticky tape. *Very* carefully remove the tape (the signal cable is delicate and can break. You are warned).

 

Now, rotate the mid section of the lens 90 degrees and redress the cable so it won't interfere with lens movements and focusing. This needs to be checked thoroughly. Then, put the screws back and you are good to go. Takes about 5 minutes.

 

I have used the 85PC in the "parallel" position for many years now, but recently I reset its orientation to the factory default, since my main use of the lens now is for stitched landscape shots, not close-ups. I have redone the 90 degree operation in the field if the need arose, so it isn't that difficult. Even better purchasing two lenses and set them up differently, I guess. However, the 85PC is one of the few major lenses for me which I haven't in duplicate.

Thanks for the info. I'll be very careful!

"Remove these, plus the ones holding the lens mount. The parts will start to spill out on your desk. Don't panic."

 

oh man, thanks for giving me a big laugh. seriously, if parts started spilling out of my $1000+ lens, i would probably start to cry right there.

 

but very interesting, i have always wanted to own one of these lenses. thanks for the insight. :)

I just wanted to let you know that that the modification worked out OK. I did have one screw that was almost impossible to remove. (it actually destroyed the jewelers screwdriver.) I then bought an "industrial" jewelers S.D. which destroyed the screw head. After considering a hammer and chisel, I elected to work at it with a pair of mini-pliers. I didn't need to remove the lens mount, and the innards presented themselves in all their glory. I cut the sticky tapes with that old standby: a Swiss Army knife scissors. Not a job for nervous hands! I tried rotating the mount one way but it gave a tape configuration problem. The layout where the tilt and shift knobs are on the same side worked best. I cleaned my finger prints from the rear lens element and reassembled. There were two tiny washers left over, and I couldn't figure where they came from. (The hell with it!)