BR-6 and PB-4 problem

[hannu]

Hi everyone,

 

I recently bought the BR-6 ring to use with my PB-4 bellows. I already

had BR-2A and all the information on the net I've come across has said

that's all I need (besides the cable release).

 

However, I was surprised to find that instead of a female 52 mm thread

the BR-6 has a *male* 52 mm thread, just like my BR-2A. This is

contrary to the advice in the web, and also to the instructions that

came with the ring, which tell me to attach them to each other in

order to mount the combination to the bellows using BR-2A's male

bayonet mount.

 

Am I confused, or did I receive a bad part from Nikon?

[david_h._hartman]

If you bought a BR-6 Ring it has a 52mm female thread on one

side and a female F bayonet on the other. Nikon BR-6

is clearly engraved and painted at about the 7:00 to 8:00 oclock

position on the outer edge of the ring as you face the bayonet.<br>

<br>

Take a close look you may find there is a 52x52mm male stacking

ring attached to the BR-6.<br>

<br>

Can you put the ring on a scanner as I did here. I covered it

with a sheet of white paper and didnt close the scanner

cover to protect it and the glass.<br>

<br>

Here is more...<br>

<br>

<a

href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=007fWJ"

target="_new"><u>http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=007fWJ</u></a>

<br>

<br>

Hope this helps,<br>

<br>

Dave Hartman.<div></div>

[hannu]

Thanks for the quick answer Dave.

 

I don't have a scanner but I can take pictures of it when I get at home. The threads are a part of a metal ring which is fastened with very tight screws (I was unable to loosen them using a safe amount of strength); no stacking ring is present.

 

I'll post pictures tomorrow (no net connection at home now).

[vivek iyer]

The screws are glued as well. To loosen it and unscrew them- place a hot soldering iron with a pointy tip in the screw slot and then (after removing the iron) try unscrewing.

[hannu]

I have to revise my previous statement after having a closer look at the ring back home; there is a seam between the threads and the screw-fastened ring, so they are not after all one piece. I had a go at trying to unscrew the threads, but they would not budge at all no matter how much I tried. Here's a picture of how the thing looks like.<div></div>

[vivek iyer]

"Am I confused, or did I receive a bad part from Nikon?"

 

If you indeed buy this directly from Nikon, demad a full refund.

 

I am guessing this was bought second hand and this appears to me to be a custom job.

[joseph_wisniewski]

Hannu - you have a 52mm "macro coupler", a ring with male threads on each side, stuck in the female threads of your BR-6. I'm always wanning people away from those cheap macro coupler rings, for just that reason, the threads are very cheap, and they bind easy.

 

That's not how they come from Nikon. The BR-6 won't even fit in the Nikon box if you have something like that amcro coupler screwed into it. It shouldn't be too hard to separate them, but you'll never do it by grabbing the ring and turning. That will make it flex, and jam harder.

 

Take a sheet of rubber gasket material, or a flexible rubber jar opener, and place it rubber side up on the table. Take the BR-6 and place it, macro coupler down, on the rubber. Place your hand flat on the back of the BR-6, and press with the most even pressure you can (not too much on any edge, try to center the pressure) and turn your hand to the left. The coupler and the BR-6 should separate.

 

Now, put the coupler on e Bay for $5. You don't want it around...

[hannu]

Dave and Joseph, you were right, there was a macro coupler stuck in the BR-6. I was for some time confident that it was an integral part of the ring, because it was extremely tight -- I had no idea it could get as stuck as that, but the rubber trick worked well.

 

Vivek, I bought it from a reputable net dealer (Technikdirekt) with whom I've never had any problems before, having made several much more expensive orders from them over the last couple of years. Maybe it had been sold and returned to the stock with the coupler attached, who knows.

 

In any case, all's well that ends well :)