Nikon 20-35/2.8 D with torn flex circuit—halp!

[mark_audacity_romberg]

<p>I have a Nikon 20-35 whose flex circuit I managed to tear while attempting to remove the bayonet. Took surprisingly little force to do so, so little that I thought the aperture coupling lever was preventing it from coming free.</p>

<p>Anyway, I now have a very nice but very manual-focus AF lens that I think is worth repairing. I called Precision Camera and they don't even list parts for it. Checked eBay, and it turns out I would have much better luck if I'd taken a hammer to the front element; no joy on a flex circuit.</p>

<p>Does anyone have a 20-35 flex circuit or a mechanically junked 20-35 that I could salvage? I really like this lens and I'd hate to have to sell it for parts.</p>

[anthony_valvo]

<p><a href="http://nikoncamerarepair.com/">http://nikoncamerarepair.com/</a></p>

<p>They do gret work</p>

<p>Anthony</p>

[RaymondC]

<p>Do you know if they repair Coolscans? They don't have a email link on their website. I am in the midst of contacting Japan directly.... I heard that NYC Nikon doesn't service Coolscans anymore .. </p>

[mark_audacity_romberg]

<p>I don't have a Coolscan?</p>

[RaymondC]

<p>Sorry, question was directed to Anthony Valvo.</p>

[paul_b.1]

<p>Just a suggestion :</p><div></div>

[peter_simpson1]

<p>@PaulB: Been there, done that. Nice work.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Your soldering and craft knife skills have to be <em>very</em> good to attempt the repair as shown above. Using some fine strands of tinned-copper wire stripped from a piece of multi-strand 10/0.1 flexible interconnect wiring usually helps make the job easier. You can attach these at slightly different positions on the ribbon connector to avoid the risk of bridging adjacent solder joints. Make sure the little wires are well separated after the repair and simply stick a piece of clear adhesive tape over them to insulate and hold them in place.</p>

<p>Also make sure you lay the ribbon cable firmly on a flat aluminium heatsink as shown above, otherwise a soldering iron can melt right through it!</p>

[ed_gerken]

Wow, great repair work and good tips! The very few times I attempted such a repair, I only had a couple traces to repair,

not the entire junction. Instead of risking the flimsy strip, I soldered to the nearest junction with the finest insulated wire I

had, then I tried to fit the extra bulk back inside. I'd use tape to beef up the breakline so it hopefully didn't worsen. It worked

well enough for a break or two in an older camera. Not so sure if I'd even try it today. Masterful work, there!

 

-Ed

[bjørn rørslett]

<p>Why not order a replacement print from Nikon?</p>

[istvan_l_rincz]

<p>The problem is that Nikon don't have enough spare parts left for this lens. I have a little bit similar problem with my Nikon AF 20-35/2.8 lens. It is working in manual mode but the AF is not working any more. The wire is OK in my lens. It is the sensor switch thats not working.<br>

The lens was at Nikon in Hungary and Germany and they told me there are no more spare parts left they could use. The period of 10 years for spare parts is over and if the spare parts are all used its over.<br>

So even if you pay for repair they can not help you. The answer was: Use it in manual mode or buy a new one. I got some information that in Japan and also Hong Kong there should be some spare parts in private repair services but I could not get the contact to them.<br>

Nikon could offer me a replacement with an af-s 17-35. Just sad that Nikon dont care about the older lenses. People still buy these good lenses and if something happens they won't get help.</p>

[mark_audacity_romberg]

<p>Wow! Thanks for that image, <strong>Paul B.</strong>! That's a tremendous help!</p>

<p><strong>Bjørn: </strong>Cost and complexity. On further exploratory disassembly, there are two—components the zoom encoder and the focus encoder—which have to be positioned precisely and epoxied into place in order to relay distance and zoom position info to the body. I don't want to mess with that.</p>