Keith S in Arizona USA

kadir_kirisci - If you do somehow mess up and have problems with reassembly / helicoid indexing or any other servicing, David Odess of Randolph, Massachusetts (USA) can fix it all up for you. He is a factory trained Hasselblad technician and he does it all from bodies to lenses. He is also reasonably priced and very communicative too.

At AMAZON.COM, for around $7 in a one ounce tub (last time I bought it over a year ago), they have "HELIMAX-XP Optical and Instrument Helicoid Grease". It contains Lithium and PTFE, is white, NLGI #1, and is not supposed to creep or out-gas, and is good over a wide temperature range. If this does not do the trick I don't know of anything better to use. Before application, you need to make certain that your helicoid threads are scrubbed completely clean. ANY debris particles are going to be felt as the threads are usually very tight-fitting with low tolerances -- or SHOULD be, anyway. And use it S-P-A-R-I-N-G-L-Y! The finest, thinnest amount you can possibly apply is ALL that you want to do when lubing anything such as lens helicoids. (Wipe off excess, if any, with a NON-LINT cloth.) This stuff is pretty amazing.

At AMAZON.COM, for around $7 in a one ounce tub (last time I bought it over a year ago), they have "HELIMAX-XP Optical and Instrument Helicoid Grease". It contains Lithium and PTFE, is white, NLGI #1, and is not supposed to creep or out-gas, and is good over a wide temperature range. If this does not do the trick I don't know of anything better to use. Before application, you need too make certain that your helicoid threads are scrubbed completely clean. ANY debris particles are going to be felt as the threads are usually very tight-fitting with low tolerances -- or SHOULD be, anyway. And use it S-P-A-R-I-N-G-L-Y! The finest, thinnest amount you can possibly apply is ALL that you want to do when lubing anything such as lens helicoids. (Wipe off excess, if any, with a NON-LINT cloth.) This stuff is pretty amazing.

Hi Andrew. I have been using various types of film cameras since the mid-1960's, and still do to this day. (About 90% of my shooting.) With that extensive experience, I am certain the 'finger memory' I developed must have everything to do with the inability to operate the modern digital shutter buttons. With any old (35mm) film camera, my finger just seems to naturally fall into position. Geez I have a heck of a time FEELING one of those flush-mount digital buttons once I even find it!

Well, so far I am really liking the D850 which replaced my trade-in D300s and lenses, and the D700. And just like the two previous cameras (and many years' of use of them) I STILL cannot seem to train my finger to locate the shutter button. Ergonomically the Nikon's shutter button locations are a pain for me (haven't tried a Canon, so no comparison there for me.) My finger always "finds" the front-panel Sub-Command Dial instead. Oh if that were only where the shutter button was .. . ... :rolleyes:

I agree with tomspielman. Have some fun with it and give it a try.

Looking to buy a Kodak Medalist II that has been modified for 120mm.

Well, after a two year search I was finally able to find a working 133D. Now I have a complete CAT flash system for my collection, including the A2 and B2 auto-ring adjusters, a 133D case, and original instructions. It came from Japan, with an assurance that is was just tested on an FTb and F-1 camera. To my delight, upon receipt I found it to be 100% functional. This is after finding two others that were supposedly "tested and good" yet were dead. And yes, I did get my money back via Fleecebay's directive from one seller, and a voluntary refund from the other seller. It is all a pretty funky looking archaic setup, and for grins I will make a few test shots on my FTb with the next film test effort.

Thanks Alan! This gives me a much better feeling about the replacement 120 T-MAX that ALARIS sent to me a few days ago!

Year old thread, new info -- sort of? Now it is November, 2017. Somehow Kodak Alaris has my email and physical address. I may have complained here at PN some time back about getting imprinted info (re: this "imprint" subject material posted here/elsewhere at PN) on my T-MAX 120mm film. Well a few days back I received a surprise email that "replacement film is on its way." News to me, and a mystery. Any complaint I made would not have been directly to Kodak (I simply stopped using Kodak and switched to other brands for ALL my film needs.) So today 11-24-2017 I received from Kodak ALARIS a five-pack of T-MAX 120 - dated 05/2019. Well the truth is that I am afraid to use it as with all the other Kodak complaints I have read here at PN, I am unwilling to use it and discover that the imprinting problem still exists with the emulsion being compromised. Not worth the risk to me in light of the other brand films working out well. Comments?

AHA! It is suspicious that the lever was loose. This is a clue that someone may have been in there, and hence the meter issue. You might consider, if you don't mind spending a few dollars, to have Ken Oikawa in Sun City, CA have a look at it. He's a retied Canon factory tech and is an expert on the 1970's-80's Canons. His turn-around time is generally a week and his rates are extremely reasonable. He has worked a number of cameras for me. Give him a call at 951-246-9136

OOPS! CLARIFICATION! The ASA dial should always be difficult to lift, but WHEN ROTATING IT, if it is very loose (no resistance) THEN you know the string is broken. Sorry for the misinformation.

Good point, Ben. Willie, It is easy to tell of the string broke. Lifting the ASA dial to rotate/set it has always been difficult on the AE-1; it requires a bit of force. If the dial lifts with no force required, the string is obviously broken.

What Jim said. I have been looking for the 3-switch version for quite a while and so far after three units, I have yet to find a functional one. I hope yours works, Dominik.

I have that 28 f2.8 AIS along with several other AIS's. All of mine when shaken (even violently) make ZERO noise. Seems you may have sheared or otherwise broken something in the lens. That means it is time for evaluation and repair.