CAMERA Maintenance

CONTAX Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 Disassembly – Blackening the Lens Edge with Sumi Ink

This is a follow-up to my CONTAX Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 balsam separation repair. It is the same lens. After the two pieces of glass were cemented together…
2026.11.12
CAMERA Maintenance
CAMERA Maintenance

Nikon Ai-S Nikkor ED 300mm f/4.5 IF Disassembly – Cleaning the Rear Element

The Nikon Ai-S Nikkor ED 300mm f/4.5 IF is a telephoto lens for Nikon F-mount cameras. This one is engraved “Nikkor ★ED 300mm 1:4.5”. I worked on it in…
2026.11.11
CAMERA Maintenance
WATCHES

Zodiac Professional 200 Meters (Ref. 206.19.34) – The Silver Dot Diver

Look between four and five o'clock on this black dial and you will find a small silver dot. It is easy to miss, but it tells you which family of 1990s…
2026.11.07
WATCHES
CAMERA Maintenance

Leica Elmar 5cm f/3.5 Disassembly – Cleaning the Second Glass Element

The Leica Elmar 5cm f/3.5 is a small standard lens for Leica screw-mount (L39) cameras. This one is engraved “Leitz Elmar f=5cm 1:3,5”, with “Feet” and…
2026.11.05
CAMERA Maintenance
WATCHES

Zodiac Super Sea Wolf 1000m (Ref. 506.54.43) – The “Buzz Saw” Diver

A black dial with big orange-framed markers, a thick toothed bezel and a caseback engraved “1000 meters”: this Super Sea Wolf is a serious tool watch that…
2026.11.03
WATCHES
CAMERA Maintenance

Olympus H.Zuiko Auto-S 42mm f/1.2 Disassembly – Repairing Balsam Separation

The Olympus H.Zuiko Auto-S 42mm f/1.2 is the fast standard lens made for the Olympus Pen F series of half-frame SLR cameras. This one came to me with heavy…
2026.11.02
CAMERA Maintenance
CAMERA Maintenance

CONTAX Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 Disassembly – Repairing Balsam Separation

The CONTAX Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 is the standard fast lens for the Contax/Yashica (C/Y) mount. This one is marked “Lens made in Japan” on the…
2026.10.31
CAMERA Maintenance
CAMERA Maintenance

Leica Summitar 5cm f/2 Disassembly – Cleaning the Front Group

The Leica Summitar 5cm f/2 is a standard lens for Leica screw-mount (L39) cameras, engraved “Ernst Leitz Wetzlar” on the front. I worked on this one in…
2026.10.30
CAMERA Maintenance
CAMERA Maintenance

Nikon Ai-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 Disassembly – Trying to Repaint the Edges of the Front Elements

The Nikon Ai-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.4 is a fast, wide-angle prime for Nikon F-mount cameras. I serviced this one in September 2024. This post walks through the…
2026.10.28
CAMERA Maintenance
WATCHES

Zodiac Sea Wolf Professional 200m (Ref. 513.55.47) – A Compact White-Dial Diver

A bright white dial, a toothed steel bezel and a case just over 34 mm wide: this Sea Wolf is a small, easy diver that looks just as right at a seaside café…
2026.10.28
WATCHES
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