135mm lens

ShropshireLad

ShropshireLad

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I have today been given a M42 Carl Zeiss 135mm f3.5 Jenna DDR electric MC S lens, but the aperture blades are stuck wide open .... any idea if this is easily fixed? ...and is this a quality lens?
 
I would imagine the cost of fixing would be more than the cost of replacing as you can buy on ebay for about 50 quid :)
 
I've never seen one of those but I have had a few film era lenses repaired and one really good repairer I've used charges about £45 but there's the delivery cost to him and looking on evil bay the lens you have has sold for under £20 and up, so I guess a repair isn't really worth it unless you see it as paying £45 + postage and ending up with a known quantity.
 
ShropshireLad said:
I have today been given a M42 Carl Zeiss 135mm f3.5 Jenna DDR electric MC S lens, but the aperture blades are stuck wide open .... any idea if this is easily fixed? ...and is this a quality lens?
Click to expand...

It's a nice lens, I had one for a little while but sold it to get something else.

You'll need to gain access to the shutter blades so you can drop a little butane or isopropyl alcohol in there and see if that frees them up. Most often, oil or grease keeps them closed but I have seen a few lenses where they get stuck open.

Of course, it could also be something else but I would rule out sticky blades first.

Good luck.
 
I remember some of the Helios M42 lenses having a little button or lever on the back which affected the operation of the aperture blades - You had to modify it to use on an adapter or something. And the FD breechlock lenses I think had to be locked into place before they would work properly?!?

Are you sure it isn't something like that?

If not just take it apart & have a look at any mechanisms. I bought a Yashica ML135 cheap recently with sticking blades & as I took the rear cover off there's a circular disc below with the built in two lever arms attached (out to the camera body & inside to reach the aperture mechanism) It was just a bit sticky & gummed up where it all touched/rotated so a quick clean with WD40 on a cotton bud & silicon on the touching surfaces & works like new! :)
 
Thanks all for the replies.
There is a pin at the back that when pressed the blades should close to the given f number, but nothing happens when I press it ..... also there is a slide lever marked A and M (auto manual) and again nothing happens when in either position.
So I'm sure the blades are just stuck and I need to open it up and lubricate them, just wondered if anyone on here had tried this.
 
Well, you've got nothing to lose if you decide to have a look.
 
Well I took the lens apart and cleaned and lubed the blades and got them working, This was a photo I took today through the window, so quite pleased with it.
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Jay2a.jpg
 
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