lubricate lens rings? (Page 2): The company that invented WD 40 was not in the lubricating business. Instead they were looking for a solution for preventing rust brought on by water.

Bugfan Loc: Toronto, Canada

The company that invented WD 40 was not in the lubricating business. Instead they were looking for a solution for preventing rust brought on by water. They were looking for a material that would lift water away from metal surfaces.

Eventually they found a formula that worked. It was the fortieth try that finally succeeded. As a result the product was called WD40 or ... Water Displacement 40.

Later when it came to market is was discovered that it had an amazingly low viscosity that was able to penetrate rusted items enabling easier separation. So in addition to a water displacement product it was also marketed as a penetrating oil though in fact it has no oil in it.

It was the consumer later that decided this was a solution to everything that needed oiling. It is not. It is and remains a means of preventing rust and sometimes a means for loosening rusted parts though in the latter case I still prefer a real penetrating oil.

Be very careful where you use this product and never ever use it on a lens. The product is insidious, it flows everywhere once sprayed on to something. If you try it on a lens you may well find the inner lens elements coated with that stuff and that leaves you with a very expensive repair bill to have it all taken apart and cleaned.

When a lens doesn't move smoothly, it is best to take it into a repair shop for an opinion. Maybe it just needs breaking in or maybe it needs repair. Only an experienced lens person can answer that question and offer a recommendation.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

ballsafire wrote:

I have received my new 85mm f/1.8 MANUAL focus lens and find that the rings (distance & focal) seems to be very tight and hard to turn. Do I need to "break them in" by rotating the rings till they feel looser? Do I put some DW 40 lubricating oil on the rings very sparingly? I am sure there are plenty members with this kind of experience. Thanks in advance! P.S. especially the ring one turns to set focus numbers for aperture--i.e. (1.8, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4.5, 6, 10, 22)

The wider front ring is the focusing ring. The narrower one at the rear is the aperture ring - it has nothing to do with focusing.
The rings being tight could indicate rough mechanics, and I would also be concerned about how well the elements are aligned. I suggest you run some careful tests to ensure an even focus across the entire field at all distances and apertures. Hopefully, you have a return policy. Good luck!

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

RWR wrote:

The wider front ring is the focusing ring. The narrower one at the rear is the aperture ring - it has nothing to do with focusing.
The rings being tight could indicate rough mechanics, and I would also be concerned about how well the elements are aligned. I suggest you run some careful tests to ensure an even focus across the entire field at all distances and apertures. Hopefully, you have a return policy. Good luck!

You are right the wider front ring is for focusing and the rear narrow ring is the aperture ring - I stand corrected. Thanks! Now I am wondering in the use of this lens if I can get nice photos with all the settings possible on this lens. I do have a five year warranty on this lens and it is built with all metal and glass. Time will tell -- I think you must know a lot about lenses so that you can perform these tests? I have done some reading about calibration but have never tried to do that yet. If it is not broken I leave it alone and take care of my equipment.

ballsafire Loc: Lafayette, Louisiana

Bugfan wrote:

The company that invented WD 40 was not in the lub... (show quote)

I really learned something about WD 40 and I have heard about people spraying it on arthritic hands and claimed that it helped their fingers to move without pain!
And yes, The rings are gradually turning because I broke them in as stated earlier.

Frank47 Loc: West coast Florida

Gifted One wrote:

I would suggest that you contact the people that you purchased the lens from and ask about the rings being tight. Remove from your mind lubing a lens.

J. R.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Frank47 Loc: West coast Florida

Gifted One wrote:

I would suggest that you contact the people that you purchased the lens from and ask about the rings being tight. Remove from your mind lubing a lens.

J. R.

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

Dual personalities? J. R.

Frank47 wrote:

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

Dual personalities? J. R.

Frank47 wrote:

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Frank47 Loc: West coast Florida

Gifted One wrote:

Dual personalities? J. R.

Yes, but at least they agree with each other! (a slip of the finger 👆 on dual entries. Sorry)

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

ballsafire wrote:

Now I am wondering in the use of this lens if I can get nice photos with all the settings possible on this lens. I do have a five year warranty on this lens and it is built with all metal and glass. Time will tell -- I think you must know a lot about lenses so that you can perform these tests? I have done some reading about calibration but have never tried to do that yet. If it is not broken I leave it alone and take care of my equipment.

That's a better warranty than I would have expected. Good!
Since the lens is manual focus, with no CPU chip, there is nothing to calibrate.
A flat wall or building is a good subject for your test, hopefully containing some detail. Make sure you are lined up well with it, and not tilted up or down. If you cannot achieve an even focus across the entire field, the elements are misaligned. Also take a shot at each aperture to see where it's the sharpest. A little softening wide open and stopped down to f/11 or more is normal, especially in the corners. Hopefully, you will have no problems.

WNYShooter Loc: WNY

Kuzano wrote:

STOP RIGHT THERE!!!

WD40 is NOT a lubricating oil. The purpose of WD40 is to penetrate and wash out all lubricants and free rust from joints.

If you use WD40 on any joint, ultimately the joint will have no lubricant, original or otherwise. What little lube there is in WD40 does not stay in the joint as a lubricant.

It is called a penetrating fluid by those who use it properly. No matter what it says on the can.

Sorry, but you are completely wrong except for your advise to not use it on a lens or camera. The two main components of WD40 are:

1) Naphtha, a petroleum product used to dilute oils.

2) Petroleum Based Oil, a lubricant.

It is a lubricant, just a very very low viscosity one.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Kuzano wrote:

STOP RIGHT THERE!!!
WD40 is NOT a lubricating oil.

:thumbup:

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

One member said he lubricates his filters with the oil from his nose. No, he doesn't carry it in a container. He rubs the filter threads along the side of his nose. I've seen recommendations to use a bit of graphite on the threads.

Psergel Loc: New Mexico

jerryc41 wrote:

One member said he lubricates his filters with the oil from his nose. No, he doesn't carry it in a container. He rubs the filter threads along the side of his nose. I've seen recommendations to use a bit of graphite on the threads.

I do the same. Got the idea from Bryan Carnathan who runs "the digital picture".
Sounds a bit gross but it works very well.
Had a lens that was difficult to install the lens hood on. Rubbed a little oil from the crease where my nose meets my face around the perimeter of the lens and.....it's been fine for about a year now.
It's difficult to imagine how this little trick was first discovered.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Psergel wrote:

I do the same. Got the idea from Bryan Carnathan who runs "the digital picture".
Sounds a bit gross but it works very well.
Had a lens that was difficult to install the lens hood on. Rubbed a little oil from the crease where my nose meets my face around the perimeter of the lens and.....it's been fine for about a year now.
It's difficult to imagine how this little trick was first discovered.

And no one asks to borrow your filters, right? :D