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S16 Super Speeds Service


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I have a set of S16 Super Speeds MkII's and the focus barrel is getting a little stiff on some of them. Maybe the lubrication is getting dried up. Is this a simple operation or is it a more involved process just to re-lubricate these lenses? I heard somewhere the floating elements in the super speeds make them difficult to work on. I don't know if I can justify the price point for duclos to look at them right now, wanted to see if there were any other options.

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It's not a simple operation, I would not recommend trying to re-lubricate Super Speeds yourself.

It's very easy to lose the focus calibration, use the wrong lubricant or deform the helical. Get a professional to do it.

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How much does Duclos charge for a S16 Super Speed relube?

I would offer you my services, but unfortunately I’m on the other side of the world. ?

Have you asked for quotes from some of the other cine lens service places around you like Focus Optics or Cine Visuals or Abel Cine etc?

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I asked last year Duclos about servicing older Zeiss Arri S-mount lenses and they told me that in general service ranges from $750 - $900 per lens depending on what is required.

Edited by Heikki Repo
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10 hours ago, Heikki Repo said:

I asked last year Duclos about servicing older Zeiss Arri S-mount lenses and they told me that in general service ranges from $750 - $900 per lens depending on what is required.

Oh wow, I'm definitely under-charging then!

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50 minutes ago, Dom Jaeger said:

Oh wow, I'm definitely under-charging then!

I have a 12mm Mk 1 on which the focus rotation is stiff and a bit inconsistent. Makes me wonder if it took a tumble and got warped. Is this beyond repair?

Also, I feel like with the focus ears you get more torque than with a follow focus. How crazy would I be to ask an AC to pull off the focus ear? These are for "home movies" but any S16 home movie is a little expensive. 

 

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58 minutes ago, M Joel W said:

I have a 12mm Mk 1 on which the focus rotation is stiff and a bit inconsistent. Makes me wonder if it took a tumble and got warped. Is this beyond repair?

It could easily just be dried out or contaminated grease. Or someone has over-tightened the focus barrel screws. But if the lens has been dropped and the barrel got deformed, then it is much harder to properly repair. It's very hard to return a double helical ring to round - the slightest deformation will introduce stiffness. 

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37 minutes ago, Dom Jaeger said:

It could easily just be dried out or contaminated grease. Or someone has over-tightened the focus barrel screws. But if the lens has been dropped and the barrel got deformed, then it is much harder to properly repair. It's very hard to return a double helical ring to round - the slightest deformation will introduce stiffness. 

Thanks – any way to determine if it's one thing or the other? Also is it normal for the AB mount to be a little loose?

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32 minutes ago, M Joel W said:

Thanks – any way to determine if it's one thing or the other? 

A tech would need to look at it. But sometimes you can tell it's been dropped if the gear teeth are mashed or front ring is dented.

34 minutes ago, M Joel W said:

 is it normal for the AB mount to be a little loose?

Cine mounts should never be loose, but if it's just twist play the keys inside might be worn or need adjustment. 

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6 hours ago, Dom Jaeger said:

Oh wow, I'm definitely under-charging then!

In the end I decided it wasn't worth the cost to have those lenses serviced at all. With those prices I could have bought a S16 zoom to replace them! :)

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6 hours ago, Heikki Repo said:

In the end I decided it wasn't worth the cost to have those lenses serviced at all. With those prices I could have bought a S16 zoom to replace them! ?

Well since they are now scrap, I can handle the disposal of them for you.  I would even pay the shipping from Finland to the US!

Duncan

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1 hour ago, Duncan Brown said:

Well since they are now scrap, I can handle the disposal of them for you.  I would even pay the shipping from Finland to the US!

Duncan

I bet you'd! ?

Joking aside, fortunately they were not really broken and while not stellar with 16mm film, I have been quite happy using them on my BMPCC (with the less than optimal m4/3 adapter) ?

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I had a lens serviced at Duclos. Quoted $750 to clean oil in the aperture blades on a lens. 

But they seem to do really great work, and I suppose on the high end it's worth it.

Du All also seems to do really good work and charges less ($90hr or so I think) but it drives me a little nuts that servicing cine lenses is so much more expensive than still lenses. But they seem to do good work.

Another reason I kind of wish I'd stuck with Nikkors and my t2i lol.

Edited by M Joel W
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