Danner Gardner Posted July 11, 2021 Share Posted July 11, 2021 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Dom Jaeger Posted July 12, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted July 12, 2021 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner Gardner Posted July 12, 2021 Author Share Posted July 12, 2021 Definitely would never even imagine to attempt to work on themselves. Just wanted to put feelers out if there were any more affordable alternatives to duclos. Seems that there really isn't... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Dom Jaeger Posted July 12, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted July 12, 2021 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heikki Repo Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 (edited) 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 July 12, 2021 by Heikki Repo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Dom Jaeger Posted July 13, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted July 13, 2021 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Joel W Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Dom Jaeger Posted July 13, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted July 13, 2021 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Joel W Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Dom Jaeger Posted July 13, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted July 13, 2021 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heikki Repo Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 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! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member Duncan Brown Posted July 13, 2021 Premium Member Share Posted July 13, 2021 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 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heikki Repo Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 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) ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danner Gardner Posted July 13, 2021 Author Share Posted July 13, 2021 Heikki, I was quoted the same price from Duclos. It's a bit steep for me ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M Joel W Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 (edited) 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 July 13, 2021 by M Joel W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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