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OPENING
THENIKONOS III
Figure1
Figure 2
Figure 3
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Here is your beautiful, long-lived and still quite valuable Nikonos III.
Desired by amateurs and professionals alike, it not only works after
30 years, but is actually worth more than its original price. Hereís
what we suggest to keep it going for another 30 years.
The top of Nikonos III is its Achilleís Heel. It is long and plastic and
bolted down only in the very center ó with the lifters way out at the lateral
edges. As you might imagine, opening the III with these lifters can stress
the top, bowing and eventually cracking it. (Almost always in the same
place- Figure 1 ). Check the main body o-ring channel, just behind
and below the film counter window for a vertical hairline crack ( Figure
1 ) What to do? Read on, MacDuff.
First, of course, never try to open the Nik-III with the lens in place.
Most of the time, though, the damage occurs with a stored camera. One week
is long, ten years is longer. The main body o-ring gets stuck to the o-ring
seat of the lower body and you have to really lean on the lifters, arcing
that top, to get it open. To avoid this, never store the III with the top
o-ring installed. Instead, lube it and chuck it into a zip bag and rubber
band it to the body.
It also helps to season the lower body o-ring seat, just as you would a
frying pan, by rubbing a thin coat of grease along the surface with every
cleaning.
So how does one open it?
Place three fingers on the lower curve of the lens o-ring seat and two
fingers ó of, hopefully, your other hand -- into the lens opening.
( Figure 2 ) Place these latter two fingers on the top bolt and
push up while pulling down on the lens mount with the other three fingers
( Figure 3 ). With a properly cared for camera it should pop apart
easily. Remove the film, grease the o-ring, lightly lube the o-ring seat
and youíre good to go. |
