Apparently a common problem. I'm wondering if anyone has repaired this themselves, how easy it is, or even if it's possible to do yourself. I don't have the lens in front of me (I don't own one), so I can't see if there is any obvious way to open it up, so to say.
One guy on dyxum provided the repair instructions from the service manual. I don't have the link, but you can try asking on dyxum. The repair itself is very easy and can be done by the owner.
Thank you both! Asked on dyxum, someone kindly sent me the repair manual. Now that I've looked through it (although only briefly) I'm pretty sure this is doable by user. Some tell me that this "wobble" re-appears after repair further down the line, so certainly can't see myself parting with some much cash for a temporary solution. So, if it ever becomes more severe I think I'll look at doing it myself... perhaps after the summer when I have more time. I'll of course do some sort of photo guide if I do manage to do this myself, as it seems like it's something that's bothered a number of owners.
The wobble will reappear if you leave the lens resting on its side with the hood reversed (or if it gets thrown that way in storage from the bag moving around). That's the cause in the first place as it puts too much stress on the front of the lens. Store the lens on its ends and you won't have the problem crop up. Safest storage is mount end down.
Agreed with mawz, and I would add, you should never store this lens with the hood on, period. If you always remove the hood when the lens is in the bag, your lens will always remain wobble free
Right, I will have to remember that. That would be a pain though in honesty, as it's going to take up a LOT more room (in my bag, which I can only fit so much in) if I have to store it separately What about with the hood attached, but facing outwards (as if to use it)? Not sure that would make it any easier to store though, when on the go. Do people use generic hoods for this reason?
ricardovaste wrote:
Right, I will have to remember that. That would be a pain though in honesty, as it's going to take up a LOT more room (in my bag, which I can only fit so much in) if I have to store it separately What about with the hood attached, but facing outwards (as if to use it)? Not sure that would make it any easier to store though, when on the go. Do people use generic hoods for this reason?
Sometimes I used to store it face down and put the hood on the rear of the lens. Or just put the hood in reversed position but leave it loose.
I have been storing my copy with its hood on backwards resting up side down on its front lens cap.
Knock on wood, no wobble yet and I have had my copy of the lens for several years now.
Right, good to know. Perhaps I should just look at a new/different bag, but it works well for the size, and I don't really want anything bigger to carry around on my back (I have a huge one for backup/everything else). I can get a 70-200 in there with the hood erect, so surely there is some hope for me yet. I'll keep in mind just leaving the hood loose and reversed.
I had a horrible moment on Saturday. Whilst getting into my car, I slipped and my a900 & 85ZA swung into the door *que sick feeling*. I looked back and my lens did not look right at all, I was worried the front section had came off... the hood was on the floor. After inspection, it was just the metal tube part of the hood that had become detached from the mount part of the hood... so I was able to push them both back together with a little effort. All seems well, apart from the hood which is not a bit ruffed up (obviously) but that's what it's there for to an extent... although I don't think "smashing into a door" is written in the manual.
So my question - do you follow the same storage suggestions for the 85ZA as with the 135ZA? In that, do we not store the hood reversed, or together? I'm not heard of "wobbly" 85ZA's, but it made me wonder...
There are indeed no reports of any problems with the ZA 85. The hood attaches to a solid integral part of the lens, unlike the ZA 135. The drawback is, you give the 135 hood a bump, only the weak front part will break, but with the 85, you might also damage the focusing gears.
As for storage, I used to keep the hood in reversed position, at the risk of having the lens slip from my hand at several occasions, as there is very little area to hold to the lens when the hood is reversed.
Bifurcator wrote:
I swap out to heavy rubber hoods for exactly this reason. Heavy rubber as in Mamiya rubber hoods. They've saved so many lenses already!
I've tried rubber hoods on other lenses... The problem I have with them is that the larger ones (for longer lenses) seem to distort / go wonky when fully extended, potentially leading to vignetting problems... Perhaps I just need to look for better quality ones though, I'm not sure.
I bought a few nice quality B+W rubber hoods for my ZA lenses, but didn't use them. They are annoying to use, they tend to stick to the bag dividers instead of sliding in and when retracted, they add too much to the lens diameter.
I tend to avoid using most of my manufacturer's hoods and use step down rings instead. It may take some trial and error to find the right size (or combination of sizes,) but it is much more compact.
So I have the 135ZA and manual in front of me. Not as straight forward as I thought.
I thought there might be some sort of groove to apply a spanner with. But it seems I need something else, some sort of "filter screw frame removing tool". In the past I've just used something circular to grip, like a roll of tape, but for something this big I fear I might need the real thing.
