stuck step down ring?

Dennis Stevens · July 17th, 2008, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Winter

I sold a macro lens to somebody on the forums here with a step-up ring still attached to it, as I couldn't get it off regardless of what I tried. He said he'd take care of it--he ended up taking a saw to it.

Those step rings are bad news.

Well, the GY HD100 has a detachable lens, I guess the worst case scenario is I just need to buy another one for a few grand, or whatever they go for these days... Maybe just go for the GY HD200.

Anyway, thanks for everyone's suggestions. I'll try the hose clip, probably take a day to get around to picking one up and trying it.

Rich Hibner · July 17th, 2008, 02:34 PM

a bit confused now. was this attached to your camera or the brevis?
i've never actually had a problem like yours, but i have turned it the wrong way when trying to take something off without thinking and making it extremely hard to take off afterwards. did you buy this ring from brevis or somewhere else?

Dennis Stevens · July 17th, 2008, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Hibner

a bit confused now. was this attached to your camera or the brevis?
i've never actually had a problem like yours, but i have turned it the wrong way when trying to take something off without thinking and making it extremely hard to take off afterwards. did you buy this ring from brevis or somewhere else?

The ring is attached to the camera. The ring is from brevis.

I've taken it on and off a couple times with no problem. The day this happened we were in the middle of shooting. Put the ring and the brevis on like I had many times before (well, a couple times - I only had it 2 weeks before this).

At the end of the day, I took off the brevis with no problem. Went to take off the ring, and it wouldn't budge. My thought was putting the brevis turns the ring a bit in the same direction, so maybe putting the brevis on tight, tightened the ring as well?

Rich Hibner · July 17th, 2008, 11:33 PM

i think it's cross threaded. it may seem like it went on easy and since the brevis is such a big rig, screwing it in, just didn't notice it. and when you put it back on to take it off, probably tightened it even more. so, who knows really. if people have had problems with brevis rings before, i'd stay away. you can find them for 5dollars anyway at your local camera shop or online.

Dennis Stevens · July 18th, 2008, 05:58 AM

Yeah, it's getting to the point I might just get another lens. When I need the adapter, I'll just put on the lens with the permanently attached step down ring.

Although $3,000 is what I've found for a new fujinin Th17x5. Lot of money for a problem caused by a $40 step down ring.

Leonard Levy · July 18th, 2008, 11:42 AM

Rich, I had a definitely defective ring. It was obvious to me before I put it on, so don't start spreading rumors about defective rings from cinevate, theya re buying the same rings you can get anywhere. I only raised it as possibility that there was a bad lot but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Dennis - I repeat what i said earlier - before you buy a new lens, a camera repair man can remove this for you.

lenny levy

Rich Hibner · July 18th, 2008, 09:49 PM

yes because I just went to every thread on every board here and spread the rumor about rings from cinevate? it could've been a bad batch for all we know...but still, they're pretty easy to get everywhere else, it's not like he has to get it from cinevate.

Dennis Stevens · July 19th, 2008, 07:26 AM

Well, I dropped it off at a local camera repair store. We'll see.

Even if they get it off, what about the future? If it's a defective ring, I guess I buy a new one, and if the new one isn't defective, great. But every time I put it on, I have to wonder if the thing will ever come off?

Bob Hart · July 19th, 2008, 09:55 AM

Like the vultures over a lizard carcass, I guess some of us, well maybe just one of us, will be waiting for a report on the final outcome.

If you regail the lens repairman with some of the suggestions offered, his reaction may be something along the lines of "They what??" "It was a good thing you brought it to me son."

Here's hoping it will work out, with a good lens and step-up ring.

Dennis Wood · July 20th, 2008, 01:06 AM

We've had zero complaints on our step down rings, and we make them ourselves so our quality control is very good. The 82-72 and 77-72 step down rings can be problematic as they have limited grip room on them and if tightened with the Brevis attached, can be stuck with a fairly high torque given the thread size. We have rubber faced snug fitting work gloves here that work like a charm on stuck rings. A more drastic measure is to apply a small amount of crazy glue to a sacrificial 72mm ring and screw it onto the 82-72 ring. That will provide much more grip area. We can send you a replacement 82-72 at no cost.

Cheers,
Dennis Wood

Dennis Stevens · July 21st, 2008, 07:06 AM

email sent!

Dennis Wood · July 21st, 2008, 10:24 AM

Should be in your hands tomorrow afternoon :-)

Dennis Stevens · July 24th, 2008, 09:26 AM

New ring happily received.

Got a call from the repair shop, they got it off apparently. Must ask them how they did it.

Bob Hart · July 24th, 2008, 01:05 PM

I hope it was not two vicegrip pliers clamped on the front of the ring and a lever to turn them. Just kidding. They likely did the cure suggested back in this thread of cutting two slots then using a flat blade or lens spanner to move the ring.

Dennis Stevens · July 24th, 2008, 04:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Hart

I hope it was not two vicegrip pliers clamped on the front of the ring and a lever to turn them. Just kidding. They likely did the cure suggested back in this thread of cutting two slots then using a flat blade or lens spanner to move the ring.

LOL.

Well, the tech who did the work was not in when I picked it up. The guy behind the counter thought he did it with some type of wrench. There are no marks on the ring or the lens, so I guess he just used a lot of elbow grease and some tools.

So I feel like a total wuss for not getting it off myself, but it was $41 dollars, which is a lot less then a new fujinon lens.

July 17th, 2008, 02:34 PM	#32
Rich Hibner Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 218 Images: 1	a bit confused now. was this attached to your camera or the brevis? i've never actually had a problem like yours, but i have turned it the wrong way when trying to take something off without thinking and making it extremely hard to take off afterwards. did you buy this ring from brevis or somewhere else?

July 17th, 2008, 11:33 PM	#34
Rich Hibner Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 218 Images: 1	i think it's cross threaded. it may seem like it went on easy and since the brevis is such a big rig, screwing it in, just didn't notice it. and when you put it back on to take it off, probably tightened it even more. so, who knows really. if people have had problems with brevis rings before, i'd stay away. you can find them for 5dollars anyway at your local camera shop or online.

July 18th, 2008, 05:58 AM	#35
Dennis Stevens Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 425	Yeah, it's getting to the point I might just get another lens. When I need the adapter, I'll just put on the lens with the permanently attached step down ring. Although $3,000 is what I've found for a new fujinin Th17x5. Lot of money for a problem caused by a $40 step down ring.

July 18th, 2008, 11:42 AM	#36
Leonard Levy Trustee Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: USA Posts: 1,684	Rich, I had a definitely defective ring. It was obvious to me before I put it on, so don't start spreading rumors about defective rings from cinevate, theya re buying the same rings you can get anywhere. I only raised it as possibility that there was a bad lot but that doesn't seem to be the case. Dennis - I repeat what i said earlier - before you buy a new lens, a camera repair man can remove this for you. lenny levy

July 18th, 2008, 09:49 PM	#37
Rich Hibner Major Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 218 Images: 1	yes because I just went to every thread on every board here and spread the rumor about rings from cinevate? it could've been a bad batch for all we know...but still, they're pretty easy to get everywhere else, it's not like he has to get it from cinevate.

July 19th, 2008, 07:26 AM	#38
Dennis Stevens Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 425	Well, I dropped it off at a local camera repair store. We'll see. Even if they get it off, what about the future? If it's a defective ring, I guess I buy a new one, and if the new one isn't defective, great. But every time I put it on, I have to wonder if the thing will ever come off?

July 19th, 2008, 09:55 AM	#39
Bob Hart Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PERTH. W.A. AUSTRALIA. Posts: 4,476	Like the vultures over a lizard carcass, I guess some of us, well maybe just one of us, will be waiting for a report on the final outcome. If you regail the lens repairman with some of the suggestions offered, his reaction may be something along the lines of "They what??" "It was a good thing you brought it to me son." Here's hoping it will work out, with a good lens and step-up ring.

July 20th, 2008, 01:06 AM	#40
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	We've had zero complaints on our step down rings, and we make them ourselves so our quality control is very good. The 82-72 and 77-72 step down rings can be problematic as they have limited grip room on them and if tightened with the Brevis attached, can be stuck with a fairly high torque given the thread size. We have rubber faced snug fitting work gloves here that work like a charm on stuck rings. A more drastic measure is to apply a small amount of crazy glue to a sacrificial 72mm ring and screw it onto the 82-72 ring. That will provide much more grip area. We can send you a replacement 82-72 at no cost. Cheers, Dennis Wood

July 21st, 2008, 07:06 AM	#41
Dennis Stevens Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 425	email sent!

July 21st, 2008, 10:24 AM	#42
Dennis Wood Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 916	Should be in your hands tomorrow afternoon :-)

July 24th, 2008, 09:26 AM	#43
Dennis Stevens Major Player Join Date: May 2006 Location: Boston, Massachusetts Posts: 425	New ring happily received. Got a call from the repair shop, they got it off apparently. Must ask them how they did it.

July 24th, 2008, 01:05 PM	#44
Bob Hart Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PERTH. W.A. AUSTRALIA. Posts: 4,476	I hope it was not two vicegrip pliers clamped on the front of the ring and a lever to turn them. Just kidding. They likely did the cure suggested back in this thread of cutting two slots then using a flat blade or lens spanner to move the ring.