Hi Jan, and all others.
I also removed the tab (yes, the whole tab!) a year ago, with the same
usage on the 2xA in mind. The tab indeed serves no other purpose than
protection against the imprudent.
I did it the easy way, using only my right thumb as an instrument.
Oh, almost forgot: I used a Super Black (flat black) touch-up pen as
well...
I held the lens, with rear element retracted completely like you
described, firm in my left hand, and pressed with my right thumb
against the protection tab, in outward direction - and off it came!
It was spotwelded in three places, and after I covered the bare metals
spot with a little bit of Birchwood Casey flat black nobody can tell
that the tab was ever there.
Took me three minutes - and I avoided a lot of fuss borrowing
instruments I don't own... BTW, why leave part of the tab on the lens
if it is that useless?
Frank van Lindert,
Utrecht NL.
On Thu, 19 Nov 1998 13:35:55 -0800, Jan Steinman <jans@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
>Now that I have your attention :-) I'll bet many of you are saying "no
>way!" Where there's a will, there's a "way!"
>
>Anyone familiar with both the Zuiko 90/2 2:1 macro and the Zuiko
>teleconverters knows they don't fit together, because the rear-element
>protection tab on the 90/2 gets in the way. However, you don't really need
>this tab, because:
>
>1) the rear element is already inset, and can't contact a flat surface
>placed against it, but more importantly,
>
>2) what kind of fool lets anything other than a camera body or a cap get
>close to the rear element, anyway? :-)
>
>It really didn't take that much nerve to modify an $800 lens. I was a
>prototype tech for years, and still do a lot of custom mechanical work. In
>fact, I often get more pleasure out of "improving" something than I do
>using it afterward!
>
>First, I made a simple jig out of some oak scrap that would both support
>the lens in a vise and serve as a grinding stop. A 3" hole saw works nicely
>for this, and after you pad it with carpet, it holds the 90/2 snugly by the
>focusing barrel. You'll want a 2" thickness in order to use it as a
>grinding gauge.
>
>Then, focus the lens all the way in to 1.3ft., retracting the sensitive
>rear element well out of reach of sharp tools. Cover the rear element
>opening with blue tape, as close to the protection tab as possible.
>
>Clamp the lens and jig into a vise, making sure the protection tab is on
>top. This will minimize filings falling into the tiny opening between the
>straight tape and the curved tab. Position the jig about 2.5mm past the
>base of the tab -- you'l be removing about 3mm of the tab.
>
>Using a sharp file, cut the tab down until it is level with your jig.
>Loosen the vise, slide the lens further out of the jig, re-clamp, and
>carefully dress the remaining tab with a jeweler's file. Touch it up with
>flat black paint.
>
>The 90/2 and Zuiko 2x teleconverter will now focus from 1:1 to infinity!
>You can even stack the 2x and the 1.4x to build a 250mm, f5.6 0.7:1 macro
>-- my initial impression is very good. I'll put the JPEGs up when the film
>comes back.
>
>Important Stuff:
>
>1) Use hand tools, NOT Dremel-type tools! They throw tiny bits of metal
>everywhere. The filings from a hand file are larger, more easily
>controlled, more easily cleaned up, and less likely to get into places
>you'd rather they not be.
>
>2) Go easy on the vise! Use just enough pressure to secure the lens. Use a
>jig to distribute the pressure, rather than a rag, which will protect the
>surface, but will only apply pressure on two points.
>
>3) It's better to take off a bit too much than too little. As mentioned, I
>think the tab is fairly useless anyway, and taking off too little can
>scratch up the inside of the teleconverter. With 2.5mm remaining, the tab
>will be flush with the rear element holder at infinity focus.
>
>4) This modification also allows you to mount the 90/2 on the Zuiko 1.4x
>teleconverter for a 126mm, f2.8 1.4:1 macro, but YOU CAN NOT FOCUS TO
>INFINITY because of the protruding front element in the 1.4x. If you're in
>the habit of rapidly focusing, you may damage or mar either or both the
>90/2 and the 1.4x.
>
>If you don't have the facilities, skill, or confidence to do this mod, I'll
>do it for $50 plus shipping, results guaranteed. Although I take great
>care, and modified my 10- condition lens without incident, I'm not willing
>to do this to new or mint lenses without indemnity for minor scratches and
>scuffs.
>
>: Jan Steinman <mailto:jans@xxxxxxxxxxx>
>: 19280 Rydman Court, West Linn, OR 97068-1331 USA
>: +1.503.635.3229
>
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