180mm Nikon AIs: how to remove sunshade?

[David Kellermann]

I'm having a problem with my 180mm AIs lens. I bought a gear ring from Jerry at JBK cinequipt



Unfortunately, I didn't check before ordering if it's possible to remove the sunshade of the 180mm Nikon lens, since it has a slightly larger diameter than the focus ring, so that the gear ring won't slip over it. There is a tiny screw under the sunshade, which is only accessible when turning the sunshade to a certain position, but I doubt that it loosens the sunshade.

Anybody with some experience with this lens?

[Matthew Scott]

That lens is one of my absolute favorites!! I received mine front eBay without the hood....looks like it was hacked off....the pin is removed.

[David Kellermann]

That lens is one of my absolute favorites!! I received mine front eBay without the hood....looks like it was hacked off....the pin is removed.

Which pin? So there is no possibility other than chopping it off?

[Lee Saxon]

Dumb question, why can't you slip the gear on from the other end?

[David Kellermann]

Dumb question, why can't you slip the gear on from the other end?

Because the lens has there a metal ring with a larger diameter then the focus ring...

[Lee Saxon]

Personally I would try getting a focus gear that clamps on like those from Red Rock Micro before I resorted to doing surgery on my lens, but I don't know if they make them in the correct gear ratio for your FF

[Robert Hart]

Take notice of advice from better artisans and brains than mine.

At cost of money, time and inconvenience, it might be best to have a lens tech look at it for you. If you intend to go DIY read on.

That screw may be a lockscrew for securing a front ring which screws out on fine threads and then allows the sunshade to slide foreward and off the lens barrel. However it might also secure or carry the front glass element and may be locked by the small screw in a specific adjustment position. Make matchmarks you can return to if possible. Be careful not to screw the little screw right out and then lose it. If the little screw only loosens a little then gets stuck, be patient and work its range, extending a little at a time. Don't force it. Maybe put a little bit of black grease on it so it is trapped when loosened or doesn't roll if dropped.

[Alan Peterson]

If it's anything like the sunshade on the 105/1.8, it doesn't look like you can get it off without dismantling the lens.

[David Kellermann]

Thank you all for your replies. I think that I'll let a lens technician do it, since I wanted anyway to send in my whole lens set to Nikon Germany to get them serviced and de-clicked.

[Christopher Mills]

I seem to remember seeing some lens gears that had been cut in half, and then put back together around the barrel, with screws, to deal with this problem on older cine lenses.. you need a machinist to do this.. but it is not as difficult as rebarreling a lens.