Spacedout

Update - This is now for the larger zoom lens only. The small lens and controller are now gone. Also and more importantly I have reduced the price for a fast sale. Hope this is of interest

Sorry a couple of important notes I forgot to mentions! This lens was repaired and serviced in March this year by Maxey Moverley and as such is in warranty until March 2016! Also, I have made up a control box for Focus and Zoom. Not the best looking thing but it works a treat Cheers

Hello All, I'm not sure if this is allowed and if not then please delete but I am trying to off load a couple of Zoom lenses I no longer need. I am not a business, just a guy who bought some lenses for an astronomy project. Anyway here is one if anyone is interested - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/171840413538?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649 Best wishes Karl

Hello All, As much fun as I've had with these lenses I'm now moving on to other things and in reality these lenses will be better off being used for what they were intended, security! So I'm now trying to shift them if anyone is interested please send me a PM. I was going to put them in the classifieds but I'm not a regular here and rightly have not earned that right yet! Best regards Karl

Hi Horizon, Thanks for the info. I had to use a different camera in the end as there was just not enough play with the one I was using to adjust the back focus. Still all sort now and the lens is working exactly as I'd hoped. As mentioned before I wanted the lens for astronomy. Have a look at this short video of the lens zooming in on 2 galaxies, M81 and M82 - Not entirely sure what was wrong but they said they had to strip it down a replace some parts and gave it a general service. Whatever, it works now and works very well indeed Thanks for you help, very much appreciated. Karl

Hello All, A little update on this problem - Finally and after way to much money I now have the lens working apart from one important aspect... Focus! Currently the best focus I can get is by using a 5mm c-cs mount adapter. The problem I have is I can not get a decent all round focus. For example, at night if I point the camera and lens to my shed about 10 metres away the focus is just off. This is with both the zoom and focus of the lens at the furthest and widest point. If I zoom in a bit and tweak the focus I can get it sharp but why not at the widest field or view? Then if I point the lens and camera at the stars the focus is well off but if I zoom in again I eventually get focus. Please have a look at this video as an example. I have tried various spacers but no joy. If I hold the camera to the lens manually I can get it. It seems as though the camera chip needs to get in a fraction further but how?? Is there such a thing as an adjustable c-cs mount adapter or a perhaps a much more straight forward method? Many thanks Karl

Hello MaxIcon, Thank you and I did remove the cover but when I saw the inside of the lens I though better off it. It is a serious piece of engineering and I knew if I stripped it bare it would have been game over. I did manage to check all the wires and everything seemed intact so I really have no clue what the issue could have been. However, I have now sent it off to be checked and repaired if possible so let's see. If they can repair it the cost is pretty steep but the cost of one of these lenses new is a lot of money and so it will be worth it. Thanks for the advice, very much appreciated. Regards Karl

Hi Horizon, That is interesting, so basically the lens was not connected to a camera before if that is the case. I did reconnect the box recently and put in a 9v battery but the iris did not open. However, there are two connection points that stick out at the top of the box and I wonder what that was connected too? I wonder if you need the battery and another power source to make the remote control work? Thanks again Karl

Okay, I tried soldering a new plug today and still no joy! I've now contacted this company for a possible repair and they quoted £325 to fix it. I'm tempted as I seem to have run out of options but I do wonder if I simply not doing something right! Anyone use this company before or know of another who may be a bit cheaper?

I need to get used to this format Here is the inside of the box, 3 wires in and two out. Thanks again Karl

Hi Horizon, Thank you for doing that I'm really grateful! I'm not sure if the yellow wire is the issue because when I got the lens it had a box on the iris cables with a dial as attached. The only wires used were the black, red and white. The box has a holder for a 9V battery and two pins that then must of connected to a camera or remote control I'm not sure. Does this look familiar to you? I'm now strongly suspecting a fault somewhere and will be emailing the person I bought it off tonight. I would send it off to be tested and repaired but I have no idea who could do this sort of work short of sending it to Computar themselves!

Oh dear I'm getting a bit twitchy, I tried a new 9v, then a 1.5 followed by 12v and still nothing! Thanks for your help Horizon on this I'll be gutted if I can't get to use it! I did try soldering an iris plug on using the black, red and white wires leaving the 4th pin free. I followed the wiring diagram for video auto Iris but this did not work though this could just be my rubbish soldering. If the battery trick does not work is there anywhere I can send this lens to be checked out and if possible repaired? Thanks again very much appreciated!!! Karl

Sorry posted before I'd finished! Okay so the 9V did not open the Iris, would this mean the Lens is broken or I need to try something else? Thank you so much for your help I'm completely lost with this but would really like to get this thing working if possible! Best wishes Karl

Thank you Horizon and yes if I can get the Iris open this will be a very nice lens indeed! Yes that was the data sheet too. I just tried the 9V battery as you suggested but this did not work unfortunately. The lens does make a little noise but it's almost as if something is stuck or there is not enough power if this makes sense? I've taken a couple of images of the lens zoomed in and out, just in case I'm missing something.

Thank you Survtech I was beginning to give up hope with this one. I had a quick look at the link but I will need to study it further as I have no experience at all with electronics. However, someone has done it so I'll need to learn I'm not sure if it makes any difference but the camera I plan to use with it is an SCB-4000 which is video or dc. As I say I know nothing about this sort of thing but I assumed if I connected an iris plug to the red, black and white wires following the standard video auto iris wiring diagram it would work but I guess it's not that simple? Is there an easier solution and what is normally done with this kind of lens? Thanks again for responding as I really would like to put this lens to good use! Much appreciated Karl