When a lens arrives in the workshop, the first thing we do is not open it. It is look at it. We examine the outer surfaces, turn the rings, judge how smoothly the helicoids run, check for mechanical play. A few minutes already tell you a great deal — whether it has been dropped, whether it has worked hard without servicing, whether someone has been inside it before us. Only then does the real work begin.
Disassembly and internal inspection
Every lens is taken apart methodically, with the position of each element documented. This is not a mechanical exercise — it is a reading. The optical surfaces reveal the lens's history: accumulated dust, fungus, lubricant that has migrated onto the glass, wear on the mechanical groups. Everything
is photographed before any work is carried out.
Lubricating the mechanical groups
The helicoids and mechanical groups are cleaned of spent lubricant and re-greased with compounds chosen for the type of movement and the temperature range the lens will work in. The wrong lubricant — too thin, too thick, unsuited to the cold of a night shoot — undermines the whole mechanical feel of the lens.
Realignment and collimation
After reassembly, every lens is collimated. We check that focus is accurate along the entire travel of the ring, that the focal plane is correct relative to the mount, and that back focus does not shift between the extremes. This is the stage that takes the most time and the most attention
— and it is what separates a lens that "works" from a lens that behaves predictably on set.
Final testing
Before the lens goes back, we run a complete test: how smoothly the rings turn, the absence of abnormal play, a check of the optical surfaces, a check of the mount. Only if everything is within spec is the lens packed and shipped.
How long a full service takes
On average 5-7 working days from the moment the lens reaches us. For lenses with more complex problems, or ones that need custom components, the timing is given with the quote. A full service is not a luxury — it is the difference between a lens that surprises you at the worst possible moment and one you can count on. If you cannot remember when it was last overhauled, it is probably already time.
→ Request a quote at gjfcfactory.com