Problem with N1 AW1 - Need Advice

BabaGanoush

I've just come back from Palau, where I was using my Nikon 1 AW 1 to do some underwater photography. In packing up my gear for the flight home, I detached the lens (the 11-27.5mm UW copy) from the camera body, put the body cap on the camera and the rear lens cap on the lens, then placed each of them in my carry-on camera bag. All standard procedure, nothing strange or different than usual. Now that I've returned home, I'm trying to clean up the camera and inspect it for damage before I store it away until my next trip. However, I've run into a bizarre problem: I cannot get the rear lens cap off the lens. It's totally stuck, and has resisted all my attempts to untwist it from the lens. In the two years I've owned the camera, I've never encountered a problem like this before. Nothing I've tried has gotten the lens cap to budge. So, before I apply brute force to remove the lens cap by using a wrench, which could end up destroying the lens, can anyone suggest an alternative way for me to loosen the cap? The only thing I can figure is that, somehow, there's a tight vacuum in the cavity under the plastic lens cap that's holding it tightly in place. Some silicone grease may have rubbed off the O-ring on the lens mount and coated the inside of the base of the lens, thus forming a tight seal with the lens cap.

spraynpray

I'd send it to the Nikon repair centre and let them worry about it. They should fix it for free...

Ironheart

Are you turning it the right way? The rear lens cap is a left-hand thread, which means clockwise to loosen.

heartyfisher

You took a flight.. maybe the air pressure at the high attutudes was so low that air got squeezed out and when the plane landed it sealed the low pressure inside the lense ..

I would say send it back to nikon and tell them what you think happened..
or if you want to try to fix it maybe drill a small hole in the side of the plastic lense cap to let the air in to equalize the pressure..

spraynpray

Great OTB thinking hearty! =D>

Ironheart

I was thinking that a tiny hole drilled in the middle of the cap would relieve the pressure as well, and you can cover it with a piece of gaffers tape to prevent dust from entering. I generally shy away from telling folks to use a drill on their camera
Another solution would be to return the camera to altitude, and see if the cap removes more easily. If you have plane flight planned, that would work. Alternatively, since airplane cabins are pressurized to 1800–2400 m (6000–8000 feet) above sea level, you would just need to ascend a mountain or plateau that is near or at the lower limit and try removing the cap there.

BabaGanoush

"You took a flight.. maybe the air pressure at the high attutudes was so low that air got squeezed out and when the plane landed it sealed the low pressure inside the lense .. "

I don't think that's the way the physics would work in this instance, but in any case I had three lenses for another camera in the same carry-on bag and they, along with the other camera, are fine now that I'm back home on the ground.

"I was thinking that a tiny hole drilled in the middle of the cap would relieve the pressure as well, and you can cover it with a piece of gaffers tape to prevent dust from entering."

I was thinking about this too, but I don't know if I have a delicate enough touch to do it without creating more damage. It's a possibility, though. Drill, baby, drill! Yet another possibility is to soak the back end of the lens in warm water, pointing down, to see if I can get the metal mount to expand enough to release the plastic cap.

Ironheart

The plastic will expand faster than the metal, and that's what you want anyway. I'd try soaking the back lens cap in a tray with some very warm water. Or pour very warm water over just the cap. It might expand just enough to unscrew (clockwise!!). Also I think hearty is right about the physics. You would have a vacuum in the lens from altitude. Either that or you have some sand or grit in the threads.

heartyfisher

I wouldnt drill in the middle of the lens cap !!! A slip and you damage the lense element! I would go in from the side... and also i wont put warm water on it... just a heater blowing warm air would be good enough...like a hair dryer?

Ironheart

It's a waterproof lens :-)

heartyfisher

Not water proof when not mounted on camera. :-)

Ironheart

Well, apparently it's air-tight

heartyfisher

Not after you have poured hot water on it :-) to loosen the seal :-)

DaveyJ

Send it to Nikon!

BabaGanoush

The hairdryer treatment worked!!!!! It took just a few minutes and the lens cap came loose with a simple twist. The problem is just what I thought it was: there was a slight coating of silicone grease inside the base of the lens. Many thanks to heartyfisher for providing the solution!

heartyfisher

Yay ! NR forum helped ! reward us with a nice photo from the camera ! :-)