Swapped out a helicoid grease on a vintage lens and it felt like butter vs the old stuff

Had a beat up 50mm f1.4 from the 70s that was stiff as a board. Couldn't decide between using the thick helicoid grease I always use or trying a lighter lithium grease everyone online was raving about. Went with the lighter grease and man what a difference. Focus ring spins smooth but still has some resistance, not all loose and sloppy. Only issue is it might not hold up as long in the cold so I'm curious what you all use for older lenses that see regular use.

2 comments

2 Comments

hugoj861mo ago

I gotta push back on this. You say "butter" but I think that's exactly the problem. I've been burned by light grease on old lenses more than once. Sure it feels great for a few months but come winter that stuff gets too thin and the ring starts drifting if you point the lens down. That smooth feeling fools you into thinking it's better when really the old thick grease was doing its job. The original stuff was probably stiff from age not from bad design. I'd rather have a lens that's a little tough to turn but holds its position than one that's smooth but has slop in it. You might be fine now but give it a year and see if you still feel the same way.

jade321mo ago

Totally agree with you on this, that stiff grease has saved me from a drifting focus ring more than once.