Nikkor-M 450 mm lens.

[Howard Barron]

I recently purchased a Nikkor-M 450mm lens that is missing the rear element. It is with a Copal 3 shutter and seems to be a popular lens for LF users. Can anyone assist me in finding a source for a rear element? It is a beautiful piece and I would love to have it complete. Thanks, Howard

[SAShruby]

To be honest with you, return the lens to seller and buy regular 450 on Ebay. Your chance to get rear element is honestly, very slim.

[Mark Sawyer]

Peter's right; your only hope would be finding someone who's dropped the lens face-down, and while it does happen, it's pretty rare. And even then, the rear element may not match the front element as nicely as the factory-matched one. One reason why people like to see matching serial numbers (on lenses that have them).

That said, if you can't return it, or if the seller takes it back and would like to sell just the front element, I might be interested in it for experimantal purposes. The 450-M is a Tessar, and Wollensak used to make Tessars with the front element set adjustible in spacing to get a diffussion effect. I'd like to try it with a 450-M, but don't want to risk my own...

[Howard Barron]

I appreciate your comments. I called Nikon Parts on the west coast and they told me to forward the lens to their New York facility where they would probably send it back to the factory for fitting a new rear element to it. I am awaiting a replay now. Its been 5 days.
I'll let you know the outcome.
Thanks.

[Gene McCluney]

I appreciate your comments. I called Nikon Parts on the west coast and they told me to forward the lens to their New York facility where they would probably send it back to the factory for fitting a new rear element to it. I am awaiting a replay now. Its been 5 days.
I'll let you know the outcome.
Thanks.

It will probably cost you more to go this route, than to find an excellent used lens of the same make and model.

[Songyun]

I recently purchased a Nikkor-M 450mm lens that is missing the rear element. It is with a Copal 3 shutter and seems to be a popular lens for LF users. Can anyone assist me in finding a source for a rear element? It is a beautiful piece and I would love to have it complete. Thanks, Howard
Find the guy who bought the rear element with another shutter. The seller knows nothing about lens.

[Pete Roody]

The Copal 3 shutter alone is worth $200-$300 used. You could sell the shutter and put the money towards the purchase of a used lens. Keep the front element as a replacement if you damage the other one.

[Songyun]

The Copal 3 shutter alone is worth $200-$300 used. You could sell the shutter and put the money towards the purchase of a used lens. Keep the front element as a replacement if you damage the other one.

I think the problem is that he paid much more than 300 on this lens.

[Howard Barron]

Nikon has quoted $179 to send the lens to the factory in Japan for repair. I really could not ask for more. It is a beautiful piece of work. Hopefully, it will be what I expect when it returns.