Nikon SMZ-U: How to clean Zoom Body

[SanFran77]

Hi,

I have cleaned all different parts of my Nikon SMZ-U by now and have opened all different assemblies. But the zoom body is something I could not figure out how to open as of yet, but both through the eyepieces as well as through both ports I am getting the same dirt artifacts - so, my guess is that the lenses within the zoom body must be the culprits. Does someone have an explanation as to how to take it apart for cleaning, or the original maintenance manual? Thank you!

[Scarodactyl]

You have to pull the rubber caps off the knobs, loosen the set screw this reveals, removd the knobs and then you can remove the bolts holding the shell on. The shell is split down the middle and each half can be slipped off with the knobs and bolts removed.
The zoom body has teo independent light paths with no crossover, so if you are seeing the same spots in both eyepieces they shouldn't be in the zoom body. Typically the symptoms of dirty lenses in there are just lowered contrast/general haze.

[SanFran77]

Thank you so much!