Failed aperture blades on new Nikon lens

Reader Murray O reports:

The other day I was reading an entry of yours about Canon and Nikon QC and its message came to life when I picked up a brand new Nikkor 24/1.4. When I mounted the lens on my D700, the viewfinder was inexplicably dim, and the camera could not focus or do anything else for that matter. When I unmounted the lens and heard a metallic clanging, I peered inside (forgive the poor focus on my point-and-shoot).

This is what leaves the Nikon factory these days, inspected and approved for sale at $2,000. I no longer feel so guilty about the cash I spent on second-hand Leica lenses.

DIGLLOYD: I’ve never had such a problem, but the aperture blades on my Leica 50mm f/0.95 Noctilux-M ASPH did seize up on me once. But looks like the lens here is screwed, or perhaps unscrewed!