Why does everyone skip checking the aperture ring before bench testing

Had a customer come in with a lens that wouldnt stop down on a Nikon F3. Took it apart, cleaned the blades, lubed the helicoid, everything. Put it back together and it still failed. Turns out the aperture ring was just set to f/2.8 the whole time. This happens maybe 3 times a month at my shop in Portland. Takes 5 seconds to check before you crack open a housing. I know we all get in a zone but seriously, verify the basics first. Anyone else losing time to this?

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hugo_jones26d ago

The same thing happens with my car. I spent a whole afternoon once thinking my alternator was dying because the battery light kept flickering. Turns out the gas cap was loose and the evap system was throwing a code. My buddy who does HVAC says he fixes more thermostats set to the wrong mode than actual broken units. The pattern is everywhere, people just assume the complicated stuff is broken before checking the dumb simple stuff. It is like our brains want the interesting fix instead of the boring one. Good reminder to always run through the two minute checklist before diving into the deep end.