Help me diagnose this focus/sharpness problem

[sooner]

I bought a Zeiss Ikon folder online recently and thought it seemed in terrific shape...until the pictures came back. None of the shots is in focus, and all have this weird soft focussy gel filter effect going. I can't tell what's going on. There's no obvious haze on the lens. Can someone help me diagnose this? Thanks.

 

[Erik van Straten]

It looks like one of the elements of the lens is missing. Maybe borrowed to fix another lens.

Erik.

 

[Darthfeeble]

That or installed backwards, I did that on a cleaning job of a Canon 100 LTM and the results looked just like this.

 

[sooner]

Thanks for the input. I'll check the lens again but hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.

 

[Muggins]

If you search my posts, I had a similar - though less dramatic - effect which turned out to be a reversed rear element. Someone posted links to lens diagrams, which should help you at least tell if the front or rear elements are back-to-front.

I wonder - could someone simply have reassembled it and not got the focus anywhere near right?

 

[Luke_Miller]

I wonder - could someone simply have reassembled it and not got the focus anywhere near right?

I experienced something similar with an old Kodak folder. I had it serviced and the rotating element for focusing was re-installed one turn too far out.

 

[Muggins]

I experienced something similar with an old Kodak folder. I had it serviced and the rotating element for focusing was re-installed one turn too far out.

That's a good call - we don't know what might have been done to the camera, especially if it has been smartened up cosmetically. That's a very good call - sooner, if you need help checking the focus Ric Oleson has lots of articles (if you have the gear, the version with the SLR and telephoto lens works a dream), or ask here - more than one way to skin that particular cat.

 

[sooner]

Thanks, I'll take another look at the lens and see what I see.