50mm f2 Summicron issues...

[Ken V]

Hi all...
I've got a Summicron (early 50's vintage) that I've just found has a couple of little 'dots' in it. These 'dots' upon closer inspection are inside the lens, close to the rear element / groups. Upon close inspection with a loupe, they look like tiny clovers leaves. They're really tiny, like a point from a ball point pen. I don't think they are fungus - aren't spiderweb-like, nor are they any color per se, just kind of odd little things. I know it's near impossible to say what it is without looking at it - can't get a picture of it - but wondering if anyone has ever seen this on a summicron before. I'm planning on sending out to be cla'd, but just wondering if anyone had any thoughts. I had considered decementing, but they are just two little dots, kind of in the center, separated evenly from themselves. I'm currently shooting a roll of film, as I haven't noticed anything before, but just checking before it goes out to the shop...

Any thoughts are appreciated (I'm trying to prepare myself for bad news)... 🙁

Thanks,
Ken

 

[raid]

Ken: The Minolta Rokkor 28mm/2.8 is known to display many such dots. I have never before heard about such spots in a Summicron. A good CLA may get rid of them though. Good luck.

Raid

 

[Gman]

Where are you planning to send the lens for a cla? You might want to consider John Van Stelton- Focal Point repairs is his company in Colorado. He does some serious lens cleaning and/or repair and sometimes even has replacement elements in stock if the lens can't be cleaned. He was able to replace the front element on an old Rollei TLR that I scratched and could not be repaired.


jeff

 

[ffttklackdedeng]

Sounds like paint particles (which came off the barrel internal painting) to me. If so: no big deal and will disappear after CLA. You could try to make a picture for us to ease guessing?

Aah, yes: welcome!

 

[x-ray]

Sounds like paint particles (which came off the barrel internal painting) to me. If so: no big deal and will disappear after CLA. You could try to make a picture for us to ease guessing?

Aah, yes: welcome!

My guess too. I've seen fairly large flakes of internal paint in Zeiss / Hasselblad lenses over the years. If it is the case then no big deal.

 

[former member]

I've also seen this in the Canada Balsam used to cement elements together. Almost like a crystal forming in it. They are more likely to bother you by just looking at them directly rather than cause any degrade of the pictures taken with the lens.

Internal Haze and Fogging is much worse on the quality of the images, buit is easier to get rid of with a CLA.

Wait until you get the roll back to see if a CLA is in order.

Do you have the Rigid Summicron or the Collapsible Summicron?

I posted the following thread on Flickr for the Type I disassembly.

http://flickr.com/groups/summicron50mm/discuss/72157594357063744/

 

[Ken V]

Thanks all for the replies...

Jeff, think I'm going to send it out to Sherry Krauter. Had a previous experience with John that wasn't great. Don't want to disparage anyone - things can't always be perfect - I suppose I had the unlucky number. Folks posting to the LHSA site speak well of Sherry...

Robert - thanks for the welcome 😉 - yes, a newbie to the forum, but a lurker for a long time. Definitely not paint - it's on the glass. I have a 50mm f1.5 CZ that did the paint flake (and continues too) - not the same...

Brian, I think you may have hit it - which is what I'm afraid of. 🙁 If I could get a shot, I'd post, but no luck. Otherwise the lens is fog and haze free. It is a rigid version - thanks for the flikr urll though - I can be a bit of a nut with a screwdriver. 😉 But not this time.

Suppose I'll finish off this roll of film (Ilford HP5 - mmmmm, grain) and see where I land. With any luck I can bypass the cla and shoot till I can't. (A little Yogi Bera-ish, no?)

k

 

[rpsawin]

Thanks all for the replies...

Jeff, think I'm going to send it out to Sherry Krauter. Had a previous experience with John that wasn't great. Don't want to disparage anyone - things can't always be perfect - I suppose I had the unlucky number. Folks posting to the LHSA site speak well of Sherry...
k

Good choice. Sherry repaired my 50mm Summi and did an outstanding job.

Bob

 

[kinoglass]

It sounds like element separation, the old Canadian balm coming apart. The paterns are also described as "jellyfish". Depending on the location they can affect little or a lot the formation of the final image. It can be repaired by decementing the two lenses, cleanning and re-cementing. Old coating can be damaged and the optical transmission of the new cement and its thickeness will affect the performace of the rebuild lens. If you're a Leica purist and have the means, send it to Leica. Otherwise buy another lens.