Bubblelitis inside Planar. Anyone experienced before ?

[hanskerensky]

I have a Zeiss Planar 3.5 75mm lens on a Rolleiflex 3.5C which has these strange bubbles inside (I call it bubblelitis). Focal point is ok but the image it forms is terrible. Lens is useless now.

Seen fungus before in lenses but not shaped like this one.

Has anybody experienced something like this before ?



Rolleiflex 3.5C Planar (01) by Hans Kerensky, on Flickr

 

[f16sunshine]

Looks like balsam failure between a bonded pair from the image.

 

[sreed2006]

The diagram for this lens is on this blog page (scroll down a ways): http://dobleobjetivo.blogspot.com/2009/10/rollei-tlr-6x6-lenses.html

From your picture, I cannot tell if the distortion is within the glass or between elements. If it is between elements, then what it looks like to me is two elements are bonded with airplane glue or epoxy, or some other unsuitable substance. Sorry I cannot be of more help.

 

[hanskerensky]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts !

Some members on Flickr suggested that the damage could be caused by heat.
Maybe somebody tried to boil the lens or put it in an oven ? That could also explain why the lens name ring looks so terrible.

Well, luckily I still have a Xenotar 3.5/75 lying around, will use that instead of this Planar.

 

[p.giannakis]

Maybe somebody tried to boil the lens or put it in an oven ?

Why? They couldn't fit it in the toaster...

 

[coogee]

Maybe a failed attempt to deal with element separation?

 

[hanskerensky]

Why? They couldn't fit it in the toaster...

LOL, yes maybe 🙂

 

[hanskerensky]

Maybe a failed attempt to deal with element separation?

No, investigated a little further and its between the first and second front element. These are not kitted together so separation is out of the question. Guess heat is the most viable cause at the moment.