Cleaning a Hazy 35mm Summaron

[ZorkiKat]

My 35mm Summaron has become hazy. Close examination suggests that the haze could be on the lens surfaces on either side of the diaphragm. How is this lens taken apart- well not fully- just enough to access those surfaces in question.

BTW- the 'haze' looks like tiny droplets of mist.

Jay

 

[dadsm3]

"Droplets" suggest fungus, not the consistent creamy "haze" most people allude to.
Haze is usually cleanable by a pro, except when in between inseparable lens groups, often it doesn't affect the negs that much and people just live with it...fungus is a lot tougher, there's usually some coating damage under the 'droplets'. Isn't there someplace in the midwest US that'll recoat elements? If I remember correctly it's pretty pricey though....a used Summaron might be cheaper.

 

[Kim Coxon]

I am not so sure about the droplets being fungus. I suspect it is more likely to be a sublimation of the lubricants. Either way, you need to be very careful. The glass and coatings are very soft and you can easily make matters much worse. Ideally you need to use a "chemical" to clean them.

Kim

 

[ZorkiKat]

The haze certainly doesn't look like fungus. I've looked at the Summaron through a 6X loupe and the haze up close looks like fine droplets. I've had this sort of hazing with my Industars, and in all cases the lenses cleared with just a wipe with alcohol/ammonia.

Thanks Kim for the tips- would you know which of the rings to turn to access these central surfaces?
Jay

 

[Jerevan]

For the record, the man who cleans lenses and recoats them is John van Stelten at http://www.focalpointlens.com/. I've no experience, but several sources says he does a good job.

 

[Ronald M]

The internal coating are very soft and the softest anything will scratch. They need ultrasonic cleaning or some other nonabrasive method.

DAG Camera repair Est by me is $75. Don`t screw it up.

 

[Kim Coxon]

I am quite happy working on $15 FSU lenses and even brave enough to pull apart some of the more expensive FSU glass such as J9's, the odd J3, J12's and Orions but Leica lenses? 😱 Definately not brave enough for that. 😉

Kim

Thanks Kim for the tips- would you know which of the rings to turn to access these central surfaces?
Jay

 

[Andrew3511]

Unfortunately the Summaron requires peening on a lathe to separate the lens elements, according to CRR Luton, one of the best-known UK Leica repairers. I have an M-mount Summaron 2.8 with balsam separation on the rear doublet but it is not economic to repair. Fortunately it doesn't affect the image quality unlike haze

 

[35mmdelux]

recoating costs several hundred $ in the US. There is a guy in the ukraine that does it for $20 - unfortunately his name evades me.

 

[edodo]

I did recoated the front lens of my rolleicord III from them. Actually the shipping costed more than the job, wich was nicely done. It's Arax photo.

 

[Kim Coxon]

The lens element only needs to be separated from the mount ring if the lens is to be recoated. A balsam repair may also need this. However, there is no need to separate the element from the front mount ring for an internal clean.

Kim

Unfortunately the Summaron requires peening on a lathe to separate the lens elements, according to CRR Luton, one of the best-known UK Leica repairers. I have an M-mount Summaron 2.8 with balsam separation on the rear doublet but it is not economic to repair. Fortunately it doesn't affect the image quality unlike haze

 

[ZorkiKat]

I am quite happy working on $15 FSU lenses and even brave enough to pull apart some of the more expensive FSU glass such as J9's, the odd J3, J12's and Orions but Leica lenses? 😱 Definately not brave enough for that. 😉

Kim

Thomas Tomosy's "Leica Repair Book" makes it sound sooooo easy. 🙄 His instructions are often incomplete and lack specific details. The Summaron 35 is listed in the Bayonet Mount Lenses chapter; shown is the version with "goggles". There are even pictures with the lens (and other Leitz glass) totally dismantled. Scary stuff. Just like looking at pictures of an autopsy 😀

The only Leitz lenses I've tampered with are Elmars- the LTM Elmar 90 and 50/2,8...haven't damaged them at all. 😀

Jay