Nokton 40 f/1,4 unclean inside!!

U

unsharp

Established
Local time
7:03 PM
Joined
Mar 7, 2005
Messages
120
What the f...

I was looking at my camera on my desk and noticed something I thought was dirt under the lens filter. I removed the filter and then the lens, and the dirt is inside the lens!! Inside the brand new lens!!!

I just got this lens with a R3A from a RFF member and the gear was basicaly not used, he said. Purchased from S.gandy Dec -04. I have no reason to doubt that, and the dirt may have been on the insice of the barrel and have now loosened and fallen into the lens. Any manufacturer would have seen this dirt on the lens if it was there in the final inspection.

What to do? I just know what the local dealer will say: Told you so, you should have bought from me (at 150% higher price). Send back to US? With the Nokton out of stock and the photo season comming? I still have the first roll in it.

Talk about having the weekend destroyed. AAAARGH.

I am fairly mechanically skilled. Can I open the lens myself?

Anders
 
If I were you, I would shoot a roll of film and have it developed before doing anything at all - my guess is you won´t see it in the pictures.

I know I would not like to take a new lens apart - It is annoying to notice things like this, but it does not neccesarily mean that you have a non working lens.

shoot,then develop a roll.....then decide how bad it is.


Cheers,

Meakin
 
don't worry, it won't affect the image. well, maybe one iota, but one iota is very nearly nothing.
 
It's not going to affect the image. You would not believe the damage to some of the old lenses that I use that give good results. Heavy haze in a lens is a problem. A little dirt, dust, bubbles-in-glass, cleaning marks, etc, Is not going to make a difference that can be resolved on film. Any misalignment caused by re-assembling the lens will be far worse than the little piece of dirt.

Shoot a roll.
 
OK, friends, you may have calmed me a bit. Thanks.

I will change to a color film and have it processed it tomorrow. The dirt is quite big and looks like a chip of paint or something like that. Lets see the results.


It's friday and I will have a beer later. At midnight and ten beers later I am calling Mr. Cosina-san, if the swedish phone company can connect me...

Still and regardless of outcome I cant help feeling disapointed. Is this known to happen in lenses of todays production standard?
 
This lens is still under warranty, Anders. Since we are a pretty congenial group here, perhaps the RFF member from whom you purchased the lens would agree to receive the lens from you & forward it on to Stephen Gandy for warranty service. The warranty should be in effect under his name as the original purchaser.

Good luck.
 
Huck Finn said:
This lens is still under warranty, Anders. Since we are a pretty congenial group here, perhaps the RFF member from whom you purchased the lens would agree to receive the lens from you & forward it on to Stephen Gandy for warranty service. The warranty should be in effect under his name as the original purchaser.
Good luck.
Click to expand...

This seems to me beeing the best advice of all. Warranty is still valid, no matter who owns the lens ! So you best send it back to Stephen, best you call him before and tell him who purchased the lens first ! Where is the problem ? Calm down and have some healing beers ! ;)

Best,
Bertram
 
Thanks for the correction, Bertram. I wasn't sure if Cameraquest would honor a warranty on a product that had been re-sold. Some companies will not.
 
Anders, it happens more than you think. I bought a current Leica Summicron 50mm/f2 that was a couple of months old from a dealer in Germany. That lens had a massive hair stuck to one of the internal elements! :(
 
I've got sizeable bubbles in the glass of my 1959 Jupiter 9 and they aren't noticeable at all in the prints, so I doubt the dust will have an affect. I'll admit it's a little annoying, though, to know that it's there!
 
I have the Nokton as well and there's a little piece of something on one of the elements. It's aggravating to know that it's there on some level, but I will never see any negative effects from it so I don't dwell on it.
 
The bubbles I can understand and I have a couple in my Jupiter-11. But dirt and hairs in modern lenses? That's just sloppy manufacturing and non-existent quality control. Sorry.
 
I, too, have a little something (very little, like 0,2x0,5mm) stuck almost in the middle on the inside of the front element of my brand new 50/1.5. It's irritating to the mind, but has no effect on images, which are fantastic. This is very common, have had them inside my previous Nikon and Canon lenses, too. Just shoot, Anders... öl också, men ta det lungt...
 
this is why certain tribes of native americans won't make good lens manufacturers. they'd introduce one flaw on purpose!
 
I should clarify, I don't find my Jupiter bubbles bothersome, but I would find it annoying if there was dust in a brand new lens.
 
Thanks for the support all! And you where right, it did not show on the print. :p As i described to the photo clerk not to scrap my f/1,4 wall/floor shots in the process, and why I had taken them, I realized why the dirt would most likely not show on the print:

In addition to beeing small (1mm) it is far, far nearer than the Nocton, or any lens, can focus since it is inside. So the lens simply can not render that piece of s..t sharp enough to show it on a print! The same goes for hairs, bubbles etc. Thats my idea anyway.

I found this info:

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Ai8p

The story never tells if the lens worked and focused properly (test roll) afterwards, but it is tempting to open the lens for a cleaning. A rainy day...

Soo, I guess Mr. Cosina-san can sleep tonight. But I'm still having that beer :D

Adding a picture from the same roll, taken with my Leica CM in Ljubljana. It is not a rangefinder but I will spare you the floor shots with my R3A. At least I have now made a picture post!



Skål, Anders
 
Anders, your interesting shot shows lots of texture and detail, and I think for the purposes of our forum here, the CM can be considered an honorary rangefinder... along with so many other "direct view" cameras! :)
 
Anders, I guess you read already the photo.net thread about a defective Nokton.

Now... I got a used 'cron 90/2. A glorious lens, mind you, but if you looked at the front element you'd faint: there's what seems a little separation, and some fairly noticeable internal dust. However, it's not seen anywhere! Check my avatar in case you doubt and show me the dust there...

So, sleep well, let Mr. Cosina-san do likewise and keep shooting with that glass.

BTW, I like your shot with the CM! :D
 
i've had to whack many a lens against my palm to dislodge paint flecks that were lodged on the inner elements. always worked and even though it never affected image quality it made me feel better!
 
It is strange. The dirt does not cause any harm to the images. Yet, what is the first thing I do when I grab my camera in a new day? - I look to see if it is still there off course!! I might come to like it eventually. Maybe it is like the spot on Cindy Craafords upper lip: soon everyone wants it. :cool:

I feel I must also declare this:

To all and Gerold, if you have followed this thread; The lens was clean when you shiped it to me. No shade over your alpic sunny day and spotless RFF reputation!

So, I'm of to pick up my girlfriend at the airport. She's back from a 2 week holliday with a friend. I am wondering, should I take the R3A with me? She does not know yet, you see. I dont want to darken the moment; HAVE YOU BOUGHT A NEW CAMERA AGAIN?? But then again, she has a hard time telling them apart. Maybe she wont notice. Yes. Thats it. Here we go.

Anders
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom