Rigid Summicron : who has an extra front element?

[raid]

I got a not-so-nice-looking Rigid Summicron. I need a replacement front element. DAG has a rear element but no front element.

 

[raid]

After 108 "views" and 0 feedback, it seems that people take good care of their Rigid Summicrons, if they own such a lens. My best bet is Don Goldberg to clean the lens and to replace a rear element if needed. I wonder if a front element from another lens would fit the Cron or not.

 

[btgc]

How bad is yours? Internet is abundant with exaggerated demos how little effect on image has damage of front element (compared to visual appearance). There's no free ride of course, it's just question under which conditions defect impacts image and how much. Sure it's nice to have fine looking glass instead of sandpaper cleaned or fungus etched one.

 

[pixelated]

If only the coating is affected Focal Point may be able to re-coat it. Not cheap, but it may be easier than finding a good front element.

 

[raid]

I will receive this lens soon. It is in the mail to me from Canada.

The seller was very clear about the lens being messed up and that it results in soft focus. He is a user of first class lenses, but he also had this lens. I took the chances to have the lens restored. If I fail getting the lens into a much better shape, I will still have a softfocus Summicron for $100. Don told me that he can clean the lens up and he has rear glass elements but no front glass for the Summicron, if needed.

 

[raid]

If only the coating is affected Focal Point may be able to re-coat it. Not cheap, but it may be easier than finding a good front element.

I have a mintish Rigid Summicron, so this second Cron is just a fun lens to me. I enjoy trying to bring new life to a lens (with others having the skills to do the improvement).

 

[astro8]

I wonder if a front element from another lens would fit the Cron or not.

You think they would but I recall Brian attempting to swap over a rigid summicron front element but it was slightly too large. Some are a very tight fit. It became stuck and he chipped it getting it back out.

I suppose it would just be a matter of taking a few thou off the diameter with wet and dry or emery paper, if one were careful.

 

[rodt16s]

Check with Malcolm Taylor, if memory serves he did have some replacement lenses made not 100% sure if it was for the rigid or collapsible though.

 

[Vickko]

um, seems to me that the lens elements were matched to the group. Adding a replacement element might work, but might not be up to Wetzlar's QA standard. The curvature is probably correct, but thickness might not be, and this would affect the focus point.

It would be a "fun (= frustrating?)" experiment.

Good luck.

 

[raid]

Thanks for the tips. I will also check with Brian on it. He may have some ideas on what could be done and what is a waste of time and money here.

 

[Ronald M]

Focus mounts were matched to the exact focal length of the lens cell. That was the purpose of the small numbers at the end of the focus scale.

Changing might or might not work, might require some fancy shimming of the lens cell internals which may or may not be possible.

More than likely it will work perfectly well stopped down some.

 

[f16sunshine]

Hi Raid

I think John @ Focal Point in Colorado has the best chance of repairing your lens.
He is very well tooled up. When the lens arrives, send him a photograph showing the issue as clearly as possible and then call him.
That shop is a pleasure to work with.

Cheers!

 

[raid]

I will know more about this lens once I get it in the mail. It is already on the way to me. Cost is of course a factor here. If a clean Rigid Summicron can be bought for $500-$700, then spending $400 to repair a bad looking $100 Summicron may not be the best way to go.

 

[kermaier]

I will know more about this lens once I get it in the mail. It is already on the way to me. Cost is of course a factor here. If a clean Rigid Summicron can be bought for $500-$700, then spending $400 to repair a bad looking $100 Summicron may not be the best way to go.

FYI, a couple of months ago, John Van Stelten (at FocalPoint) quoted me $250 to re-coat the front element of a rigid 'cron.
::Ari

 

[raid]

This is helpful to know, Ari. If Don tells me that it is only the front element that is in need of replacement, I could then contact John Van Stelten to see if he sells me a front element.

 

[rulnacco]

I'd second the recommendation to look up Malcolm Taylor and give him a call. (He's *real* old fashioned--he doesn't do e-mail. And he is in the UK.)

I had a scabby old Rigid a while back which he cleaned the haze out of and fixed the aperture. The front element wasn't *too* bad, but had enough scratches that I was a little concerned about it (although, honestly, I didn't see any obvious effect on the photos). Malcolm said he could re-coat the front element, but he also told me that he had some brand-new hard-coated front elements that he could swap out for mine, if I wanted it. (They weren't exactly cheap.) As I traded in the lens on a Version IV a bit later, I never had the operation done.

 

[kermaier]

This is helpful to know, Ari. If Don tells me that it is only the front element that is in need of replacement, I could then contact John Van Stelten to see if he sells me a front element.

John is unlikely to have a spare glass element to sell. He just has the equipment to strip the damaged coating and recoat.

 

[raid]

John Van Stelten has done such a job for $200, which included cleaning and recoating. How costly is such a repair with Malcolm Taylor?