Summicron front cell removal?

[denishr]

Phototone recently posted his experience with Summicron front cell repolishing and recoating, so I thought I'd try the same...

One thing before I get at it 🙂

How is the front cell removed? Use spanner wrench to unscrew the front name ring, and that's it, or is there something else?

I need to send just the glass (front cell)...

Thanks in advance,

Denis

PS: here's how mine looks - the damage is not very visible in this photo...

 

[phototone]

Use a lens spanner wrench to remove the front ring. The front cell will then lift out. I use one of those suction cup devices available from Micro-Tools to lift out the front cell. There is a gasket on top of the cell, and one below it. If you don't have a suction device, you can use a piece of adhesive tape....press middle of piece of tape on cell, lift out.

I would suggest wrapping the cell in cotton and putting into a hard plastic filter case to protect it from breakage, then wrap the whole filter case in bubble wrap, or foam rubber and put into a much large shipping box.

The whole front block will unscrew from the lens barrel also, which gives access to the aperture blades. Stiffness in the aperture ring is caused by dried grease under it. With the front block removed, you can remove the two screws holding on the aperture ring, remove it, and clean the inside of it, and the mating surface on the lens barrel, re-apply some fresh grease (just a tiny amount), reassemble and you now have a very nicely operating aperture ring.

Phototone

 

[denishr]

Thanks for the info, Phototone...

I'll follow your instructions.

Denis

 

[denishr]

Done!

... and already shipped to Ukraine... 🙂

Denis

 

[phototone]

FWIW, Gevorg at Arax told me that it didn't matter the size of the front lens cell, as far as the polish and recoating service. It could be even larger than the 50mm Summicron, of course it could also be a big cell from a SLR lens.

My 50mm Summicron LTM now appears to be one of my sharpest lenses, now that I had the front cell polished & re-coated (multicoated). I have not scanned any negs yet, just looked at the processed film with a loupe.

Gevorg at Arax may be the ONLY place where you can get the glass "multi-coated". I believe the service offered in the USA is only single coating. I think this "multi-coating" makes a difference in flare control, particularly on the front lens surface.

I suspect this lens polishing and coating service is done in the same optical plant that produces the lenses for the Arsenal made Kiev cameras.

Gene McCluney (Phototone)