Summitar 5cm f2

[raydm6]

Besides the legacy lens designers (Berek, Mandler, et. al.), I am awed by the precision German machinists of the day on the lenses, bodies, and accessories (even the early binoculars and microscopes). Exquisite machining. Unsung heroes in my book. I could imagine the apprenticeship involved in becoming a Letiz machinist.

Interesting factoid in this post:

OT: Video - Building a 1928 Steam Locomotive by hand

Excellent 15 minute video. Lots of casting & machining. Hope this is not a duplicate post. BangShift.com Locomotive

www.practicalmachinist.com

 

[jesse1dog]

In GB the go-to is Skyllaney. They did my collapsible 'cron this summer and it came back in beautiful shape.

Looked at the Skyllaney site - thank you for directing me there. I knew CLA prices weren't cheap but I hadn't expected them to be that high. Needs thinking about and the advice to try the lens first is right and obvious. Cosmetically the lens is more than pretty good and the front element appears remarkably free of scratches etc.

 

[Coldkennels]

Looked at the Skyllaney site - thank you for directing me there. I knew CLA prices weren't cheap but I hadn't expected them to be that high. Needs thinking about and the advice to try the lens first is right and obvious. Cosmetically the lens is more than pretty good and the front element appears remarkably free of scratches etc.

They do a complete overhaul of the lens, so the prices are worth it when you consider the amount of work that they do.

My Summicron was cleaned out optically and mechanically, with the focusing helical and the aperture mechanism both relubricated with modern synthetic lubricants. Until I sent it off, it had sat on a shelf for at least two or three years; not only was it hazing up, but the focus and aperture were more or less seized solid. In cold weather, you couldn't adjust the aperture without accidentally collapsing the lens, and it would often unscrew rather than actually focus. They also calibrated it to accurate focus across the whole focusing range at f/2.

It's like a brand new lens now!