Tele Elmarit 90mm cleaning / dismantle ??

[thetooth]

I just purchased a tele elmarit 90mm from ebay and i need to remove the front element to clean behind it . looks like there are two distinct fingerprints behind the glass . i have so far removed the retainer ring and it seems like this element is glued into place , there is a black felt ring that the retaining ring rest on around the outsise of the front element .

any help in this matter is greatly appriciated . so far i have not noticed a effect on picture quality , i would just like to see if i can clean it up a little better .

thanks

 

[sepiareverb]

A braver one than I- even in the deepest throes of dick-around-itis I wouldn't take apart a lens. I was told by a repairman I trust highly that a surprising amount of dust can sit inside a lens before there is any noticable effect. I had an Nikon 105/2.5 that had a big honking black speck of something in there- big. He suggested I shoot it looking at a lightbox, run it at several f-stops and at several distances. His guess was that it woulldn't show up at all even at f22- and he was right. Not to dampen your enthusiasm... I'm just not the type to get things like this right. The last complex thing I opened up was an iBook and I just about ruined it.

 

[thetooth]

this would not be the first lens i have dismantled . rangefinder lens are some of the easiest to take apart . the first couple i did i went to a local flea market and bought a few lenses for a couple dollars a piece . as long as you know your limits and have the proper tools you should be alright ( and it helps to do practice surgery on junk lenses )

thanks

 

[sepiareverb]

Maybe this is why I've been saving that Agfa Ambi-Silette with the cracked rangefinder window...

 

[Kim Coxon]

Once the outer ring is removed, you will find a "card" retainer behind it. Remove that and then the element will be free. However, Loke many Leica lenses, it is a tight fit and you may need to dislodge it by taping against a semi hard surface. I use a clean white cloth on a mouse mat. I will shortly be full instructions on a complete re-lube on my website.

Kim

Kim

 

[thetooth]

thank you kim . i will try this .

thanks

 

[Ben Z]

What Kim said, plus: if there's a fingerprint behind the front element it's a good bet someone else with suspect competence had the lens apart already. Could that person have glued the element in place? Stranger things have happened. Good luck with your DIY, hope the lens is sharp and focuses right.

 

[thetooth]

lens takes great photos . i have decided not to mess with this one . DAG said they would clean it for around $40.00 . if it ain't broke don't fix it . thank you all for your help .

thanks

 

[mkl]

I will shortly be full instructions on a complete re-lube on my website.

Kim

Kim

Great! Mine has a slightly "loose" aperture ring, but I don't know how to fix this...