Mablo
Well-known
Thanks FallisPhoto, very good information there. If you don't mind I'll copy your text and save it locally in my "Camera Repair" file folder for further use. I tried to clean my 521/16 lenses with lighter fluid first but it didn't work out very well. I could still see some haze there. I then tried with Zeiss cleaning fluid. It worked better but I had to use it quite liberally. I must admit I did use microfiber cloth. I won't do it again.
Well, all in all I'm happy with the outcome. My 521/16 Tessar lenses are now clean and clear. I took a test roll today and results are beyond my expectations. I got nice, sharp and contrasty images. What a joy!
Well, all in all I'm happy with the outcome. My 521/16 Tessar lenses are now clean and clear. I took a test roll today and results are beyond my expectations. I got nice, sharp and contrasty images. What a joy!
Mablo
Well-known
Both of my Ikontas are now in good shape and work nicely. The 520/16 on the right had a loose inner lens which took me some time to find out. Thanks for your help!
FallisPhoto
Veteran
The lighter fluid doesn't get everything, just oil and grease. You have to go over it again with distilled water afterward. In addition, lighter fluid, after a few years sitting on a shelf, becomes slightly alkaline and sometimes it reacts with the oil and grease to form a thin film of what is basically soap. Again, this comes off with distilled water.
I never use lens cleaning solutions. Most times I have no idea what is in them and some contain glycerine. Glycerine is used to make cleaning marks and scratches "disappear" (they're still there, but you can't see them); unfortunately, it also changes the optical properties of the glass.