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Marco
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:10 pm: | 
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This is how I would describe the opacity of an otherwise beautiful 1930's 2/85 Contax lens I intend to use with my Kiev 4a.
Is this a condition I'll have to live with or is it possible that some particular lens cleaning effort may improve it? Also, would it be less inconvenient when shooting B&W? Many thanks for any comments. |
Marco
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:36 pm: |
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Well, maybe "cloudy" is another possible description of the problem (just made a search for this word in the Forum). Doesn't look as if it were some deposit or layer to be wiped off. More like it is inside the glass - hope not, but that's what it looks like. |
rick
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 15, 2005 - 09:46 pm: |
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I don't think I've seen this very much in Zeiss lenses but I've seen it in Schneiders of that era. In these, it was something like an oxidation coating on the surfaces of the glass, and it could be wiped away with firm pressure on a soft cloth without causing scratches. It did require disassembly to get to the inner surfaces.
It could also be cloudiness in the cement between elements, in which case there is no easy fix. I've seen some of that too. |
Mark Pearce
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 16, 2005 - 05:33 am: |
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This lens will come apart like a Jupiter 9. Go to http://www3.telus.net/public/kaylalyn/index.html for lots of Kiev data, including a strip-down of a J9. If it's just normal fog/crud you can clean it out.
Or you could send your lens to Henry Scherer (http://www.zeisscamera.com/). He did a great job on my wartime 8.5cm Sonnar.
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Marco
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, September 17, 2005 - 09:09 am: |
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Many many thanks, Rick and Mark for comments and implicit encouragement... I'll brave a visit inside and, whilst in there, shall do some glass cleaning and appreciate better the nature and extent of the problem. It is an uncoated prewar 8,5 cm Jena lens, made around 1937 - this may be its first lube job in nearly 70 years!
Absolutely great The Kiew Survival Site - disassembly will take place beside the keyboard and facing the screen... |
