Cleaning inside an enlarging lens

brian steinberger · Jan 7, 2015

I just cleaned up my enlarger lenses last evening and noticed that my Schneider 100/5.6 has two very small spots with some haze around them on an inside element. It is right along the outer edges of the element, not in the middle. I'm assuming it's the start of fungus. I'd like to get it cleaned but fear I may mess something up as I've never take an optic apart before. I contacted KEH in Geogia and they can do the work but quoted me $130. The lens isn't even worth that much. My question is, can I do this myself? What equipment and cleaner would I need to open this lens up and clean that stuff off?

Or do you know any place that could do it cheaper?

Thanks

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 7, 2015

I wouldn't obsess over it. Just use your enlarger. I don't think it's going to effect the sharpness of your prints. I'm sure someone is going to tell me if I'm wrong.

brian steinberger · Jan 7, 2015

I'm just concerned that it's fungus. If so it will only get worse.

Mark Crabtree · Jan 7, 2015

I end up cleaning my Componons nearly every year; they seem prone to some sort of haze. Fungus is also a problem aggravated in my darkroom. I tend to keep most of my enlarging lenses (I have way too many) in our one air conditioned room in the summer months.

Anyway, the are easy. You'll usually need a spanner, but not always. A gripper is nice and sometimes enough if you only need to get to the surfaces either side of the diaphragm; I use pieces of bicycle inner tube for grippers. I use mostly microfiber clothes, but also some cleaning tissue. Your breath is likely the only cleaner you need. I do you ROR sometimes (see B&H, Adorma etc if it still exists), but once you start with it, you clean and clean to get get all the oily residue off that it releases.

The lenses varied over the years. Post a picture and one of us might have some thoughts on your particular lens. I've mostly switched to Nikkors, so my Componons tend to be older. I'd say with those, the biggest tip would be to have it sitting flat on a surface, face up, when you take the front group out; you may have a tiny ball exposed that makes the clicks for the aperture. The back can often just be unscrewed with a gripper or spanner. You can carefully get to the rear surface of the front group through the diaphragm, but I prefer to pull the front for easier access. I liked canned air for blowing dust off surfaces just prior to assembly, but be careful with it around the diaphragm.

Rick A · Jan 7, 2015

I wouldn't obsess over it, but I would also keep an eye out for a replacement. I think it would be more cost effective to replace than restore.

mmerig · Jan 7, 2015

I cleaned up a Schneider 150 mm Componon that was quite hazy inside using a water and ammonia solution, and the lens elements cleared up very well. I made spanner wrenches out of scraps of thin-gauged steel I had around, using a hacksaw and round file. The lens cost me $10 and the cleaning even less.

The enlargements I made before clean-up looked good, but I think it was worth cleaning it up, as the haze was extensive.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 7, 2015

+1

Rick A said:
I wouldn't obsess over it, but I would also keep an eye out for a replacement. I think it would be more cost effective to replace than restore.

Ebay always has enlarger lenses for a song. Hardly anybody use enlargers anymore which is sad, but good for analog photographers.

brian steinberger · Jan 7, 2015

Thanks guys for the responses. I will try to take a picture of the "issue" this evening and post.

gone · Jan 7, 2015

Set it outside in direct sun for a few days. Angle it to where the sun shines right into it. You'll have to readjust it as the sun moves. This will stop the fungus and keep it from spreading, if it is fungus. If it's only on the edges it will stay right there, and it will have zero effect on your prints. It could just be haze too. In any case, the UV from the sun will stop fungus from spreading.

tkamiya · Jan 7, 2015

I've done it few times with EL-Nikkor lenses. The hardest part for me is to unscrew the body so it can be taken apart. Some lenses take special spanner and some just require rubber stopper. I fashioned a crude tool to do mine but you may want to purchase a right tool for it.

Once it comes off, then I put a dot in middle of the lens with a magic marker before removing. This is so that I know which side is top. It's so easy to slip and fall, then you have no idea which side faces which. Most elements are not symmetrical. Take them apart and make sure to not lose shims and keep them in order. Clean them and put them back together exactly it came apart.

On all EL-Nikkors I cleaned, there was no ways to adjust anything. No ways to align or collimate elements. Put them back, hand-tighten and it's ready to go. I've never had any issues. They are all grain sharp on my enlargers.

brian steinberger · Jan 7, 2015

Guys, here's a pic of the problem. There are two areas. the circled area on the left shows it very well. The other one on the right looks the same, with a spot in the middle and a circle of haze around it.

Michael, the lens is the modern Schneider 100/5.6. I've had it close to 10 years. My problem (which I know now) was storing it in the darkroom. I won't do that again.

Mainecoonmaniac · Jan 7, 2015

Here's one on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Schneider-K...rger-lens-/181629876969?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0

tkamiya · Jan 7, 2015

If that were my lens, I'dl clean it myself. If I mess it up, there's plenty available. To me, they look like fungus. Besides, I don't want to see them living in my lens.

All the 4 and 6 element I've worked on, once I take the front off, it's really easy to get to each element. Some lens group come out as an assembly.

Mark Crabtree · Jan 7, 2015

tkamiya said:
If that were my lens, I'dl clean it myself. If I mess it up, there's plenty available. To me, they look like fungus. Besides, I don't want to see them living in my lens.

All the 4 and 6 element I've worked on, once I take the front off, it's really easy to get to each element. Some lens group come out as an assembly.

Yes, mine is older, but from the hint bit of a picture you provided, I believe the outer spanner notches will pull the front group. That picture sure isn't much to go on for offering disassembly advice, but if it is like my older one, you can pretty much just grab the rear cell and unscrew it; a gripper would help. Just out of curiosity I looked earlier today to see what I have. I found an earlier version of that lens, pulled the rear cell, cleaned both surfaces facing the diaphragm (working through the aperture for the front). Total time was 3 minutes from when I headed down in the basement to look, until I got back upstairs. I did stop to brush the cat before coming back up (she insisted).

It will take you longer than that, and I would normally take more time, but it really isn't that big a deal. Budget an hour and take your time. If you pull the front you do need to be more careful since you'll have the aperture mechanism exposed, and probably the little ball for the aperture detents. Just take your time and put things back the way they came out. It is almost certain you'll see some dust in there, this design seems to magnify it; I try to blow as much out as possible, but it isn't a problem.

I also can't tell from your picture where the stuff is, so you made need to pull one or both of the groups apart, but that is pretty simple to.

tkamiya · Jan 7, 2015

A wise mentor of mine said, "if you need to apply more force than firm "umph", then you are doing something wrong. Stop and re-evaluate what you are about to do.

Cleaning inside an enlarging lens

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