Lens hazed??

[Imke]

Hi all,

I just got a 127mm Ektar off of ebay, and it looks like it's hazed.
Thing is, I've never seen a hazed lens.
Here's what I notice: when I look through the lens onto a light area, I see tiny dots, much smaller than dust particles, uniformly spread across what seems like all elements. Is that hazing?

Or: can somebody describe what hazing looks like?

And: can the lens be cleaned, or is it a goner (or go-back-er)??

Thanks for any and all thoughts,
Imke

 

[Dave Parker]

Imke,

It sounds like haze, but I would not give up on it, do a few test shots with it, you may find that it makes a great soft focus lens with a small bit of softening, that can add to certain types of pictures, simular to a fog in the Moss hang on the trees in the south, any lens is always worth trying out to see the effects you can achive with them.

Happy Holidays..

Dave

 

[MattCarey]

One question is how much did it cost you on eBay. These aren't really expensive lenses, so by the time you send it back the time, money and trouble may not be worth it.

If it is haze, it may not have made permanent damage yet. You can clean the elements (someone more knowledgable than I will be able to say how). If the haze is old, it can actually etch into the glass, then it is more permanent.

Matt

 

[Ole]

Haze is what you see if the lens looks "milky" when looking at a dark background. What you've got is specs, or maybe dust. Could also be fungus...

 

[big_ben_blue]

Sounds like the balsam used to cement the elements is getting old/failing; I have one or two old beaters like that (tiny little uniformly spread dots); I don't think it's fungus; if it's an "worthless" lens, you could try to seperate the elements and reglue them using optical adhesives - it's tricky business however and might be better done by someone like SKGrimes.

 

[eumenius]

That can be just a dirt - take a piece of hygroscopic cottonwool, unscrew the front element from shutter, moisten the lens by breathing on it, and try to carefully wipe those dots. Do the same with back element, that can be quite helpful.

 

[jonw]

Check closely with a magnifying glass. I have a Turner-Reich rear cell on my convertible lens and at first blush it looked like fungus or dots, but closer examination revealed that in fact the "dots" were small air bubbles....a "sign of quality glass" or at least that is one accepted theory. I think the "proof will be in the pudding" .....take some shots and see what it shows.

 

[ChuckP]

Have you unscrewed the front and back groups from the shutter to see if the problem is in only one side? If I remember correctly this is a Tessar type lens and the front is two separate elements and the back two cemented elements. You may have bad cement in the back elements. If both sides look bad try cleaning the exposed glass. If the problem is between the two front elements I would try and return it. You can also try and take it apart but once you do you probably won't be able to send it back.

 

[Imke]

Thanks for your thoughts, gentlemen, of course, after 5 more minutes of tinkering trying to get the lens off the board, I damaged the shutter, and now have a mysteriously hazed/speckled/grimey BROKEN lens which I can't return.
So, I am sending it to Carol Flutot for damage assessment, and guess I will give toy hunting on ebay a break for now.
Cheers,
Imke

 

[eumenius]

Thanks for your thoughts, gentlemen, of course, after 5 more minutes of tinkering trying to get the lens off the board, I damaged the shutter, and now have a mysteriously hazed/speckled/grimey BROKEN lens which I can't return.
So, I am sending it to Carol Flutot for damage assessment, and guess I will give toy hunting on ebay a break for now.
Cheers,
Imke

Hmmmm, a sad story... but why did you need to take the lens off the board? Both elements should unscrew from shutter quite easily. Eh. Broken shutters are not the best toys, today I've got two to fix - a pre-war Compur and Copal 1, both dead like stone.

 

[Imke]

Hmmmm, a sad story... but why did you need to take the lens off the board? Both elements should unscrew from shutter quite easily. Eh. Broken shutters are not the best toys, today I've got two to fix - a pre-war Compur and Copal 1, both dead like stone.

Well, actually, I damdaged the shutter trying to unscrew the lens from IT, not the lens board (wandering mind while typing syndrom..). The whole unit is really gunked up and nothing wants to give.
Oh well!