Rear element SUPER IKONTA 532/16

[anthonym3]

It appears that there is haze between the elements. Can the unit be disassembled?

 

[Romanko]

What is the lens/shutter combination on your camera?

 

[Dan Daniel]

If it's a Tessar, it is a cemented pair. If it is a triplet- Novar?- it is one piece, no center, so you have glass worms!

Have you removed the rear group from the shutter body yet to get a good look?

 

[anthonym3]

What is the lens/shutter combination on your camera?

80mm 2.8 OPTON TESSAR, SYNCHRO-COMPUR

 

[anthonym3]

If it's a Tessar, it is a cemented pair. If it is a triplet- Novar?- it is one piece, no center, so you have glass worms!

Have you removed the rear group from the shutter body yet to get a good look?

 

[anthonym3]

Yes I have. The haze is in the center edge to edge an hourglass shape. Is is possible to fit a replacement if I can find one? The rest of the camera is in excellent condition including the front glass.

 

[retina_restoration]

80mm 2.8 OPTON TESSAR, SYNCHRO-COMPUR

The rear group of a Tessar is a cemented pair, as Dan says. If there is some cloudiness in the cement layer, there's not much you can do to address it, short of sending it to an optical technician to have the pair unglued and re-cemented, which will be costly.
Sometimes the cement between the elements gets cloudy from many years of exposure to a cool, damp environment, and that pretty much ruins the lens.

 

[Romanko]

Is is possible to fit a replacement if I can find one?

You should be able to replace the rear element. The camera is not that rare. Many have stuck shutters and focusing ring but decent glass.

Most Tessars in 6x6 Zeiss folders are 75 mm while Opton is 80 mm. I am not sure if the rear elements are interchangeble (mechanically and optically). Make sure you get the right focal length and shutter model.

 

[Alex Varas]

It appears that there is haze between the elements. Can the unit be disassembled?

It just happened to me with same model same lens. I'm in the process of returning the camera to the seller.

 

[Dan Daniel]

Any idea what would happen if the hazy cemented pair was left in a low heat oven for a day or two? Sort of an annealing process, slowly heat up over four hours, heat for a day, then cool over four hours or such. If it's a balsam cement, would it flow out and maybe reset clean?

By the way, lens set were often matched individually at the factory. It's a reason that many have the end of the serial number engraved on the rear element edge. So swapping lenses can work but it might not be optimal.

 

[Alex Varas]

Well… I did with one prewar lens, as I read the best is to submerge the glass in a water container to avoid big increments of temperature inside the oven.
Heat the oven for (I can’t remember how long or temperature) and then cool it down. And repeat.
I had to do this twice before I was able to see a open spot on the lens and then acetone (xylene?) did the rest.

I glued back with Canadian balsam again and it looked fine to me, I made one test and photo was good but of course I had no way to check many things to check…

Surprisingly, Dan, this 10.5cm Opton Tessar has no serial number in the back (checked with two cameras) meanwhile the 532/16 prewar has serial number in the back.
Also the construction of the rear glass suggests the two elements can be taken out from the carcass.
I haven’t tried because I want a return/refund, otherwise the lens will be already in the oven

 

[Dan Daniel]

I am not thinking about separating the elements. I am wondering if a slow heat would 'reset' it and maybe eliminate the internal haze. By itself- no pressure, no disassembly, just sitting.

 

[Alex Varas]

As far as I remember the process when I did it, first oven made small ‘entrances’ and second made them bigger so I don’t think it will solve the problem but make it bigger.

 

[Helge]

Boil the cell in water. Incase it in cloth so it doesn’t get worked against the side of the pot.

Then get Canadian balsam for ease of use and redo-ability or better yet UV epoxy, and then re-glue, having a really good plan of how to center the two elements exactly before you have the cement on them.
Any less than perfect centering will make the lens worse than a triplet, which it’s supposed to be an upgrade from.

 

[anthonym3]

The haze is not severe but is as I said an hourglass shape that extends from edge to edge encompassing about 1/3 of the glass. I intend to shoot only black & white. Will the haze have an extremely negative effect?

 

[Helge]

The haze is not severe but is as I said an hourglass shape that extends from edge to edge encompassing about 1/3 of the glass. I intend to shoot only black & white. Will the haze have an extremely negative effect?

Show us a picture.
Severe is subjective. 1/3 haze is bad enough IMO.
It will mean significantly less contrast, and probably a gauze effect on the image.

 

[Romanko]

You can shoot a grey card, scan the negative, bump the contrast to the maximum and check if there are any artifacts. Similar results can be achieved with a wet print it you are more familiar with analogue process.

Also, a subject with fine pattern or a lot of small details could be useful. Something like patterned fabric or a page from a newspapers (do they still exist?).

Unless the camera has a sentimental value for you I would not bother. You can easily find a fully functional folder to replace your Super Ikonta. Sell it for parts.