soft scretch on hasselblad lens

Quinten · Apr 7, 2005

Dear photographers,

I am about to buy a new lens for my hasselblad, it a cheap used 2.8/80mm planner CFE t*
But a little (soft) scratch on the outer glass makes me doubt, on the other hand I don't really have the money for a proper one so I wonder how these things usually effect pictures.

1)Anyone with experience? I hope it's like the window when you focus on it you see everything though focus far behind it and you hardly see it.

2)And maybe someone can indicate the prices of replacing the outer glass.

Thanks in advance!
Quinten

Claire Senft · Apr 7, 2005

distressing

It is distressing to have a scratch on a lens. It is my understanding that such a scratch would add some flare to the negative. the degree of the flare would, I believe be represented by the surface area of the scratch vs the amount of lens surface being used. If the scratch were well of center and the lens stopped down enough the scratch may not have any influence whatsoever. The foregoing is conjecture on my part.

If you go to carlzeiss.de you could contact them relative to repair costs. It may be that they would send you to Hasselblad.

If possible, get permission to try the lens with a period of time for a return priviledge.

This lens may be a very good bargain.

John Koehrer · Apr 7, 2005

Quinten,
IF the price is right it can be a good value.
The cost of replacing the element may be more than purchasing an entire lens.
The effect of the scratch can be minimized by filling it with a black paint. Using a 5/0 brush you should be able to fill the scratch without too much trouble. If the 5/0 is too large, trim it down you can actuall carry enough paint with only one or two hairs on a brush. If you get carried away, paint can be removed with a q-tip dipped in thinner.

Tom Duffy · Apr 7, 2005

quentin,
don't obsess over a small scratch. you won't even notice it on the negative. It wouldn't hurt to use a lens shade in strong light, but that's good advice, in general.
Tom

Phillip P. Dimor · Apr 7, 2005

I purchased about three years ago a heavily used Pentax 645 for about $200.
The body was battered but 100% functional. The lens was in similar shape but the glass was fine except for several fine scratches on the front element. It's as if someone tried to clean the lens with a cloth that had sand in it..

I love this kit, my images exhibit no excess flare.. Sharpness isn't affected.. I got a great deal in my mind..

Quinten · Apr 8, 2005

Thanks for the replies lads, maybe I've been too obsessed with scratches after all the lens is about 50% of what it would normaly cost at this age.

cheers!

BradS · Apr 8, 2005

In my experience, small scratches on the front element have no noticable effect but, the same is not true of even small scratches on the rear element. So if the front element is scratched, enjoy the bargain but, If the rear element is scratched, just walk away.

jon koss · Apr 8, 2005

Quinten said:
Thanks for the replies lads, maybe I've been too obsessed with scratches after all the lens is about 50% of what it would normaly cost at this age.

How much are they asking? At the Boston show last weekend one of the dealers was offering a 500CM with back, waist level finder, 80 Planar and a 90-day warranty for $500! There were new-in-the-box Rollei 6008 bodies for $1000. At these prices, some would consider it madness to buy anything other than near-perfection.

I think further retrenchment looms. A huge big-city dealer told me within the last month that they have little or no interest in taking medium format trades any longer. The stuff is unsellable in the city. Only the 'Bay keeps the stuff from stacking up in heaps.

So, it may finally be affordable to be fussy about used Hassy stuff!

Jusy one perspective - feel free to use as you see fit.

jk

carbromac · Apr 8, 2005

go to the store, take a roll of film, shoot it with the lens, have it processed and make a choice, or have them shoot one for you and guarantee it was that lens.

gr82bart · Apr 9, 2005

Quinten,

There so many decent used inexpensive 80mm CFE/CFIs on the market now, why buy one with a scratch?

Art.

André E.C. · Apr 9, 2005

Quinten,

How can you buy glass with a scratch on it?
Do you feel confortable with that?
I don`t!

Cheers

André

Mongo · Apr 9, 2005

Take a look at this page:

http://www.certo6.com/gallery/planar.html

I'm with Brad on this one...if the scratch isn't on the rear element, I wouldn't sweat it as long as the price is good. (The one thing that a scratch on the front element of a lens definately impacts severely is it's resale value.)

gr82bart · Apr 10, 2005

Sorry Mongo,

I still wouldn't buy it. No matter how cheap it was.

Art.

Quinten · Apr 10, 2005

I didn't

Thanks lads you guys just made me think long enough so I didn't do anything stupid. A few dollars more and I have a good lens, it's just that I was in a hurry since I have no lens for my 501 yet.

So it's not worth years of feeling funny with a lens when it will only save me a few months now.

cheers!

BTW Mongo your link makes one think...... maybe I can even shoot with the lens hood still on.

Charles Webb · Apr 10, 2005

Let me suggest a way that has worked many times for me.
First off I doubt seriously the scratch will be noticable, but
my method is to go to the store and buy a roll of film from them
ask to try the lens on your camera, load the film and shoot the
whole roll in the store, close ups, perhaps the clerk, an overal
or two of the entire store. When finished ask how much of a
deposite they would require to hold the lens for you untill the
results of the test roll can be evaluated. Have the store process
and print the roll, doing this if you decide against the lens the
store has sold you a roll of film and has made the cost of the
processing. doing this you have not totally wasted their time
buy looking at the lens. If you like the lens the deposite goes
on the lens cost everybody wins.

BradS · Apr 10, 2005

Charles Webb said:
Let me suggest a way that has worked many times for me.
First off I doubt seriously the scratch will be noticable, but
my method is to go to the store and buy a roll of film from them
ask to try the lens on your camera, load the film and shoot the
whole roll in the store, close ups, perhaps the clerk, an overal
or two of the entire store. When finished ask how much of a
deposite they would require to hold the lens for you untill the
results of the test roll can be evaluated. Have the store process
and print the roll, doing this if you decide against the lens the
store has sold you a roll of film and has made the cost of the
processing. doing this you have not totally wasted their time
buy looking at the lens. If you like the lens the deposite goes
on the lens cost everybody wins.

Charles, What a great idea! This would work equally well for a used camera body - which is much harder to evaluate by sight alone (at least for me). Thanks for sharing.

soft scretch on hasselblad lens

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