What to do with a broken lens?

[IloveTLRs]

I have a Yashica ML 50/1.9 lens in Contax mount - I just pulled it out of my dry box and found it to be broken. When I originally bought it (for around $30) the plastic thingy to lock it was missing, so any over-zealous focusing would pop it right off the camera. Today I found some more pieces have broken off, and now it won't even stay in its mount

I'm wondering if a repair is worth the money - I'm guessing it would cost more than $50 (if even possible.) The glass itself is in great condition however (no scratches, fogging or mold.) I suppose I could try lighting cigarettes with it on sunny days

 

[frobozz]

Junk 50mm lenses make great magnifying glasses - just look through them backwards. I have one each at home and work!

Duncan

 

[M.A.Longmore]

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Get a reverse adapter and use it as a macro lens.


Ron
.

 

[elekm]

Get rid of it. It's a common lens and certainly not worth putting another $50 in to repair it.

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Or gut it and fool around with it and make your own homemade lens. Ahhhhhh. Got those creative juices flowing, didn't I?

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I geuss you could look up KEH and see what they have.

Jeff

 

[IloveTLRs]

Or gut it and fool around with it and make your own homemade lens. Ahhhhhh. Got those creative juices flowing, didn't I?

Actually you did ...

 

[michaelbsc]

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Get a reverse adapter and use it as a macro lens.

Best answer so far. If the glass is good, then you've got a very decent dedicated macro lens doing this.

 

[IloveTLRs]

Sorry, I'm not in the know when it comes to adapters. Would one be easy to find?

 

[Pumal]

Best answer so far. If the glass is good, then you've got a very decent dedicated macro lens doing this.

+1. They abound

 

[michaelbsc]

Sorry, I'm not in the know when it comes to adapters. Would one be easy to find?

You have to look a little. But they aren't hard to find. The lens is worthless as is. With a reversing macro adapter the broken part isn't used anyway, so the lens becomes functional again.

What kind of camera? Or did you already tell us that? Maybe someone here knows off the top of their head what you need.

 

[IloveTLRs]

What kind of camera? Or did you already tell us that? Maybe someone here knows off the top of their head what you need.

No, I didn't. I use an RTS and an RX.

 

[michaelbsc]

What kind of camera? Or did you already tell us that? Maybe someone here knows off the top of their head what you need.

No, I didn't. I use an RTS and an RX.

What I use on my RTS is a Yashica<>M42 adapter and step rings. Bought them on evilBay some time ago.

There are "real" macro reversing adapters available, but I never saw the need.

 

[IloveTLRs]

I realized the other night that I could use the lens as a loupe!

 

[Rick A]

Can you say "target"?