Zeiss 75mm 3.8, too dirty to use?

inglis · Jun 11, 2016

What are people's experience with old lenses like the Zeiss 75mm 3.8 with white marks such as these?

These marks look worse at certain angles and seem to be inside the lens. They also appear to stand in relation to the aperture blades.

The lens is on an Original Rolleiflex K1 614 that arrived from the Czech Republic. It appears to work well, at least at faster shutter speeds and is said to have received a CLA.

I am about to leave for a trip to Prague and would love to bring it along.

I do not require absolute clarity, but would love to be able to use the camera with slide film to obtain decent enough images for projection.

Any thoughts?
John

gone · Jun 11, 2016

That front element should just unscrew w/ your fingers. I'd suggest doing that, and cleaning the front element w/ something (lens cleaner and lens tissue,microfiber cloth, alcohol, etc) and using a Q-tip to get into the rear element and clean it up, as well as on the other side. It might just wipe off.

If it's between cemented elements, there is nothing you can do besides just put a good hood on it and maybe a yellow filter to boost the contrast w/ B&W film. Sending it out to be cleaned would cost much more than the camera, and not every place can un cement optics and re cement them.

The main issue is probably going to be flare, especially w/o a good hood. There is no helical, so you don't have to worry about where the threads start when you screw it back in. Anywhere it starts is fine.

shutterfinger · Jun 11, 2016

I would unscrew the front and rear cells from the shutter and inspect/clean them. If the flaws are on the inside it will be in the front or the balsam in the rear cell. To unscrew the rear cell open the camera back and reach inside with the focus fully retracted.

The lens is a Tessar design. f3.5 became f3.8 due to the limit of the shutter size.

inglis · Jun 11, 2016

Thank you so much!
It came off! Now I feel much better about using it.
Apparently this lens needs a 24mm push on hood. Does anyone makeshift something for this purpose?

shutterfinger · Jun 11, 2016

If that 24mm is the outside diameter of the lens then you need a 24mm Series V slip on adapter and a corresponding series v lens hood. A series 5 lens hood will screw into the slip on adapter in place of the filter retainer ring.
A larger hood can be adapted by bonding felt, leather or similar material to the inside of the hood mount.

02Pilot · Jun 11, 2016

FWIW, I have that lens in an Old Standard Rolleiflex 621 and I have to say it's one of my favorites. The colors it produces with Ektar are nothing short of astonishing. Being uncoated, you can clean and polish it thoroughly without fear of coating damage when you get the time to do so.

inglis · Jun 11, 2016

Thanks for the advice and comments.

Last year I used a Heidoscop stereo camera for shots of statues around cathedral doors in Paris and Chartres, with two 4.5 75mm lenses and was surprised by the sharpness. Viewing these slides is almost like being there. But I only viewed these slides through an old French wooden viewer, so not in any great detail. So it is good to hear that the 75 3.8 is a sharp lens that I can wipe with our wor.y!

The Heidoscop predates the Rolleiflex and has many similar features. Franke & Heidecke cut one lens off the Heidoscop, turned it sideways and the Rolleiflex was born.

I decided to look for a Rolleiflex original, since they are affordable. It is a shame that the Heidoscop has shift and the Rolleiflex does not, but it is such a light camera that will be easy to carry alone or with another.

JensH · Sep 21, 2017

inglis said:
Thank you so much!
It came off! Now I feel much better about using it.
Apparently this lens needs a 24mm push on hood. Does anyone makeshift something for this purpose?

Hi,

yep, 24 mm push on. The hood Rollei/F&H sold that days is very hard to find. There are some made by Lifa or Actina in 24 mm.
If you can get a Rolleiflex-Filter 24 mm push on, a 28.5 mm Rolleiflex hood (the one made for the Rolleiflex Standard) can be used. See the camera in the middle:

Rolleiflex_K1_sunshades_01[/url] by Jens Hallfeldt, auf Flickr[/IMG]

Rolleiflex_K1_sunshades_01 by Jens Hallfeldt, auf Flickr.

left: 24mm push on, brass, unknown manufacturer;
middle: Rolleiflex 28.5mm push on, useble with Rolleiflex 24mm filter (here I removed a scratched yellow glas out of it);
right: Lifa 24mm push on.

Best wishes and a lot of fun with the old lady
Jens

Fixcinater · Sep 21, 2017

I have a 614 Original as well, nice images out of the little beast. Not as sharp/contrasty as the ones out of my later 'flex but a great look to them all the same.

Have fun!

summicron1 · Sep 21, 2017

inglis said:
Thanks for the advice and comments.

Last year I used a Heidoscop stereo camera for shots of statues around cathedral doors in Paris and Chartres, with two 4.5 75mm lenses and was surprised by the sharpness. Viewing these slides is almost like being there. But I only viewed these slides through an old French wooden viewer, so not in any great detail. So it is good to hear that the 75 3.8 is a sharp lens that I can wipe with our wor.y!

The Heidoscop predates the Rolleiflex and has many similar features. Franke & Heidecke cut one lens off the Heidoscop, turned it sideways and the Rolleiflex was born.

I decided to look for a Rolleiflex original, since they are affordable. It is a shame that the Heidoscop has shift and the Rolleiflex does not, but it is such a light camera that will be easy to carry alone or with another.

I just made some prints in b/w shot with this exact same camera combo and the images, in 8 by 10, are as good as anything shot with a much newer rolleiflex.

Zeiss makes good glass, no hands down.

Zeiss 75mm 3.8, too dirty to use?

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