1st Version 35mm 'Crom Sample

[FiZZ]

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So I recently bought a 35mm 'cron from eBay, and I tracked it down to being the 1st version. Now the guy who sold it to me said that it was in good condition. The glass is clear minus the front element that has a lot of scratches on it. I developed my first roll of film, and I found the pictures to be gorgeous, but slightly soft. Can anyone share their experience with that particular piece? I just want to know whether its from the lab that scanned them in for me, or the piece of glass it self. I checked the picture, and I don't see apparent evidence of scratches on the photos themselves.

 

 

[dicko101]

To be honest, scratches on the front of any lens won't directly correlate to the final image. At worst, all scratches on the front element tend to do is reduce resolution. I've experimented with this before by getting a sharpie and scrawling all over a cheap K-mount Sigma lens...it takes A LOT of marker to make a really visible difference, the image just gets progressively worse.

[Guest dk_samurai]

I haven't owned a lens long enough to have scratches on the front element, yet. One lens of mine has a scratch on the front, but it's not noticeable on the photo.

 

This might be of interest to you:

LensRentals.com - Front Element Scratches

 

Best regards,

David

[wizard]

If the front lens element has a lot of fine scratches, they are likely to reduce contrast and resolution somewhat and may increase flare, but sharpness on a whole will not suffer visibly unless the lens is really badly scratched.

 

You did not tell us which aperture setting you used when taking your above photos. The first version Summicron 35mm (I own one in like new condition for my M3) is relatively soft at full aperture, but will get very sharp from f4. It is a lot better than at full aperture even at 2.8.

 

Andy

[FiZZ]

The pictures I posted were shot between 5.6 and 11. Some of the shots had a glow to them, while others had a bit of a foggy haze.

[engelfangen]

Mine is sharper between 5,6 and 11; and your highlights in the background are too foggy. Best regards Marc

[peter_n]

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Agree, the background highlights are either foggy or maybe blown out in the scanning (I do it all the time ), it is particularly noticeable in the last pic where the subject in the foreground is properly exposed. The first pic looks soft to me for f5.6 but it's not clear where your point of focus is - that could be off too. I have the Summicron v.1 and yes it's a wee bit soft at f2.0 but pretty good when you stop down.

[tobey bilek]

For 5.6 to 11, the pic are way soft.

 

Judge by the negative, not a scanned file which may have not been sharpened properly or at all. All digi files need sharpening.

 

If you are getting fog or flare, the scratches are damaging the image or there is internal haze in the lens. I would not keep a lens in this condition.

[Xmas]

You need to shine flash light through the lens in a dark room and look from he other side to flash light and see if it has any fog or fungus, the lens shoud be gin clear on each surface, removing either is a`pro job, and >>£, either may etch the lens.

 

Your seller should have said it was scratched. But I'd say it may be fogged as well

 

Most of the V1 crons will be scratched, except those owned by a dentist, or used with a UV filter, glass and coating both soft. Scratches should not have this effect.

 

All the 35m pre asph Crons need s hood, and the asph is not mich better, but your shots are worse than with my pre asph lux.

 

I allus use the hood from the type IV cron on the pre asph, if you use an elastic band in the groves it does not rotate. All the crons need hoods for open scenes like these.

 

As well I only use the pre asph for f/1.4or high key effects, more normally I use a CV35mm f/2.5.

 

Noel