mickjazz Posted June 16, 2017 Share #1 Posted June 16, 2017 Advertisement (gone after registration) I was recently looking at a summaron 2.8cm on the big auction site. Seller says lens has haze that cannot be cleaned. Didn't say who told him. I have had 2.8cm hektors cleaned without issue. Also have an 8 element summicron that Youxin Ye could not clean. Haze was in between the middle 2 elements on either side of the aperture. I later had Kanto clean it. Does the summaron 2.8cm have similar potential haze problems like the 8 element where element surfaces cannot be touched to remove haze as in the central elements of the 8 element summicron? I have another summaron 2.8cm with slight haze but have not sent it to anyone for cleaning. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted June 16, 2017 Posted June 16, 2017 Hi mickjazz, Take a look here Summaron 2.8cm Haze. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
luigi bertolotti Posted June 19, 2017 Share #2 Posted June 19, 2017 (edited) The central part of the lens assembly is almost identical in Summaron 28 and Summicron 35 1st, whilst Hektor 28 is quite different (just look at schemas in Wiki pages) : but I don't know how much this is a problem for cleaning. Edited June 19, 2017 by luigi bertolotti Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
UliWer Posted June 19, 2017 Share #3 Posted June 19, 2017 My 2.8 cm Summaron was cleaned since it was so hazy that it was almost unusable. Though this was caused mainly by deterioration of the rear element - a common issue also for 35mm Summarons. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlaidlaw Posted June 19, 2017 Share #4 Posted June 19, 2017 I suppose it depends whether it is surface or in the element haze. The problem if it is surface haze, is it on a coated surface, so that it would have to be recoated after polishing - not cheap or easy. Some of the black barrel LTM Canon lenses (5cm f1.2 and 1.5) are well known for getting cloudy rear elements. Apparently these often cannot be cleaned and the lens is in effect, a write off. If it is deterioration in the balsam, this is easier to deal with in the older lenses, as the elements separate from hot water soaking. Newer Leica lenses from around the mid 1960's, use a UV activated epoxy resin synthetic balsam. These can only be separated by boiling in a pressure cooker with methylene chloride (rather you than me) and then levering them apart. According to Malcolm Taylor, there is a considerable risk of damage to the elements in this process. I will be sending both my 5cm f1.5 Summarit and 8.5 f1.5 Summarex to Malcolm for cleaning in the autumn. They both look fairly clear (especially the Summarex), apart from dust and a bit of paint flaking but I am sure there is bound to be minor lubrication and pollution (cigarette smoke etc) contamination of the air surfaces, which is best cleaned off. I also need him to lubricate the stiff helicoid on my 5cm f1,8 Serenar. Wilson Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickjazz Posted June 19, 2017 Author Share #5 Posted June 19, 2017 Thanks for the responses. My concern was mainly as to whether the central elements were difficult or impossible to access. Sounds like they are. The seller has since told me John at Focal Point returned the lens to him saying he could not clean it coating damage. My wife cleans lenses and recently cleaned a summarit and a hektor 5cm which is not so easy like the elmar 5's. I'll pass on this one. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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