Summicron v5 - low contrast patch in middle of most images

[Jon Warwick]

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any idea what causes this? It's your typical not sun-flare flashing across the image.  

 

Rather, even in cloud, many images have this patch where contrast is simply noticeably lower. This patch is located pretty much bang in the middle of the photo and taking up about 20% of the image.

 

I've owned this lens since 2001 from new, and it seems to have become a problem in the last year or so.

 

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[farnz]

Hi Jon,

 

Could you post a couple of example pictures because then we'll have a better idea of what's going on?

 

Pete.

[michaelwj]

any idea what causes this? It's your typical not sun-flare flashing across the image.

 

Rather, even in cloud, many images have this patch where contrast is simply noticeably lower. This patch is located pretty much bang in the middle of the photo and taking up about 20% of the image.

 

I've owned this lens since 2001 from new, and it seems to have become a problem in the last year or so.

We need an image or two.

And how come it took you a year to do something?!!

[Jon Warwick]

see attached, crop from left to right across the frame.  

To my eyes, the trees in the middle have less contrast than the trees on both the left and right ....

 

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[farnz]

Thanks, Jon,

 

I think I see what you mean.  The trees are a shade less green and the shadows are less dark.  It's a bright but cloudy day so the light is flat and the picture should be evenly lit and your picture is a good example to use from the lighting perspective.

 

My initial though is that it might be veiling flare - both the v4 and v5 50/2 Summicrons were known to be prone to flare under certain conditions.  I've found that a bright, flat day like this can be challenging to some lenses - I have a 70 year old Sonnar that flare like crazy on these days but are fine on sunny days for instance.

 

Two things to consider if you haven't already:

1. clean the front and back elements to remove any film that might be hiding on them

2. check that the coating on the front element is intact and undamaged.  If it's been cleaned a lot then it might be wearing slightly.

 

Beyond that I'm not sure what to advise because if it's the lens design then I'd have expected the low contrast centre to have been there from the start.

 

Pete.