Haze or something else?

[dennersten]

Advertisement (gone after registration)

I bought myself a 50/2 coll Summicron. I just shot my first film with it. It is very blurred in the middle and becomes better at the edges of the picture. I don't see any haze but quite a lot small scratches on the front lens.

 

What makes me confused is that the unfocus area is quite circular and centered in the middle, on each picture.

 

So could you help me here? Is it worth to send it in for repairing?

[Advertisement]

The Leica Q3 is available for pre-order at B&H Photo Video and Adorama

[ErikFive]

Have you tried using a flashlight through it? You should see it pretty easily with a flashlight if it is haze. Looks like haze IMO though. SOmetimes you dont see haze unless you use a flashlight or similar. That is my experience.

[luigi bertolotti]

The collapsible Summicron 50 was a very delicate lens... and I think your one is better to be inspected by a good lab ; for what I know, 3 problems can be blamed (supposed that haze, as you say, isn't present)

 

1) Scratches on the front element (sometimes you find items that are scratched even in the back element... not so strange for a lens with "soft" glass, and collapsible)

 

2) Coating : the Summicrons used a coating that was prone to become uneven on the lens'surface (this can be verified with a close inspection with proper lightining). The very first Summicrons had a typical yellowish coating (known as the "radioactive coating")

 

3) Separation of elements, owing to problems in the glue used to cement together the single pieces of glass.

 

Any of thes 3 factors can bring to the strange results you observe; generally speaking, is possible to have it "repaired"... in the forum some name of good labs has been quoted... of course it's questionable if the job is worth.