Distagon 1,4/35 HFT Rollei

MF-addicted · Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:20 am Post subject: Distagon 1,4/35 HFT Rollei

Waiting for my new lens to come after winning an auction.
Distagon 1,4/35 HFT Rollei.
It was described with having severe fungus and I can't wait to see it myself, but it was really cheap for around 200 Euros, so I couldn't resist.
I just wrote to Stan (trifox) and he said CLA won't be a problem.
As this is my first lens in Rollei mount, I have some questions in advance.
1. Mount seems to be QBM ?
2. Some say there are infinity problems due to register distance, but can adjusted within the lens metering screw when using it for EOS?
3. Any adapters preferred for EOS ?
4. Are there any "no-go" lenses in QBM mount for EOS

Thanks a lot for your help.

hinnerker · Expire: 2015-08-09

Depends on the EOS Camera you are using.

I did have a QBM Mount HFT Planar 1.4/50mm.. doesnt work on a 5D.
I did broke the mirror of my cam.

In generell, to bring QBM Mount lenses to infinity is mostly easy.
Behind the ring with the mm engravings are 3 Srews, unscrew them easy,
rotate the focusring in the position to reach infinity.
I did this with some old rollei lenses, Voigtl�nder Color Ultrons and some more like Distagon 2.8/35 in old and new versions.
I did bring the Distagons to infinity. So i think it would possible to do it in the same way (get off the engraving ring, unscrew the screws a bit, turn the focus ring a bit to 10m or so (the lens unit should not move) and fix only one of the screws to turn the focusring near infinity till it works.. its trial and error adjusting)

I know only 2 lenses where you can do it. One is my Rolleinar Zoom 4/80-200 and my superb Rolleinar 2.8/105. For this two lenses i did file down an adaptor to near 1mm to reach infinity and it works.

If you have more Questions, contact me via PM. So we can talk in german.

Cheers
Hinnerker

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

I think you can ask trifox to also adjust the lens for infinity if required.

mflex-on · Color-Skoparex 2.8/28

MF-addicted · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 3:38 pm Post subject:

Finally the lens came to my place.
Fungus seems to be on the third element from the frontlens side.
Strange is the 3 blade design.
My QMB-EOS adapter arrived today and I will try to take some images tomorrow to see how fungus affects the image and if infinity works with the adapter.

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

This doesn't look good. It won't affect the images a lot, but it's bad for reselling. I hope you got it for a good price.

F16SUNSHINE · Expire: 2011-11-18

I had this lens along with the 1.4/85 both have the tri-blad aperture.

The adapter that I had was a solid brass one made by Kindai.
If you can find one take it even though it will be +$100 up to $175.
The adapter reaches infinity and becomes part of the lens.

There is one more thing to do to reach infinity.
You must sand down the baffle fin on the back of the lens.
It is very easy to do.
Remove the rear mount bayonet.
slide the plastic cylinder that is the light baffle out of the lens.
File or sand the fin until flat and even with the rest of the cylinder.
Use a fine file to make your finish passses and you will not see that the modification was ever even made.
Return everything into the lens as before. Done, no mirror problems.

The Fungus looks cleanable to me. It may leave a light etching on the coating but, maybe not.
HFT coatings are very, very hard.
If the price was right you may have scored a real Gem of a lens.
Start learning to love or work around triangle highlights;)

Congrats
~A

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

Congrats! If no glued block inside fungus removable, put to expert hands ask Trifox or service in G�rlitz.

ikoflexer · Joined: 25 Oct 2009 Posts: 14 Location: Toronto

I recently received a Pentacon 50/1.8 with similar bad fungus behind the front element. Years ago I manufactured myself a wrench out of a pair or scissors, by filing the tip with a Dremel tool. I used this to unscrew the ring that holds the front element. Then I washed the front element with dishwashing liquid first gently, then I had to do quite a bit of rubbing between my fingers. The fungus was stubborn, but it cleared right up. I carefully dried up and dusted the glass, after which I used cotton Q-tips to take away any dust and marks. I've done this to old Leica lenses in the past too, very successfully. If the fungus isn't very very old, it will wash off. If you want details/help, just say so. All it takes is the right tool and a steady hand.

egidio · Joined: 02 Sep 2009 Posts: 222 Location: slovenia

whoa 3-bladed design...thats beautiful. I hope you will manage to fix it.

MF-addicted · Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 2:32 pm Post subject:

Thank you very much for your helping comments and kind words.
I will send it to Trifox for professional CLA and will post the result after the service.
Here are some results with the lens and a cheap QB-EOS china adapter.
Infinity is not retained even stopped down to f 5.6.

Here some 100% crops at infinity f 1.4 and 5.6

Highlights wide open and stopped down.
You see the tri-blade pattern and also the fungus traces in the off-highlights.

Although having fungus, it behaves very well.
Wide open creamy bokeh and beautiful colors.

Orio · Expire: 2012-12-04

Have it cleaned professionally, you will be happy after.

ZoneV · Expire: 2011-12-02

MF-addicted · Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 8:22 pm Post subject:

It is a small, small world Laughing

The same lens was sold by the seller about 2 months before for around 400 Euros, but returned by the buyer due to fungus (which was not described before) as I saw reading his *bay ratings. Very Happy

As a long term decission, I will aquire a full format camera some time.
... but on this way I see so many interesting lenses and I loose this money on buying them.
Evil or Very Mad

It is reported that the Rollei mounted Distagon 1.4/35 will work on the 5D without shaving the mirror.

ZoneV · Expire: 2011-12-02

Oh, I cant feel what the first buyer thought when he saw the fungus!
I won an auction for a FD 300/2.8 L - got the lens from USA to Germany, and at the customs office I saw much fungus inside. And furthermore the screws were damaged due to bad screwdriver.
Not exactly what the auction told (good working condition, and the lenses even better) Twisted Evil

I get my normal fungus lenses from flea markets for my testing of fungus removal and lens repair.