Sun Telephoto 135mm f3.8 in Exakta Mount.

Kathmandu · Expire: 2012-04-08

My recent purchase has turned into a clean / repair project. This seems to happen when you buy hard to find unique lenses at online auctions. I bid most of the time with that mindset unless I have bought from the seller before.It also happens more when the seller sells mostly other vintage stuff,and the occasional camera, lens et al. I am by no means ranting here as I acquired this lens very cheaply.

This beautiful lens came with the focus ring frozen stiff, dirty, dusty and a stuck aperture.I disassembled the lens . I have managed to free and loosen the aperture -its not smooth yet but I am getting there. I cleaned the element behind the aperture and the outside of the elements in front of the aperture blade. I have not been able to loosen or even budge the focusing even after taking the focus ring off.

Since all elements are in the front -I was able to mount it on my bellows and bring the "close focusing" in closer to 2.5 ft fro 5ft. I can focus at infinity and more. Some images of the disassemble.I would love to hear your inputs/suggestions for unfreezing the focusing ; its my intention to be able to use it mounted on its original mechanism.

Thank you

Aperture blades cleaned with Q-tips soaked in naptha and later with isoprophyl and wiped dry. The elements were cleaned with Eclipse ,Naptha ,and distlled water soaked lens cleaning paper.

The focus ring and lens mount.

Mounted on bellows.

Images taken indoors with bellows unit all wide open-shot hand held .

@8ft.

@ 2.5ft

@3ft

@3.5ft

indianadinos · Expire: 2011-12-05

Well, really nice find ... Wondering if those lenses were made with a "native" M42 mount, too ...

I like the results in the last picture of the set ...

Kathmandu · Expire: 2012-04-08

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

I've only seen this lens in Exakta mount, it is the only reason I haven't bought one yet. I should just break down and buy an Exakta, I want one anyway.
Nice lens. Hopefully it waill loosen up.
By the way this is the 13.5cm version not the 135mm version. I beleive I've seen both in this lens style. Execpt for the markings I think they are identical anyway.

Kathmandu · Expire: 2012-04-08

Thanks " walter g"- Very Happy

I am still perplexed about the frozen focusing and have not made any progress even after inserting lighter fluid in all cracks and slots. I have a suspicious feeling the leatherette grip ring may have to be opened. I am reading around to see if I can find more information.I dont want to open up the beautifully done leatherette if I can avoid it-it adds to the intrinsic value of the lens . I stumbled on this-which says they made these lenses and more in M42.

Camerapedia on Sun

If you know where I can look for break apart or lubing information pls let me know.

Adios

walter g · Joined: 20 Feb 2010 Posts: 2463 Location: NC, USA

Do you think the lube hardened up. Have you tried applying a little heat with a hair dryer? You would think the fluid would have loosened it up.
Sorry, I haven't had one of these apart.

Good luck, Walter

mo · Expire: 2016-07-30

My advice take your time and don't rush Very Happy

The leatherette does have a join in it Confused

Heat it and take it off?

trifox · Expire: 2014-05-29

Kathmandu · Expire: 2012-04-08

pls let me know how it goes-I have been staring at this- for a few days-taken out all visible screws except under the leather grip,inserted naptha in all cracks -still no budge.

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Mine doesn't have the leather.
There are no screws under the leather - its just a section of bare brass.
I have never figured out how to remove the Exakta mount, or open the helical mechanism as I wanted to see if I could adjust infinity (I was looking at conversion also).

One method that worked a couple of times for me with stuck helicals is to soak the whole thing in lighter fluid for a few days. That succeeded with a Zeiss Triotar and a Komura 200mm. Hasn't worked yet with a 90mm Sun Sola.

Kathmandu · Expire: 2012-04-08

Thanks - I have used Lighter fluid in all cracks and screw holes-I wonder what other solvents might work.

luisalegria · Expire: 2018-01-18

Well, by soak I mean submerge the piece in lighter fluid and let it soak.

The downside is that some paint in the engraving will get stripped this way, but this can be restored. In your case that leather may suffer.

Kathmandu · Expire: 2012-04-08

Kathmandu · Expire: 2012-04-08

Took the focus limiting screw out and soaked it in naptha for 24 hours~so this morning after wiping it down , I tried to unscrew it -the focus still did not budge.

I then hit it with a heat gun around where the DOF markings are uniformly rotating the body as I did. I then grabbed a towel to grip the body as I untwisted and it and voila - success at last. The grease has hardened in consistency and turned into a grayish plastic like material. I tried to wipe the plastic like stuff with Turpentine and Acetone with limited success. I'll have to figure out what solvent works best later to clean and relube it. Very Happy

mo · Expire: 2016-07-30

Great news on your progress!! Very Happy

Kathmandu · Expire: 2012-04-08

mo · Expire: 2016-07-30

It was not me who suggested heat....but I am thankful you have basically made a step by step for someone else who may have the same problem Very Happy

When it comes to using different types of helicoil grease do you also take into account how long it will last?

Kathmandu · Expire: 2012-04-08

trifox · Expire: 2014-05-29

I have not made any progress yet and congrats to yours!

It's almost impossible to unscrew it in my case..

tf

Univer · Joined: 30 Jun 2009 Posts: 282

Congratulations - nice work!

Just chiming in briefly to say that this lens was in fact made in M42 mount, as was the 9cm Sola.

I reckon Sun lenses of this vintage just tend to be difficult to get into and restore. Happily, my 13.5cm and Sola haven't needed this kind of attention. On the other hand, my Sun Sparon was returned untouched by keh, with a note that said it couldn't be worked on.

(I've found another restorer who may be willing to take on the challenge, but I haven't decided whether or not to proceed.)

Cheers,

Jon

Kathmandu · Expire: 2012-04-08

Thanks Stan and John.

Jon do you have images of the lens? What's wrong with the lens? Very Happy

Univer · Joined: 30 Jun 2009 Posts: 282

Hi,

Here's a link to a couple of photos.

One problem is fungus: a fairly localized case, but (apparently) between cemented elements - hence keh's determination that the lens couldn't be cleaned.

Another problem is in the aperture mechanism: I think one blade is either detached or broken.

And the final problem is a stiff focusing ring.

Since the uncleanable fungus is the limiting factor here, I haven't bothered trying to do anything about the other issues.

When I first received the lens, I tried everything I could think of to open it up, but I couldn't get anything to budge. (I should be clear that I didn't start removing random screws, since that kind of approach seldom seems to end well for me.)

I did locate one technician who was at least willing to look at the lens, and who apparently disassembles and recements cemented elements as a routine matter, but the service charges were rather high - and he wasn't at all sure he'd be able to do anything about the aperture problem. So I'm still trying to decide how to proceed.

It's such an interesting lens - I'd love to get it back into working condition.

Cheers,

Jon

Kathmandu · Expire: 2012-04-08

Sounds like a good challenge for someone . Realistically it would take quite a bit of time~the fungus may or may not be worth even attempting to clean, or even possible without ruining the element, sadly.I am very impressed with the quality of the Sun lens , at least one I have.

I bought the same lens in an all chrome version ,with working focus and aperture. I plan on opening it up and cleaning and relubing it, sometime in the future.I do not like the organic grease of old in it at the moment-and want to clean it off and relube it with the synthetic stuff.