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To have a classic gem serviced, or not ?
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:04 pm    Post subject: To have a classic gem serviced, or not ? Reply with quote
I have a Zeiss 2/135 Planar Contax (S/N 5.8XX.XXX).
The seller in the eBay description mentioned a bit of "haze".
When I received the lens, I thought he meant a tiny amount of fungus, which I treat which greek sunshine every now and then.

It only took me 14 months [ Embarassed Laughing Embarassed ] to notice that one of the elements is indeed quite unclear/hazy

Even with haze and a tiny bit of fungus, this lens captures amazing images.

Zeiss does not service Contax AE lenses any more.
Now, the question is, would you trust someone else to fiddle with the inners of this gem?
They told me about a guy here in Athens who is supposed to be a good technician, but I hesitate.

I have no idea how easy or difficult it is to correctly reassemble the lens after cleaning the elements.
I also wonder what I am missing.
It is difficult to imagine this lens producing even more contrasty photos.

Your suggestions please?


PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
I have a pro repair man here he did made awesome job to me several times, he did clean many Contax lens to me successfully and failed on one where is fungus did grow between cemented elements , to clean it was not economical so he left in.

In my opinion if lens produce amazing images keep it with haze and don't clean it.


PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:18 pm    Post subject: Re: To have a classic gem serviced, or not ? Reply with quote
Nikos wrote:

Your suggestions please?


Contax must have had a Greek distributor at the time. Contact the distributor, they will probably give you the name of one of their technicians.


PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 7:28 pm    Post subject: Re: To have a classic gem serviced, or not ? Reply with quote
Orio wrote:

Contax must have had a Greek distributor at the time. Contact the distributor, they will probably give you the name of one of their technicians.

Good point. I will try to find out.
I remember to have seen a Contax lens in a shop window.
However, Contax never was popular here.
I am sure a lot of people are going to ask me "what is Contax?"...


PostPosted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 8:44 pm    Post subject: Re: To have a classic gem serviced, or not ? Reply with quote
Orio wrote:
Contax must have had a Greek distributor at the time.


I dont know why this sounds so funny? Laughing


PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 12:48 pm    Post subject: Re: To have a classic gem serviced, or not ? Reply with quote
Nikos wrote:
...I have no idea how easy or difficult it is to correctly reassemble the lens after cleaning the elements.
I also wonder what I am missing.
It is difficult to imagine this lens producing even more contrasty photos.
...


On all the lenses I opend up to now I did not find centring correction screws or something like that.
Furthermore I found that all lens elements have a exact defined place in the lens tube where I can not change it by accident.
I could - and have - sometimes changed the direction of the lens by accident. I most times or every time this is clearly to see in the image.

So from my viewpoint it is not very special lens science knowledge needed to clean lens elements. One needs skills for mechanics. And how to handle lenses, how to clean them.

Now the BUT: I have up to now not opend Zeiss Contax lenses or Leitz/Leica lenses. Probably they have more possibities to adjust things - but I suppose not.

I would reccomend to take that workshop and have the lens cleaned.
When not there is the possible danger that the fungus etches the lens permanent.


PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 1:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Hi Nikos,

Ive heard that fogging can be caused by a number reasons. A thin fungus layer or A film of oil - This can happen when the lens has been subjected to high temperatures and a lubricant has broken down and gassed out. Once vapourised it can come to rest on one of the glass elements and condense once the lens cools down. The same with moisture such as if water has managed to penetrate. Some lenses have two or more elements glued together. The adhesive can go off after time or poor storage.

I would expect that a competant camera technician would be able to clean this up for you, unless there is something complicated in there such as an index matching adhesive which has gone bad. However, there is always the chance that something may snap or sheer during the repair and with no more spares available the chance of getting it back together and working again rest on you or the technician finding a suitable 'donor' lens for the parts.

If it were me, I'd keep an eye out for a beaten up donor lens first and then take it to a tech with a good reputation.
Or even try it myself!

Alun


PostPosted: Mon Feb 06, 2012 3:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
Thank you for your input!

I tried to call to the technician, but it was past 17:00 and I only spoke with the answering machine Laughing
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