Where to get replacements lens elements?

JohnBar · Joined: 21 Jun 2012 Posts: 581 Location: Liverpool

I have some broken lenses in my spares box and I wondered where to get new elements cut.

Some of them are vintage and hard to get even a spares repairs item from ebay.

So I was thinking about getting replacements element cut/ground.

Sometimes suppliers have stock precoated PCX DCV etc which just need grinding to the correct diameter edge thickness.

I have looked at spherometers for measuring curvature sag etc but they are all to big for small elements, also I do not know about the glass index used.

Anyone have experience in this matter?

Nikonshooter · Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2013 10:51 am Post subject:

The only way that I could think of is to get one from the exact same lens. Each lens has different element shapes and thickness. Even if you do have a slab of glass you will need the dimensions of the element to be replaced. Also some glass might have certain additives that given them their properties.

-Hunt

Attila · Expire: 2025-11-18

visualopsins · Expire: 2025-04-11

I've thought about this...also assembling a high-quality custom lens using off the shelf parts.

Edmund Optics (/Anchor Optics) makes lens elements, many in-stock. Lens curvatures of originals (both sides!) are necessary. There could be variation due to glass formula (affects refractive index, or how much bending of light is due to medium), which will affect focusing and aberrations corrections -- these could be minor...

LucisPictor · Expire: 2013-12-03

Yeah, it's not only about shape, it's also a lot about the type of glass (and the coating). That's part of the magic. Otherwise everybody would reproduce Leica-lenses. Wink

JohnBar · Joined: 21 Jun 2012 Posts: 581 Location: Liverpool

It is normally index, front and back radii, center and edge thickness.

However special tools are necessary to measure these things

Sometimes you can get the info from a patent, but not for vintage stuff whose patent has expired. So the cost of measurement must factor in the price

Drack · Joined: 27 Feb 2011 Posts: 735 Location: Lithuania

I know for a fact that in Honkong there is a camera and lens repair company that can actually re-coat lens glasses that were effected by lets say fungus, cleaning marks etc. and addition to that they can actually made absolutely new lens elements, coat them and adjust them to your lens. However if I remember correctly they only specialize in Leica-M and some M39 leica lenses. I can try and source the link if you want to try your luck with them. But unless you have lenses that are worth several thousands it`s not worth going through all the trouble.