Re: [Leica] Leica lens coatings

["Roland Smith" <roland@dnai.com>]

Is it feasible to recoat a Leitz lens from the 50s with a coating that is
comparable to Zeiss with a very good result?   Is the price within reason
for a collector/user who wishes to use the lens?

Has anyone on the LUG experienced successful results in recoating Leitz
lenses by the superior method?

Has anyone tried coating uncoated Leitz lenses with good results?

Roland Smith
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Marc James Small" <msmall@roanoke.infi.net>
To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2001 12:33 PM
Subject: Re: [Leica] Leica lens coatings


> At 10:53 AM 5/10/2001 -0700, Mark Bohrer wrote:
> >John:
> >All I know is that my 1954-vintage 50mm F1.5 Summarit ended up with a
very
> >scratched front element after repeated cleanings with lens tissue over
many
> >years of use (1969-1975). It was pristine when I found it in my parents
> >basement. If I'd bought and used an E41 UV filter, it would have stayed
> >pristine.
>
> No, it would not have "stayed pristine", Mark.  Leitz was barred in 1954
> from using the vacuum-coating technologies controlled by Zeiss (though
> Voigtländer and Schneider did have access to the process).  Hence, Leitz
> was forced to use the older 'drip-coating' method, which left a very moist
> coat.  Over time, this dries out and leaves a powdery residue which can be
> easily rubbed off.  If your lens had been given a proper T-coating, of
> course, the coating would have been MUCH harder.  (I have some Prewar and
> Wartime Zeiss lenses which still have "pristine" coatings despite never
> having been routinely covered with a filter of any sort.)
>
> Marc
>
> msmall@roanoke.infi.net  FAX:  +540/343-7315
> Cha robh bas fir gun ghras fir!
>
>