[Leica] Focal Point Lens / coating repair

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

On 11/13/04 1:32 PM, "Seth Rosner" <sethrosner@direcway.com> typed:

> John Van Stelten is absolutely first-rate, reliable, prompt as Jeffery
> wrote. There may be as good but I do not believe that there is a better
> Leitz/Leica lens person in North America. He has serviced a good number of
> Leica lenses for me, all the highest quality work. I recollect he also
> serviced a Kern 50/1,9 Macro-Switar, a superb world-class lens that has 
> been
> out of production for at least a quarter century.
> 
> A caution however on the collapsible Summicron with "scratched" coating. If
> the front element is "scratched", it is very likely that not only the
> coating is affected but also the glass. That front element is probably
> irreplaceable today and scratches are likely to be difficult to cure 
> without
> a new element. If they are at or near the center of the lens, they can
> seriously affect your images.
> 
> Usually if something is too cheap to believe, there is a reason.
> 
> If you want to take a chance and spend some money to have John examine the
> lens and tell you whether or not it is worth the expense to repair, that is
> one thing. But I would get in writing from the seller that he will refund
> your full purchase price if the lens, on examination, is not adequately
> reparable. If he says no, walk away.
> 
> Seth             LaK 9
> 


Unless what's it being bought strictly as a USER.
And not considering it's resale value.... Or ever getting rid of it...

Because of the phenomenon just discussed on the lug a few weeks ago.
The phenomenon that most old timers know about on how a scratched front
element will do phenomenally next to nothing to the image the optic
produces!!

Making a lens with a scratched front element by far the best deal in
photography from the "user" point of view.
Barring a used Rolleiflex 2.8 F at a garage sale for 80 bucks.

A rear element apparently not the case. A scratch there is bad. Too close to
the film and the image has already produced itself (as I understand it)
But for some reason not the front.

And you can always put cheap dirty UV filter over it to cover it up.

This makes the "too cheap to believe" believable in some sense.

But you need to not let the front scratch throw you. Make you loose your
confidence. But having experience with the results it gives having tested it
fairly thoroughly and you'd not have any problem with that.

And why would you want to sell it anyway?
Switching to Canon EOS?!! :)

So many people you meet on the internet when they buy gear it's really like
they are renting it. You wonder how many MONTHS they are going to hang onto
it before the get bored with it and TRADE it in for something else which
barely a 4x6 snapshot to show for itself.
These people (an others for more legit in my mind reasons) always want
things minty.
They have fun selling it for perhaps more then they even got it for!
But unfortunately LESS fun then they have had USING it or any gear they ever
own. The fun is in the buying and selling. Hey any way you can get it just
as long as you get it.
But a non USER frame of mind in my mind.

Although of course  there are plenty of people who buy gear to use and they
want it new to minty. I get like that too in weak to rich moments. Most of
the time.



Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/