Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/11/13
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]> Usually if something is too cheap to believe, there is a reason I learned that the hard way at the police station when i bought a few Kodak aero ektars lenses from the early fourties. They thought i was planning an attack with a dirty bomb. best simon jessurun ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Rabiner" <mark@rabinergroup.com> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> Sent: Saturday, November 13, 2004 11:09 PM Subject: Re: [Leica] Focal Point Lens / coating repair > 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/ > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information