Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/12/27
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]
In a message dated 97-12-26 21:05:55 EST, you write:
> I suspect we're speaking of two different things here. The Summarit had
> quite soft glasses and often displays a haziness which requires repolishing
> to remove.
>
> Folks on the West Coast claim that Leitz lenses of the '50' are prone in
> general to volatilization of oils causing a misting of internal elements
> but, from earlier discussions on the LUG, this has not been much noted east
> of Denver.
>
> Marc
I've heard a number of theories as to why earlier Leica
lenses cloud up but everyone (including those whose speciality it is to repair
them) agrees that the vast majority of them are prone to this phenomenon,
aside from the usual ills like coating scratches and fungus which can befall
any brand of lens as a result of careless treatment. My Leica thread-mount
lenses (all of which have clouded up) were bought new and kept and used side-
by-side with several Nikkors in LTM of the same vintage which are still
crystal-clear. Disassembly/cleaning (not guaranteed to remove the offending
haze if it has permeated the coating) is not cost-efficient except perhaps
with collector-value lenses. "Repolishing" a lens element, as referred to in
the above quotation, would require re-coating as well, which is an additional
great expense. I know this well, as I investigated it thoroughly before
finally entombing my thread-mount Leica lenses in a permanent display case.
Doc