Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/11/21
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Bob, It sounds like you have been doing a lot of research into lens coating. I have read, and I believe it was from Edwin Puts, that all current Leica lenses are multicoated. But I can't find the reference again. But I recall there was no dates or specific lenses mentioned. He did mention that the 50mm Summicron with 5 plane ( not curved ) surfaces only need single coating. That would tell me that different lens elements get different coatings. I know that the new Nikon Nano Crystal coating is applied to only one surface or one element. Len On Nov 21, 2008, at 9:54 PM, Robert Meier wrote: > > Len, > > I was wondering about multi-coating, rather than the original > coatings that were developed in the 30's and 40's. Multicoating > started in the late 60's and early 70's with Pentax's SMC, > developed by Optical Coating Laboratories Inc. (OCLI), now a part > of JDSU in Milpitas California (thank you, Doug), and Zeiss's T* > coating. Nikon called theirs Integrated Coating, Minolta called > theirs Achromatic Coating, Canon calls theirs 'Sub Wavelength > structure Coating,' but Leica has never indicated they use multi- > coating. That was my questions -- are Leica lenses multi-coated? > If they are, is it all of them? just some? how do we know? > > Bob > > > >> Bob, >> >> Marc James Small has done a lot of research on lens coating and >> may be the expert on the LUG. He only devotes 1 1/2 pages to lens >> coating in his book though. While studies in lens coating can be >> found as far back as the 1890's, it was in 1938 that Smakula, of >> Zeiss developed the vacuum coating process or T coating for Zeiss >> lenses. Leitz was not allowed to use this process and this is >> where they started drip coating of their lenses. It might be the >> 8.5cm Summarex in 1941 that was first coated. When the Zeiss >> patents ran out in the 60's that's when Leitz started to use the >> Zeiss modern process. >> >> It might be more difficult to get specific information about >> different lenses and elements except by going directly to Leica. >> >> You might be able to get some info from John van Stelton at Focal >> Point since he polishes and re-coats Leica lenses. >> >> Len >> >> >> >> On Nov 21, 2008, at 7:42 PM, Robert Meier wrote: >> >>> Doug, >>> >>> Zeiss is the one who developed their T* coating at the same time >>> Pentax developed Super Multi-Coating (and maybe even in >>> cooperation with them). >>> >>> Do you know what elements or what lenses have multi-coating? >>> >>> Bob >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- From: <wildlightphoto@earthlink.net> >>> To: <lug@leica-users.org> >>> Sent: Friday, November 21, 2008 5:51 PM >>> Subject: Re: [Leica] Are Leica lenses muliticoated? >>> >>> >>> Robert Meier wrote: >>> >>>> I've always assumed that Leica lenses have been multicoated >>>> since the >>> 70's, >>>> but is that true? There has never been an indication of >>>> multicoating on >>>> the lenses (no T* or SMC), and they don't have the almost garish >>> multi-hues >>>> of Nikon or Zeiss lenses. So, are they multicoated? >>> >>> As far as I know Leitz began multi-coating where it would make a >>> significant difference before Pentax publicized the OCLI >>> "Super-multi-coating" process on their lenses. >>> >>> Doug Herr >>> Birdman of Sacramento >>> http://www.wildlightphoto.com >>> >>> -------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> mail2web.com - What can On Demand Business Solutions do for you? >>> http://link.mail2web.com/Business/SharePoint >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Leica Users Group. >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information