[Leica] Focal Point Lens / coating repair

[s.jessurun95 at chello.nl (animal)]

 > 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/
>
>
>
>
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