Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/11/07

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Subject: [Leica] OT: Fixing radioactive lenses
From: len-1 at comcast.net (Leonard Taupier)
Date: Wed Nov 7 14:55:31 2007
References: <27347376-1AD0-40B7-B526-32A6572F1A6D@comcast.net> <002801c8218f$4a4ed760$adea4f51@GeeBee>

LOL. Yes a little extreme. ;-)

Thanks, Graham.

Len


On Nov 7, 2007, at 5:41 PM, geebee wrote:

> From: "Leonard Taupier" <len-1@comcast.net>
>
> Subject: [Leica] OT: Fixing radioactive lenses
>
>
>> I have an old Pentax 50/1.4 Super Takumar that has, over time,   
>> yellowed due to one of the elements containing Thorium, a mildly   
>> radioactive element. The addition of thorium makes a very high   
>> refractive index glass, and a very good lens. This lens is  
>> probably  one of the most famous lenses with this element but I'm  
>> sure there  were more.
>> The fix for removing the yellow cast to the lens is to expose it  
>> to a  UV source like sunlight or a UV light for a week or more. I  
>> have been  putting the lens in a window during the day and exposed  
>> to a black  light at night.
>> My question is concerning the glass used in my windows. They are  
>> made  of high E glass and have an air space between the double  
>> panes. I  know high E glass is supposed to suppress  Infra Red but  
>> I see no  info on if it passes Ultra Violet which is at the  
>> opposite end of the  light spectrum. Does anybody know?
>> Thanks,
>> Len
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> ------------------------------
>
> One man's remedy for the yellowing. May be a little extreme for  
> your purposes :-)
> http://www.hermes.net.au/bayling/repair.html
>
>
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> Leica Users Group.
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In reply to: Message from len-1 at comcast.net (Leonard Taupier) ([Leica] OT: Fixing radioactive lenses)
Message from geebee at geebeephoto.com (geebee) ([Leica] OT: Fixing radioactive lenses)