Rolleiflex 2.8C w/ Xenotar & Haze

<p>Hi there!</p>

<p>I'm not sure what's going wrong (if anything) but I'd rather ask than wonder. I have dismantled an old Rolleiflex 2.8C with 2.8/80 Xenotar lens. The cosmetic condition of the camera was quite ugly, mechanically I haven't fully assessed it yet.</p>

<p>The front element of this Xenotar lens was suffering of haze. This was the main failure in this particular camera, and the owner told me that if lens cannot be cleaned then restoring the remaining of the camera does not really makes sense. So, I went for the lens first. I have had it soaked in 50-50 ammonia-hydrogen peroxide. It seems to help a bit, but I have taken the lens off the container because I have noticed it's becoming a bit yellow. When cleaned with tap water and dry with a cotton glove, the multicoating is clearly visible (prior to this soaking it wasn't, so I expect the most external part of dirt is going off). But still, in some angles there is a strange yellow color. When looked straight through the glass, no yellow reflections are present. They can only be noticed when lens is almost perpendicular to the eyes.</p>

<p>Right now, it is soaking in lighter fluid. Lens seems to be cleaning veery slowly, but I'm not sure if it might become useable again. My main question is, why this yellow reflection? Is it normal?</p>

<p>What other methods should I try to remove haze? I have also tried warm water and a bit of detergent, and also a couple of drops of Windex (not really Windex brand, but window cleaning liquid anyway), to no avail.</p>

<p>Any suggestion appreciated (and even needed) !</p>

<p>Zeiss coatings of the time are a straw yellow colour.</p>

Xenotar is actually a Schneider lens... I think. Anyway, the lens coatings may have similar properties resulting in this

yellow tint. In the end it's how the lens performs. I don't think every haze problem is the same. So there isn't one formula that works for all and as they coatings changeded over time some may be fraglie to one soultion and another not so proceed with care!

<p>Haze can be a problem, as it causes flare and can ruin your images. I would advise investing in a good hood.</p>

<p>It sounds like the lens may be ok. Only one way to find out. I once bought a Leica 50mm collapsible Summicron that the owner had cleaned himself and he managed to remove every bit of the coatings. It was clean though and performed very well. Contrast was a little low but easy to fix w/ a yellow filter & a hood.</p>

<p>If you can get it working right that is one heck of a sharp lens. Yes, it's a Schneider and one of their best, if not their very best lenses.</p>