Questions Regarding Collapsible Summitar

[baisao]

<p>I just purchased a collapsible 5cm Summitar 1:2. It’s in fine external condition and bubbles in the glass (not concerned about the bubbles).<br>

The inside of the rear element has haze and there is the tiniest speck of coating missing from the front element. There’s very little dust inside the lens and no scratches.</p>

<p>Here are my concerns:</p>

<ul>

<li>Should the f-stop ring have a ratchety-feel to it? If I move it quickly it sounds like a zipper. The ticks of the “ratchet” do not correspond to the stops.</li>

</ul>

 

<ul>

<li>Will the tiny speck of missing coating have a detrimental effect on my photos?</li>

</ul>

 

<ul>

<li>Lastly, and this is my fault, what is the best way to remove condensation from the front element? I was gently cleaning with isopropanol and to my horror the fluid seeped past the bezel and to the inside of the front element.</li>

</ul>

<p>Thanks in advance for your help,<br>

Jim</p>

[john_shriver]

<p>Immediate lesson: never put fluid on a lens, put it on the tissue.<br>

You say the lens is coated. Stop now. It takes a lot of expertise to clean a "drip coated" Leica lens like the Summitar. You may already have removed some of the coating from the front element. They have to be cleaned with a chemical soup, using essentially NO pressure. Send it to a professional before you're out your entire investment.<br>

As for a missing fleck of coating, it's quite insignificant. The internal haze is significant, and it's quite possible a professional can remove it.<br>

I've worked on a lot of lenses, but I've learned my lesson with "drip coated" Leica lenses from the 1945-1960 era -- pay a professional.</p>

 

[john_shriver]

<p>Oh, my Summitar (s/n 589xxx) has no click stops, but it's from the very beginning of coated production. Later ones might have click stops. Or you may be getting noise from the aperture leaves sticking and letting go, due to oil where is doesn't belong.</p>

[baisao]

<p>John, thanks for the information about the coating. I've met infants that are more robust than these lenses. ;-) I didn't know the coating was so fragile that even liquid cleaning could damage them. I knew the glass was soft but it was news to me that the coating could be damaged by applying even a standard cleaning chemical. This should be in 72pt bold red font on the LSM page.</p>

<p>I read somewhere, I thought on an official Leica page, that these lenses should be cleaned using (in order of preference): anti-static cleaner, isopropanol, or commercial eye glasses lens cleaner (mostly isoproponol, anyway). Live and learn I guess. </p>

<p>It's good to know that there are not supposed to be click stops on this lens. The feeling as I turn the dial is that there is something grinding in the dial itself, rather than the leaves of the aperture. It's a vibrating feeling, localized to the dial. I have my answer then: it's not supposed to be like that.</p>

<p>How long does it usually take to get a lens CLA'd? It's my only 50mm.</p>

<p>Thanks,<br>

Jim</p>

[baisao]

<p>In regards to the condensation, I found this link helpful. I was able to get the front element open to allow it to dry. Thanks again, John!<br>

<a href="http://justinlow.com/articles/repair-leica-summitar">http://justinlow.com/articles/repair-leica-summitar</a></p>

 

[david_barts2]

<p>My Summitar (S/N 937xxx) does not have click stops for the aperture, either.</p>

[astral]

<p>1951 Summitar S/N 856xxx - no click stops, silent smooth operation.</p>

[mukul_dube]

<p>So far as I know, no Summitar had click stops. The haze on the rear element may well give trouble. I agree with those who advise a professional cleaning.</p>

[baisao]

<p>I have a local guy I can take it to that specializes in European cameras. I'd send it to Sherry but she never returned my email.<br /><br />Any significant optical differences between the hexagonal and circle apertures?<br /><br /><br />Thanks again,<br />Jim</p>

[bob_yildiran]

<p>I have both models, i.e. the Summitar with the dome-shaped hexagonal diaphragm as well as the older model with 10 plane blades. I could not see any difference between the two however I am suspecting that the switch from plane blades to spherical ones was probably to reduce focus shift or could be some other reason (I am using this lens only with HP5+ so the differences, if any, have never been critical for me. Also I do not think that it has something to do with bokeh because Summitar has a swirling, not-so-nice bokeh.)<br>

.<br>

First off, don't be concerned of the isopropyl alcohol to seep through inside the lens, it has nothing to do with the coating damage as most of the lens cleaning fluids do contain the same alcohol. But when dried, it might leave some residual stain behind the front element..<br>

.<br>

Aperture ring: Summitars do not have click stops. Probably your lens has never been to service during half a century of its life so it would be advisable to send it to cleaning (you mention of haze too). If the haze (you tested it?) was not that significant then to smooth the aperture ring apply some acetone with the tip of something only 1mm size! only to wet the line between the aperture collar and the serrated front end. One touch a time and move the aperture ring.. repeat it until you feel some smooth operation but never do it with oil.. This is a temporary solution to find out if it was some dirt causing the grittiness.<br>

.<br>

To dismantle the hexagonal version of Summitar to clean it? <strong> Hell no!</strong> It's one of the most difficult aperture mechanisms to place back those curved 12 blades in TWO LAYERS, only qualified service persons can do it.. Never ever attempt! </p>

[james_elwing]

<p>Barbaros is right. Get it cleaned by someone competent. Don't muck about with it; it is a good lens. In my experience they are not specially prone to haze, so clean it up and it will see you out.<br>

James</p>