Lens polishing

campy51 · Nov 30, 2023

Is it possible to polish heavy scratches on the Rolleiflex Xenotar lenses? I know the coating would be removed but couldn't you just use a filter for the flare?

BrianShaw · Nov 30, 2023

It might be better to just use a lens hood.

campy51 · Nov 30, 2023

BrianShaw said:
It might be better to just use a lens hood.

I changed the question from light scratches to heavy scratches.

BrianShaw · Nov 30, 2023

Same answer, from me at least.

Dan Daniel · Nov 30, 2023

Lens coating is to reduce reflection at an air/glass surface. It doesn't add a magic sauce to the light that makes it cleaner or anything like that. Every air/glass interface has this issue of reflection. So removing the coating from one interface and then adding two new interfaces doesn't change the reflections that will happen at the uncoated interface. It simply adds two new interfaces that may have less reflection because of its coatings.

Why Lens Coatings Are So Important in Photography

A look at the science of camera lens coatings and how they improve optics while reducing things like lens flares in photographs.

petapixel.com

I just dealt with a Planar set that had been to Ukraine for recoating and it looked very nice. This was done through Jimmy Koh. I've also seen recoating that went through someone who makes galss plates in the Boston area whose name I forget but has posted here. I've also reduced cleaning marks with my own cerrium dioxide 'polishing' but that's my choice and I wouldn't encourage anyone to do this.

Scratches in the glass need the lens reground. That would be a machine process. How aboutr the old black paint fill-in trick?

guangong · Nov 30, 2023

From my own experience as a user, so called “cleaning marks”, scratches made by heavy handed abrasive cleaning can degrade image, but a deep scratch on front surface element seems to have no discernible result. Perhaps I was lucky. Like to read Dan’s opinion and experience.

campy51 · Nov 30, 2023

Are the scratches you see on so many Rolleiflex 2.8 Xenotar lenses just coating scratches or actual scratches on the lens

BrianShaw · Nov 30, 2023

It might be better and more useful for you to post a picture of your lens. Extrapolating to generic other lenses not so useful. In general, and with other lenses, most scratches I’ve seen are coating scratches (cleaning marks, as they like to say) and any image impacts negated by lens hoods/shades. My Rolleicord Vb somehow picked up a single deep scratch (might be more than just coating scratch; not sure though) on the taking lens during an overhaul. I’ve never seen an image impact. But I’m a consistent hood/shade user…

SilverShutter · Nov 30, 2023

I have always wondered this as I have a severely scratched Jupiter 8 lens and that thing is like shooting through a mist filter. Everything glows, no matter the aperture. I have read from people who have done similar things successfully, or so they claim, and also advice against it because it can alter the optical characteristics (which does make sense too).

My advice would be to test the lens as it is, see how much actual impact it has since its very lens dependant and use a lens hood too, and if you dont get the results you like just sell it on. I wouldn't bother trying to botch a homemade repair with a Rolleiflex personally, the risk is too high.

maltfalc · Dec 4, 2023

filters don't reduce flare, they increase it. you can't polish away heavy scratches without impacting image quality. fill them in with black marker, india ink, etc. and carefully buff off the excess.

Lens polishing

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