Bausch & Lomb-Zeiss Portrait Unar

[Jay Decker]

Anyone else working with the Bausch & Lomb-Zeiss Portrait Unar? I have an 18" Bausch & Lomb-Zeiss Portrait Unar. This lens is a wonderful lens for me on the 8x10 studio camera. It is sharp with the fuzzulator turned off and magical with the fuzzulator turned on.

And, have you successfully cleaned the iris?

[Paul Fitzgerald]

"And, have you successfully cleaned the iris?"

Which version, early or late?

Early had two knobs outside to adjust the fuzzulator and aperture
Late had two rings, fuzzulator and aperture.

Either way the blades are very delicate so be CAREFUL. The blades are also very susceptible to 'out-gassing' from grease or oil so use little to none when re-assembling.

[Jay Decker]

"And, have you successfully cleaned the iris?"

Which version, early or late?

Early had two knobs outside to adjust the fuzzulator and aperture
Late had two rings, fuzzulator and aperture.

Either way the blades are very delicate so be CAREFUL. The blades are also very susceptible to 'out-gassing' from grease or oil so use little to none when re-assembling.

I must have the early version, there knobs are on the outside. The iris blades appear to be constructed of phenolic paper or something similar. I'm considering cleaning them with hexane and xylene solvent mixture.

[eddie]

jay,

be very very careful with these lenses. i routinely encounter broken Unars. many have broken pins inside. the pin is the needed part to make the SF ring move. other than that many also are missing their irises.

as a result of this i do not buy any unars that i am not holding in my hand. even so i pay very little as i expect trouble.

this is NOT to say all are like this. i am sure that many are just fine. just be aware.

why are you even considering cleaning the iris?

if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

eddie

[Jay Decker]

why are you even considering cleaning the iris?

The lens I have is in good condition and I love the lens, probably more than the two-liter soda bottle sized Petzval. The iris is stiff and every time I move it I sweat breaking it...

[eddie]

i am glad i asked. the stiffness is NOT from the blades themselves. it is usually from the aperture adjusting mechanism and the barrel. you got grime in there.

when i can get the elements out and i am using a lens with metal leaves i soak it in soapy water and work it....underwater. then i rinse. and the add a drop of sewing machine oil to the outside of the barrel where the ring is. NEVER on the blades or the inside.

with these unar iris' i would not do the above! i would add a drop or two of the above oil to the outside of the aperture mechanism and the barrel. and work it. it will take a bit but it should loosen right up.

good luck. be careful. these unar babies are fragile IMO.

keep us posted.

eddie

The lens I have is in good condition and I love the lens, probably more than the two-liter soda bottle sized Petzval. The iris is stiff and every time I move it I sweat breaking it...