Who does lens polishing/recoating?

[Steve Goldstein]

I've already tried George at ARAX. He said they no longer offer this service as the Arsenal factory had sold the equipment needed for these operations. Sigh...

Does anyone else offer this service?

Thx.

steve

[Chauncey Walden]

Yes, John van Stelton at Focal Point in Colorado. It will be done right, but it won't be inexpensive.

[David A. Goldfarb]

There's also a company called Superflat that does this for cine lenses, but I think you have to disassemble your own lens.

[Richard Wasserman]

I will second the recommendation for John Van Stelton. I have used him for 2 different lenses and he did a fabulous job. As Chauncey said, not inexpensive, but first rate work.

[Kevin Crisp]

Focal Point is terrific for recementing and coating. The lens will look like new.

[Kevin Crisp]

There is also a company in England that does this very well, if you're interested.

[IanG]

There is also a company in England that does this very well, if you're interested.

Balham Optical (http://www.optil.co.uk/), I had a rough estimate from them 2 years ago, they are supposed to be superb but they are not cheap. Again they earn most of their money from the movie industry.

Ian

[Steve Goldstein]

Thanks all. I contacted John at Focal Point, and he replied within minutes! Sadly, the value of the lens in question does not justify the expense of having the work performed. The lens isn't too bad, actually, I should probably try it out for portraits. In the worst case I can junk the cells and keep the shutter; it still wouldn't be a bad price for a Copal 1.

For anyone curious, John's minimum is $195 as of February 2008.

[Steve Hamley]

I'm currently getting ready to send John a rather large order. Keep in mind that financial considerations don't always rule. Certainly if you can buy a used lens cheaper, go for it. But one comment John had recently was a client with several uncoated Dagors he wanted coated - probably $1,000 per lens to separate, coat, and recement. I asked John if that wasn't cost prohibitive, and he said probably, but the client said the lenses did what he wanted so he was willing to spend the money on them.

Steve

[Bernard Kaye]

I am late but ratify; John is a gem.

Bernie Kaye

[Raymond L. Fenio]

A few years ago I purchased an APO lanthar 150mm for $300 due to the poor condition of the coating. I dropped it with John Van Stelton to be recoated. He did fine work.

[IanG]

Here's the link for John Van Stelton at Focal Point (http://www.focalpointlens.com), it's not easy to find even with Google :D

Ian

[duncancmt]

Now that SK Grimes doesn't do lens de-/re- cementing and Focal Point/John Van Stelten is closed for good, who do you recommend? Thanks!

[8x10 user]

Does anyone know of a good replacement for focal point now that John has retired?

[Carsten Wolff]

Does anyone know of a good replacement for focal point now that John has retired?

I've not tried: https://www.ducloslenses.com Worth a shot, I guess. Feedback appreciated.

[Carsten Wolff]

Now that SK Grimes doesn't do lens de-/re- cementing and Focal Point/John Van Stelten is closed for good, who do you recommend? Thanks!

See also this thread:
http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?33638-Who-does-lens-polishing-recoating

https://www.ducloslenses.com

[MultiFormat Shooter]

I've not tried: https://www.ducloslenses.com Worth a shot, I guess. Feedback appreciated.

Unfortunately, it appears that they don't do still camera lenses, based upon their FAQ page (https://www.ducloslenses.com/pages/faq). I was hoping that they'd be an option.

[Steven Tribe]

Unfortunately, it appears that they don't do still camera lenses, based upon their FAQ page (https://www.ducloslenses.com/pages/faq). I was hoping that they'd be an option.

Based on the fact that they have to make a tool which reproduces the entire surface of a specific lens, I doubt that the costs involved would have been attractive to the great majority here!

[Dan Fromm]

A lens is a lens and asking is cheap. Not all cine lenses are tiny.

Ask Duclos what they can do for you and the price.

[Mark Sawyer]

I asked Duclos about one of my lenses, and they said no, they just work on cine lenses.

[Tin Can]

Has Steven Tribe wrote that he has done recementing? For himself only I think.

Coatings are another matter.

I just had my secondary cataracts lasered, of course it was expensive, but maybe somebody is working on old lenses with laser.

[Steven Tribe]

I think that there are a number who do "own" recementing and can sometimes be convinced to help others.
I still do it quite regularly, but will no longer do it for others as there is a quite large risk.
Strangely, the process (demounting glass, delamination and reglueing) never seems to fail. The problem I have encountered is devitrification of the top outside surface of the achromatic lens used in Petzvals. It so happens this has only occured with English crown glass from Chance Bros. But this includes an awful lot of interesting ( and valuable ) lenses. I have had an expensive glass failure with a Dallmeyer Patent Petzval where devitrification spread down from the top surface in a matter of minutes. This was inspite of using exactly the same procedure as for dozens of previous attempts!

[8x10 user]

John at focal point would use heat to separate the elements and sometimes they would haze up. The last time he did a lens for me, the glass became hazy during the process and he thought it was was ruined. However he was able to clear it up with a light polishing. After he was done he told me that it would be the last cemeneted pair that he would work with. This was a Hermagis Eidoscope.

I'm guessing that polishing cannot be done at home?

[8x10 user]

Has anyone had experience with Kanto Camera?

[Oren Grad]

Threads merged.

[Kevin J. Kolosky]

I wonder whether some lens manufacturers offer the service.

[Guydio]

Hi everyone, my first post so I hope it helps.
I was watching a lens on a popular auction site and the seller said he had his lens cla'd by this chap in the UK.
"Graham Rose Enterprise Services". I researched the chap and he states in his website that he polishes and recoats optics, mainly for the movie industry. I've no idea of costs involved and I have no connection with him.

[Tin Can]

A quick search shows nothing.

Tell us more with a link.


Hi everyone, my first post so I hope it helps.
I was watching a lens on a popular auction site and the seller said he had his lens cla'd by this chap in the UK.
"Graham Rose Enterprise Services". I researched the chap and he states in his website that he polishes and recoats optics, mainly for the movie industry. I've no idea of costs involved and I have no connection with him.

[MultiFormat Shooter]

Tell us more with a link.

I came-up with this, with a DuckDuckGo search, and they're in London.

http://www.gres.co.uk/gres.htm

[Tin Can]

Good to know!

It must be possible outside of a Lens Factory.

Burke and James Chicago had a huge operation for polish. coating and remount.

I never saw the operation, but reading the historical catalog is impressive. They rented nearly any lens.

Even rare goodies.




I came-up with this, with a DuckDuckGo search, and they're in London.

http://www.gres.co.uk/gres.htm

[Guydio]

Taken from their website www.gres.co.uk

"Here at we are happy to talk to you about any problem that you are having with any camera, lens or exposure meter. We can also undertake optical work such as fungus removal and optical polishing as well as optical coating. Most of our time is dedicated to repairing professional and specialist equipment for the trade, photographers and collectors - often modern, low value cameras are uneconomical to repair. Even so, whatever your camera or equipment problem, our workshop is fully equipped and we look forward to hearing from you. Overseas customers are always welcome."