Enlarging lens repair..

[Robbie Bedell]

Does anyone have a trusted source for cla'ing and repairing enlarging lenses? Thank you in advance! Robbie


www.robbiebedell.photoshelter.com

[Bob Salomon]

Have you asked Southern? Or Art at Palm Beach?

[Doremus Scudder]

Robbie,

I use Carol Flutot for all my needs.

However, unless you have a lens that is pretty expensive, it may be cheaper just to pick up a clean used lens of the same type than pay for the CLA. You don't mention what lens you need worked on.

Best,

Doremus

[Robbie Bedell]

Have you asked Southern? Or Art at Palm Beach?

I don't know Southern. Art has forgotten what enlarging is...Thank you Bob!

[Robbie Bedell]

Robbie,

I use Carol Flutot for all my needs.

However, unless you have a lens that is pretty expensive, it may be cheaper just to pick up a clean used lens of the same type than pay for the CLA. You don't mention what lens you need worked on.

Best,

Doremus

Hi Doremus, I had not thought of Flutot's....or any of the others who do lenses that move. I will give her a try..I have a couple of 50mm Focotars that have some haze.. I have tried the regular suspects in the Leica repair world and have not had much success with enlarging lenses.

Thank you Doremus!

www.robbiebedell.photoshelter.com

[Bob Salomon]

I don't know Southern. Art has forgotten what enlarging is...Thank you Bob!

Look up camera repair in Fla. Southern Tech is one of the oldest and largest in the US.

[LabRat]

Hi Doremus, I had not thought of Flutot's....or any of the others who do lenses that move. I will give her a try..I have a couple of 50mm Focotars that have some haze.. I have tried the regular suspects in the Leica repair world and have not had much success with enlarging lenses.

Thank you Doremus!

www.robbiebedell.photoshelter.com

Which series of Focotars need cleaning???

Careful with the older ones, as some of the internal elements are soft coated, that means when normal cleaning is applied, the coating starts to come off...

Some lenses were of semi-sealed construction that don't allow you to take them apart, or thread locked so someone has to know what they are doing...

I managed to get Focotars II 's apart to clean, but took skill and patience... Even the late plastic body 40mm WA I think does not come apart easily, so I left a trace of haze inside with no effect printing...

A little haze can be your friend when printing negs with deep shadows that need some detail, but a little goes a long way...

Great lenses, I use different ones almost exclusively for small format printing...

Steve K

[Jac@stafford.net]

Focotars are not worth restoring. Contemporary lenses are much more likely to be clean and they are excellent; reliable. Good luck in your quest. Seriously.

[Robbie Bedell]

Look up camera repair in Fla. Southern Tech is one of the oldest and largest in the US.

Thanks again Bob. The cobwebs in my brain are clearing and I actually now do remember them. I think they may be related to the old Southern Photo we used to buy supplies from when I worked at The Miami Herald and The Palm Beach Daily News. We used to buy tons of paper and chemicals from them. I just forgot they did repairs. I have filled out their estimate form. Thanks again! Robbie

[Robbie Bedell]

Which series of Focotars need cleaning???

Careful with the older ones, as some of the internal elements are soft coated, that means when normal cleaning is applied, the coating starts to come off...

Some lenses were of semi-sealed construction that don't allow you to take them apart, or thread locked so someone has to know what they are doing...

I managed to get Focotars II 's apart to clean, but took skill and patience... Even the late plastic body 40mm WA I think does not come apart easily, so I left a trace of haze inside with no effect printing...

A little haze can be your friend when printing negs with deep shadows that need some detail, but a little goes a long way...

Great lenses, I use different ones almost exclusively for small format printing...

Steve K

Thanks Steve. The one I want to do right now is one of the 'old' first versions 50 4.5 Focotar. Yes, yes, I know many do not care for them. But I love them. I have six 50mm Focotars, old first version ones, newer first ones, two Schneider ones and a Focotar II. I also have many other makes but for me, I prefer the tonal range of the old Focotars. I know what you mean by using different ones. Thanks again Steve!