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Dust in Lenses

ComicDom1

Subscriber Member
I have noticed that dust in Large Format Lenses appears to be something to be expected. You might not notice any dust under the bright sunlight but when you use something like a high intensity quartz you will most likely see it.

While I know the dust I have found does not seem to affect my negatives I am wonder if any of you take your cells apart and clean the glass on the inside of the cells?

Jason
 

Oren Grad

Active member
Do you really mean take apart the cells, as opposed to just unscrewing the cells from the shutter to get at the other external surfaces?

If so, do you have an optical bench setup, along with experience in precision assembly and in the procedures used to verify that optical elements are properly aligned?
 
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Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
What Oren said. Easy to unscrew each cell group and clean the inside elements outer surface -- and usually that's where most of the dust is... Just be careful to not loose any small brass spacers that may (or may not) reside on the thread flange for the element group, usually front only.
 

ComicDom1

Subscriber Member
I have no problem removing the cells and cleaning both sides of them. What I was talking about was removing the retaining ring from the rear or front of the cell, taking out one element so you can clean the dust off the inside of the glass. I do not know about having to have an optical bench set up. Yes some of the lens designs are more complex, but some designs are less complicated such as the Tessar. I have a repairman that does CLA on shutters that I have gone to and he was able to remove a retaining ring and pop out the lens so I could clean both sides of it. That is what I was suggesting.
Jason
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
I wouldn't, but that's me... If it was so dusty in there I couldn't stand it, I'd pay for a professional CLA by somebody who knew how to get it back together properly aligned.
 

MMPhoto

Member
I wouldn't take apart the front or rear lenses group. I would leave them to the service dept. Since you might more pieces then expected.

Yes I do clean all sides to each lenses group, paying attention to the spacer position.

I totally agree with Jack.
 
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