Does anybody notice the dust inside there lenses?
- Thread starter Iceviking
- Start date
twocik23
Veteran
Depending of how big the pieces are, most likely your camera won't pick it up. However if it does you'll need to have them cleaned or learn how to clean them yourself. I clean my own, and have saved a bunch of money doing so. For the DIYers you'll need a few tools.
1. Spanner wrench (1mm - 5mm depending on what type lens you own)
2. Micro fiber cloth
3. Lens tissues
4. Rubbing alcohol
5. Desk light and a sheet of paper
6. Air compressed can
1. Spanner wrench (1mm - 5mm depending on what type lens you own)
2. Micro fiber cloth
3. Lens tissues
4. Rubbing alcohol
5. Desk light and a sheet of paper
6. Air compressed can
twocik23
Veteran
"Iceviking"
For a tester, I would find a cheap old lens, maybe at goodwill or a thrift store of some sort for testing purposes. Think of this as an art, it takes a little practice to get it perfect.
Depending on what lens you own (if you can add a picture of your lens, front and back), some have grooves or holes that are located in the front lens ring. I've cleaned lenses that I had to open from the front, middle and back. If I can give any advice would be to take your time and use latex gloves (you don't want finger prints or oil on your inside elements). Now, if you touch the glass, use alcohol and lens tissues to remove the oil.
YOU ARE AT YOUR OWN RISK IF YOU DECIDE TO TRY THIS !
For a tester, I would find a cheap old lens, maybe at goodwill or a thrift store of some sort for testing purposes. Think of this as an art, it takes a little practice to get it perfect.
Depending on what lens you own (if you can add a picture of your lens, front and back), some have grooves or holes that are located in the front lens ring. I've cleaned lenses that I had to open from the front, middle and back. If I can give any advice would be to take your time and use latex gloves (you don't want finger prints or oil on your inside elements). Now, if you touch the glass, use alcohol and lens tissues to remove the oil.
YOU ARE AT YOUR OWN RISK IF YOU DECIDE TO TRY THIS !
Lenilenapi
Carbonite Member
Twocik23,
You are very daring ands I admire your courage, but i wouldn't risk taking apart my precious 35mm lenses without apprenticing with an experienced repairman.
What I've been told over and over again from experienced repair people is that internal dust generally will never affect the performance of your lens unless it is very marked and or large pieces . Most old lenses have dust in them - don't worry about it - they still perform beautifully.
I was also told that even when its pretty bad it usually will affect overall contrast not sharpness. However Dust near or at the rear element is apparently more serious .
Lenny Levy
You are very daring ands I admire your courage, but i wouldn't risk taking apart my precious 35mm lenses without apprenticing with an experienced repairman.
What I've been told over and over again from experienced repair people is that internal dust generally will never affect the performance of your lens unless it is very marked and or large pieces . Most old lenses have dust in them - don't worry about it - they still perform beautifully.
I was also told that even when its pretty bad it usually will affect overall contrast not sharpness. However Dust near or at the rear element is apparently more serious .
Lenny Levy
twocik23
Veteran
"You are very daring ands I admire your courage, but i wouldn't risk taking apart my precious 35mm lenses without apprenticing with an experienced repairman"
Not daring, I was actually taught from a camera repair man. It's really not as tough as you guys think, but you do need to be very careful.
"What I've been told over and over again from experienced repair people is that internal dust generally will never affect the performance of your lens unless it is very marked and or large pieces . Most old lenses have dust in them - don't worry about it - they still perform beautifully.
I was also told that even when its pretty bad it usually will affect overall contrast not sharpness. However Dust near or at the rear element is apparently more serious ."
From my first post -
Depending of how big the pieces are, most likely your camera won't pick it up.
With a moving image depending on "how big & how many pieces there are ", sometimes you'll start to see blurry little spots, not to mention fungus, dirt, etc.. Anything blocking the rays of light coming in through the elements is going to decreases your image performance.
Not daring, I was actually taught from a camera repair man.
It's really not as tough as you guys think, but you do need to be very careful. "What I've been told over and over again from experienced repair people is that internal dust generally will never affect the performance of your lens unless it is very marked and or large pieces . Most old lenses have dust in them - don't worry about it - they still perform beautifully.
I was also told that even when its pretty bad it usually will affect overall contrast not sharpness. However Dust near or at the rear element is apparently more serious ."
From my first post -
Depending of how big the pieces are, most likely your camera won't pick it up.
With a moving image depending on "how big & how many pieces there are ", sometimes you'll start to see blurry little spots, not to mention fungus, dirt, etc.. Anything blocking the rays of light coming in through the elements is going to decreases your image performance.
Lenilenapi
Carbonite Member
I feel better knowing it wasn't just your do-it yourself project. I also believe you when you say its not actually that hard, but you were taught by someone who knew what they were doing. Its probably pretty interesting. I apprenticed to a camera repairman for about a month many many years ago, but we never got to lenses and he was a jerk so I quit.
I'm sure you're right that some particles or enough of them could begin to degfrade lens performance, but its important not to scare people here who are buying great old lenses. You won't find many without dust and most of time they are fine. Over and over again web sites discussing old lenses say don't worry about dust particles unless they are really big or there are an unusual number of them. I brought a few of mine into a repairman who told me mine were fine and it was unusual when they dust was so bad it would hurt things. It certainly can happen though.
By the way I brought my 35mm Nikkor f1.4 to a repairman just to lubricate the mechanism and after taking it apart he can't put it back together because he's missing a part that he can't seem to get.
I'm sure you're right that some particles or enough of them could begin to degfrade lens performance, but its important not to scare people here who are buying great old lenses. You won't find many without dust and most of time they are fine. Over and over again web sites discussing old lenses say don't worry about dust particles unless they are really big or there are an unusual number of them. I brought a few of mine into a repairman who told me mine were fine and it was unusual when they dust was so bad it would hurt things. It certainly can happen though.
By the way I brought my 35mm Nikkor f1.4 to a repairman just to lubricate the mechanism and after taking it apart he can't put it back together because he's missing a part that he can't seem to get.
twocik23
Veteran
"I apprenticed to a camera repairman for about a month many many years ago, but we never got to lenses and he was a jerk so I quit."
Ha that's too funny, the guy that was teaching me was kind of snotty at first, but he eventually came around. Even with someone teaching you the ways, it stills boils down to practice makes perfect. This is why I recommend using a cheaper or even a broken lens of the model you want for practice purposes.
"I'm sure you're right that some particles or enough of them could begin to degfrade lens performance, but its important not to scare people here who are buying great old lenses. "
It's just like if a pixel was to go out on a LCD TV , you'd see just one at first, but after time two, three, four and so on...
Say you're on a shoot one day and a spot does appear, maybe not thru your monitor but when you're in the editing room (love room). You've never cleaned your lens and now you have a bunch of footage that has a couple of spots all over your master piece, what do you tell the client... Would it have been worth it to have the lens cleaned....
This can be a real problem with static units (past experience), but with a moving units you'll barely see them depending on the size and how many. With the new ifocus 35mm adapter that we're fabricating, we'll offer the new unit in static and non static.
*** To all of my customers in the past , when the new unit is available they will receive a discount on the new unit***
I agree most of your older lenses do have dust, fungus, dirt, etc.., but sometimes the lenses I buy and own are older items that were left on the shelf never used. They cost alot more, but they're worth it. Now, the lenses I use to sell, I would inspect them 100% before reselling. If they need to be cleaned, I would do so.
"By the way I brought my 35mm Nikkor f1.4 to a repairman just to lubricate the mechanism and after taking it apart he can't put it back together because he's missing a part that he can't seem to get."
What part (getting the two bodies to screw back together properly)?
It's a special grease, and I'll tell you camera repair guys can be very funny about telling you what they use. At first I asked around to see if anyone carried any grease that would work, but they all told me, "I'll take a look at it for $$$$, we don't sell it or know where you can find it."
Ha that's too funny, the guy that was teaching me was kind of snotty at first, but he eventually came around. Even with someone teaching you the ways, it stills boils down to practice makes perfect. This is why I recommend using a cheaper or even a broken lens of the model you want for practice purposes.
"I'm sure you're right that some particles or enough of them could begin to degfrade lens performance, but its important not to scare people here who are buying great old lenses. "
It's just like if a pixel was to go out on a LCD TV , you'd see just one at first, but after time two, three, four and so on...
Say you're on a shoot one day and a spot does appear, maybe not thru your monitor but when you're in the editing room (love room). You've never cleaned your lens and now you have a bunch of footage that has a couple of spots all over your master piece, what do you tell the client... Would it have been worth it to have the lens cleaned....
This can be a real problem with static units (past experience), but with a moving units you'll barely see them depending on the size and how many. With the new ifocus 35mm adapter that we're fabricating, we'll offer the new unit in static and non static.
*** To all of my customers in the past , when the new unit is available they will receive a discount on the new unit***
I agree most of your older lenses do have dust, fungus, dirt, etc.., but sometimes the lenses I buy and own are older items that were left on the shelf never used. They cost alot more, but they're worth it. Now, the lenses I use to sell, I would inspect them 100% before reselling. If they need to be cleaned, I would do so.
"By the way I brought my 35mm Nikkor f1.4 to a repairman just to lubricate the mechanism and after taking it apart he can't put it back together because he's missing a part that he can't seem to get."
What part (getting the two bodies to screw back together properly)?
It's a special grease, and I'll tell you camera repair guys can be very funny about telling you what they use. At first I asked around to see if anyone carried any grease that would work, but they all told me, "I'll take a look at it for $$$$, we don't sell it or know where you can find it."
Lenilenapi
Carbonite Member
I'm not sure what the problem with the 35mm was, but i think the repairman is ethical and he felt there was a mechanical problem beyond just needing grease, because he did regrease another lens for me.
Re: "Say you're on a shoot one day and a spot does appear, maybe not thru your monitor but when you're in the editing room".
Again, I can only repeat what I was told and have read again and again - that dust particles in the middle of a lens are generally harmless and will not create spots. I was told if they are on the rear element that could be serious, but otherwise they would not cause spots. At worst I was told a general loss of contrast could happen or perhaps smme loss of resolution but that would take a lot of dust. My lenses definitely had dust and I was told not to concern myself at all.
With a 35mm adapter that's an entirely different story and dust on the surface of a static or even a vibrating adapter screen can cause real problems.
Re: "Say you're on a shoot one day and a spot does appear, maybe not thru your monitor but when you're in the editing room".
Again, I can only repeat what I was told and have read again and again - that dust particles in the middle of a lens are generally harmless and will not create spots. I was told if they are on the rear element that could be serious, but otherwise they would not cause spots. At worst I was told a general loss of contrast could happen or perhaps smme loss of resolution but that would take a lot of dust. My lenses definitely had dust and I was told not to concern myself at all.
With a 35mm adapter that's an entirely different story and dust on the surface of a static or even a vibrating adapter screen can cause real problems.
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