strange lens spot

[pauls opinion]

I discovered something strange in a super 8 camera I just got from e bay.

It has to do with the lens:

The lens from the outside looks absolutely mint. In the viewfinder the
image is absolutely clear. The problem is, when I open the film door and
look through the film gate inside the camera, I can see a very tiny spot
on/in the lens. I was just wondering if that will affect the image. I have
no time to shoot a test roll; want to use the camera soon. Any idea's what
this can be??

Thanks,

Paul

[pauls opinion]

forgot to mention that the spot in the lens behind the gate is "floating"; when you move your eye from the right to the left it floats with you in that direction

[Nigel]

It bet it is on the the 85A Filter. I had dust on mine in my 4008 and it destroyed my film. After that I quickly had my 85A removed and use screw on filters only.

Good Luck

[Greg Crawford]

Not a probably if it's between the lens.

(My favorite lens on my 35 mm Nikon system is my 105. It has a small speck of dust on the inside I have never seen any problems making prints up to 16 x 20...shooting at all F-Stops. I can not see any part of the frame that's less sharp, losing contrast or any light loss.)

If you have a speck of dirt between the elements it's going to be defused before it affects the film plain. If you have a problem on the rear element , you could be in for more of a problem.

Could the problem on the "floating speck " be that you are seeing something in the reflex viewing system?

[Greg Crawford]

Try blowing some compressed air through the rear gate with the camera running.

This may dislodge any dirt on the rear lens.

Be carful not to have the can to lose to the lens, you do not want any liquid getting on the rear lens.

good luck

[pauls opinion]

Thanks for your help Boss Jock!

I tried cleaning the rear lens with a fine (paint) brush and some 98% alcohol, but without results (diaphragm fully opened manually, stopped camera with power on/off button when running instead of trigger). It looks like the spot lies deeper. The guy who advised this to me said that the camera probably has been overheatened at some point so that some grease has dampened and condensed on the lens later. Well, I think the cam is of no use. Should have been more carefull when buying a cam from e bay. Trying to contact the seller.

[pauls opinion]

I don't know where it comes from. It is not on the 85a filter since, when I turn it off and on it is still there.

I can't see anything when I look in to the lens from the outside. all looks magnificently clear. I'm afraid it is in the rear element, since I would have to be able to see it in the viewfinder when it is in the front element, but the viewfinder is clean, and I suppose the reflex system is also.

D-a-m-n, I was going to take this camera with me on a trip next week. I guess I will leave it at home and shoot a test first thing when I come back.

The cam is a c900 XLM (Bauer) looks great..

Thanks,
Paul

[rollemfilm]

i think you are looking at the reflex prizm. and i would not try to clean your lens with alcohol. you may damage any coating that may be there. shoot a test roll and see wht it looks like. i have an old pan cinor dog leg lens for my 16mm camera. when i first looked through the back i was shocked to see a huge black spot right in the middle of the lens. then i realized it was the prizm. don't mess with your camera to much. you can make things worse.

[pauls opinion]

Hi Rollem film,

I think you are right. Also have a feeling I did something very stupid. On an other board someone noted that the fact that the spot was moving ("floating") already proofs that it is a reflection. I was too much in a panic since I wanted to use the camera soon and didn't have the time to shoot a test roll. I feel foolish now. Is there indeed (a lot of) coating on the rear lens?

Paul

If I spoiled my camera I hope others will learn from this thread then.

[rollemfilm]

hi paul, i don't have an answer for you on coating issue. my question is, are you sure you were able to reach the rear element? what camera are we talking about. it seems unlikly that you would be able to get access to the back of the lens unless you did some major dismanteling. maybe all you did was clean the film gate.