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Nikon 35mm f 1.4 color issue
I have a Nikon 35mm f 1.4 lens I bought in the late 60's which seems to have developed a slight but noticeable yellow cast. It almost looks like nicotine film on it (I was a smoker but this seems far fetched). It doesn't seem to be on either the front or rear element. It has an effect of the pictures which is not nice. Any ideas what I'm dealing with and how it might be fixed? I love the lens! Thanks Jan 14 15 01:49 pm Link Sounds like you need to send it in to have it cleaned. I'm not sure how else you expect to fix that except perhaps with post processing. Jan 14 15 02:16 pm Link That is most likely due to the way the radioactive coatings used on some 60s lenses break down over time. The solution is to buy a UV lamp(not a UV heat lamp), open the aperture up all the way(VERY important!), and stick the lens right under the UV bulb for a week or two per side. This is usually referred to as 'bleaching' the lens. Usually that works. But short of bleaching it longer, there really isn't a Plan B. Jan 14 15 02:56 pm Link Zack Zoll wrote: This is very helpful though not at all what I want to hear! I have a couple of other 60's era lenses which seem fine so far. I've never heard of bleaching a lens. Can I throw it in the wash with my whites and get the same result?? Jan 14 15 04:24 pm Link You really only see the problem of lenses with lanthumum or other rare earth coatings. There are a number of Pentax screw mount lenses that were affected, but I think only a couple of Nikon lenses used those coatings. I had that problem on an old Rokkor 58 f/1.2. I paid a tech to service it, and only found out later that I could have saved a bunch if money if I just bought a UV bulb. Jan 14 15 04:57 pm Link Weldphoto wrote: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorium_dioxide Jan 14 15 10:16 pm Link You guys are brilliant! Thanks for the good information. I'm going to try the UV bleach and see what happens. Its a nice lens and too good to be used as a door stop. Jan 15 15 11:36 am Link r T p wrote: Right, thorium. Thanks for the correction! Jan 15 15 12:32 pm Link I did not know about the UV bleaching. Thanks! Good info. Jan 16 15 10:38 am Link |
I think I'll stick with post processing to fix it. I still love the lens. 
