Hi, I purchased an older 190mm Kodak WF Ektar with a ton of cleaning marks. It produces a sharp image, but the flare is not at all acceptable. I am primarily doing contact prints (Platinum, etc.), so I feel that the lens quality would be acceptable if the flare could only be reduced. I was quoted about $100 to $135 for a polish and recoat. My question is: What will the quality of the finished lens be, and will it be worth the money. I don't mind spending the extra bucks if the flare will be eliminated or at least greatly reduced, but I will be dissapointed if the change is negligable. Also, do you have any recommendations of anyone else who does this work? Thank you for your time.

-- Karl Wolz (cyanotype@msn.com), April 17, 1998

Answers

These Kodak Ektars are nice lenses, and I think it would be worth $135, assuming its done right, and to current industry stds. If so, it should be as good as any modern lens in flare (maybe better? I think this is a 4 element symetrical design). Since the lens would need to be disassembled, it should be done by someone who can put it back together properly. Maybe you could check with S.K. Grimes at skgrimes@skgrimes.com for a recommendation. Good luck.

-- Ron Shaw (shaw9@llnl.gov), April 17, 1998.

Hope this isn't too late.

Last January there was an article in View Camera about using older glass and Ron Wisner has written an article for them on re-coating within the last 2 years, you can get photocopys of these articles from the View Camera website.

Having said that, 100 to 130 seems awfully cheap to me. Call Ron and get his input. Would a shade or compendium help? The 190 Ektar goes for 400 - 650 outside of New York, if you look hard.

Have you had the work done? Please repost with your experiences, I imagine we'd all like to here what happened.

-- Sean yates (yatescats@yahoo.com), February 16, 1999.