Justin Low

I recently purchased a Summitar which had fogging on the inner elements, and a stiff focusing ring. I partially disassembled the lens to clean and lubricate it; here are some notes I made along the way.

This Summitar is a later production with the hexagonal iris. I can’t say for certain if the earlier models are similar in disassembly. In any case, please don’t hold me responsible if you mess up your lens.

For lubricating the focusing ring, you will need a 1.5mm slotted screwdriver, toothpicks, lighter fluid and a suitable grease. If you just need to clean the inner elements, just cotton buds and lens cleaning fluid will suffice, and maybe a thick rubber band.

Lubricating the Focusing Ring
Firstly, unscrew the three screws on the mount, as shown in this picture.

Once the three screws are out, back the mount out slowly, and carefully note where the threads separate. For my lens, they separated where the index was at the 5 meter mark. You should end up with something like this.

Now, the helical is probably full of half a century’s worth of dried up grease, so you’ll have to clean it out. Apply lighter fluid sparingly to soften the grease, and run through the threads with a sharpened toothpick to remove the old grease.

Once that is done, apply the new grease to the helical. There are many suggestions as to what grease should be used, but I’ve used lithium grease which seems to work well. You don’t have to apply too much, just enough to coat the threads. Thick blobs are not recommended.

Lastly, replace the mount, starting where the threads separated. If all goes well, the index should indicate infinity when the infinity lock button engages. Replace the three mount screws. Test your lens.

Cleaning the Inner Elements
Before we start, please note that the coatings on the inside elements can be very delicate and easily scratched. Please be careful when cleaning. No excessive force should be used.

Start by unscrewing the front of the lens. It can be quite tight sometimes, and this is where the thick rubber band will help. The red line in the picture below indicates where the ‘head’ will separate.

Again, note where the threads separate. It’s not as critical as for the focusing mount though. You should arrive at this.

Use a cotton bud and lens cleaning fluid to clean the inner elements. Sometimes the haze is persistent, and I would adopt a conservative approach and not try to remove it, for risk of damaging the coating.

Be careful, and be sure not to get any stray fibers or lint trapped in the iris blades. Reassembly is just screwing on the ‘head’; the aperture index should line up with 2 or 16 if the aperture is fully opened or closed. Tighten the ‘head’ using the rubber band and you’re good to go.

08/17/07

Comment

  1. Thanks for this Justin. I just bought a Summar. This is my first Leitz lens. Summar is very similar to the Summitar mechanically. Your insructions here helped me. I prefer to have some knowledge about the construction of a lens before I begin disassembly.

    Steve West (radiocemetery) on the RFF

    — Steve West · 26 May 08 · #

  2. Hi Steve, I haven’t handled a Summar before, but I would be most interested to see your disassembly progress!

    — Justin · 1 June 08 · #

  3. Hello, I just tried to adjust the aperture ring on my 1937 Summar and discovered I must have a lens which was reassembled form two or more different lenses, however the optics are good and it takes good photographs. Unfortnately, the iris blades fell into disarray and I cannot get the iris diaghfram all lined up and reassembled. I get close, but something always slips out of place in the last steps. I need help on some techniques to get the Iris assembly back into place.
    John H

    — John H · 6 September 08 · #

  4. Hi, thanks for the tips! But how do I separate the rear two elements???
    please help!

    Paul

    — paul hyde · 15 September 08 · #

  5. Hi Justin:

    I read your article and am impressed. I have 2 Summitars and would like them cleaned/overhauled. Would you be able to help? How much would you charge?

    Thanks!

    Stephen
    96688311

    — Stephen Lee · 4 November 08 · #

  6. Hi Justin,

    I need your advice. Recently purchased the same kind of Summitar as yours and had to run the same focusing ring cleaning procedure. It was unbeliveably stiff, I’ve struggled an hour to unscrew the mount because of that stubborn grease. In the end I was so happy about it that I’ve forgot to check where the elements separated.. All in all after the cleaning I cannot reassembly the mount. Can you advise how to do it?
    Many thanks in advance!

    — Vad · 11 December 08 · #

  7. Vad, it’s pretty much trial-and-error. IIRC, there are half a dozen “entry” points for the threads, so you just have to systematically try each one until you get it. Mine unscrewed at the 5-meter mark, so perhaps you could start from there.

    — Justin · 3 May 09 · #

  8. Justin –
    I followed your advice and got my lens apart. I have a water mark inside the front element. When I got the front most element unscrewed, it looks like the water mark is inside the front bubbled glass. Is that section two piece?

    — Samuel · 9 June 09 · #

  9. Here’s a photo:
    The water mark:
    http://picasaweb.google.com/Hizer314/Lens#5344954097828260578

    The parts:
    http://picasaweb.google.com/Hizer314/Lens#5344954087580984962

    — Samuel · 9 June 09 · #

  10. Samuel, I can’t remember if it’s a cemented section, but if it is, that might be separation.

    — Justin · 14 July 09 · #

  11. Hi, Justin, I’ve a second hand Summicron 50mm 2f lens, could you tell me how to disassemble it, this lens can not focus to infinitive.

    Chris

    — Chris Chan · 10 August 09 · #

  12. Hi Justin, how do you add shims to adjust focus on the summitar?

    — Franz · 15 August 09 · #

  13. Brilliant! Helped a lot – thanks!!

    — Bruce · 22 October 10 · #

  14. I hear and I forget; I see and I remember; I do and I understand. 13w! dd1

    — flash chat · 30 January 12 · #

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    — acquistare viagra · 7 February 12 · #

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