How to clean a vintage lens ?

[Malpi12]

I have been given a box of vintage fSLRs ! One of them, a Zenit with a  Helios 2/58 lens, looks like it has not had a lens cap on it since Methuselah was a lad and is covered in dust/grime. 

How best to clean the lens ? to give it a try on my dslr. (I have an eos<>m42 converter)
 

Edited October 12, 2021 by Malpi12

[Malpi12]

5 hours ago, Malpi12 said:

and is covered in dust/grime. 

and I did mean grim grime !

I wonder what the seal is like between the glass and the body, would it leak if I were to put some detergent soln. in there to give it a good soak ? Probably ! Perhaps suspend it upsidedown and squirt detergent up at it and let soak awhile ?

Gotta do something, no good as it is and was free, so nothing to lose

Any other bright ideas ??

Anyone used one of these, quality worth it or chuck it !!

[wulfrun]

A proprietary lens cleaner of some sort? Alternatively, isopropyl alcohol should be fine. There will not be any seal behind the front element, so no pouring stuff on. You'll need to work carefully, so as not to scratch the coating (yes, stating the obvious!). Most Russian lenses are actually pretty easy to dismantle, if needed - you'd probably only need jeweller's screwdrivers and maybe a lens spanner. There may well be instructions online if you search.

The Helios 44 is a well-regarded bit of glass, I have one on a Zenith E somewhere. If it cleans up OK, definitely worth a go.

[Malpi12]

4 hours ago, wulfrun said:

 are actually pretty easy to dismantle, if needed - you'd probably only need jeweller's screwdrivers

Thank you for the encouragement !
I had imagined specialist tools needed and maybe an optical bench, but you are so right, two small screwdrivers and it was all undone. I was a bit foxed at the start when I didnt find any screws down the side of the barrel, but the secret turned out to be two tiny black holes in the black front cover

Now to wait for some proper fluid to arrive,
 

[wulfrun]

Well done! Just keep well away from the iris (diaphragm) petals. If one of those comes adrift you'll be in for some proper "fun".

[DaveL59]

On 12/10/2021 at 22:27, wulfrun said:

Well done! Just keep well away from the iris (diaphragm) petals. If one of those comes adrift you'll be in for some proper "fun".

oh I so know the pain of that, better yet it was very recessed and 16 petals on a different lens (there's a thread in lounge -> photography on that IIRC) so took me quite a while to piece back together. You do develop a technique after several failed attempts tho, so hopefully next time I won't have too many troubles.

For cleaning up lenses like that I tend to remove the glass elements and then pop them in a tub with suitable cleaning fluid - peroxide for example (to kill off any fungus) and then rinse gently with soapy water using fingertips to tease over the surface. Follow up with a good lens cleaning fluid and refit. Just be careful not to get grease from the lens body onto the glass as that can be a PITA to get properly clean again.

While apart, not a bad idea to also strip all the old grease away (white spirits work) and then re-grease with fresh synthetic heliciod grease. Saves any future fungus issues from the old grease. You would need to be careful dismantling the mechanicals so you can realign the focus threads accurately to be sure you can hit focus (near & infinity). Mark and measure etc and take lots of pics during the process to aid reassembly. With luck and care you'd have a lens that's nice and clean and silky smooth like new 🙂 

[wulfrun]

4 minutes ago, DaveL59 said:

While apart, not a bad idea to also strip all the old grease away (white spirits work) and then re-grease with fresh synthetic heliciod grease. Saves any future fungus issues from the old grease. You would need to be careful dismantling the mechanicals so you can realign the focus threads accurately to be sure you can hit focus (near & infinity). Mark and measure etc and take lots of pics during the process to aid reassembly. With luck and care you'd have a lens that's nice and clean and silky smooth like new 🙂 

Good point, I'd neglected to mention that. I've done dozens of Russian lenses (and cameras), one thing consistent about them is the poor quality, congealed grease. On the other hand, in this instance I'd be inclined to clean the front element and see how things are before diving into full disassembly. It does look as though decades of exterior grime are this example's major challenge. The one I own is one of the few that still works smoothly, so he may get away with it.