Advice Wanted Lens haze

Hi @Coksic ,

I have the same problem with my 20mm.
Can you please give a little bit more detail how to boil it in cooking oil?

Thanks a bunch in advanced.

Barnie
Very important notice; I haven't recemented the elements. They seem to be firmly fixed in the socket, and I don't see any issues other than possibly more flaring. I cannot guarantee you will have the same experience.
 
Hi, Barnie! I poured a cooking oil into a small coffee pot. I put the element which had haze in the oil and let it boil for 30 seconds or so. Be careful not to let oil boiling for too long. Let the oil cool off. You will probably need to further rinse the elements in alcohol. I used acetone. Also, see Brian's post about possible side effects. I noticed more flares on my copy.
Thanks for your prompt reply.
Did you end up with a drop of immersion oil?
 
Thank you @Brian for directing me to this intriguing thread.
@Coksic - how in the world did you come up with the idea of boiling it in oil? It's not something that would ever occur to me, EVER!
I'm amazed at your success and great result.
I'm sitting with the same problem with the identical lens as well. So interesting ... over time they just seem to develop this hazy problem.
 
Thank you @Brian for directing me to this intriguing thread.
@Coksic - how in the world did you come up with the idea of boiling it in oil? It's not something that would ever occur to me, EVER!
I'm amazed at your success and great result.
I'm sitting with the same problem with the identical lens as well. So interesting ... over time they just seem to develop this hazy problem.
I found a few suggestions on the internet, and oil seemed to be considered the most effective solution. You will be left with a separated lens elements, if those elements are hazy. I don't know why this lens has that problem. It could be up to the glue/cement used to bind those elements. It appears that every other copy is affected by this issue!
 
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One of our members has the older AF-Nikkor version of this lens, and informed me the lens was not affected by the haze. SO- it might be the type of cement used was changed during production. I know that the Oil used in some Ais lenses had a horrible problem of seeping onto the aperture blades, was used for a couple of years before the problem was discovered. I prefer Ai lenses when possible, or at least return rights for an Ais lens.
 
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A few examples with my D700. It has both front and rear elements scratched, which, in my opinion, greatly diminishes contrast and add even more haze to the image. It still looks much better, after I ''cooked'' those hazy elements in oil.
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I checked a couple of my AF-D lenses, did not see anything like what happened to this one. Checked- 28~105 AF-D, 105/2.8 AF-D Micro-Nikkor, 70~180 Micro-Zoom-Nikkor, and 200/f AF-D Micro-Nikkor.

and the AF-D Micro-Nikkor 60/2.8. I found it... put in a different case.
 
I checked a couple of my AF-D lenses, did not see anything like what happened to this one. Checked- 28~105 AF-D, 105/2.8 AF-D Micro-Nikkor, 70~180 Micro-Zoom-Nikkor, and 200/f AF-D Micro-Nikkor.

and the AF-D Micro-Nikkor 60/2.8. I found it... put in a different case.
Dammit, that 200mm Micro must be a vortex of a lens...
 
These two images are (I guess) the most extreme scenarios for testing for flares and such.. I reckon, most of the flaring comes from scratches on rear element.
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I have the AF 20/2.8 D and must have gotten one made either before/after the bad batch because thankfully no haze on mine. Lovely lens, lovely images. I've become even more fond of it since I've gotten a full frame camera.
Lucky you - it is a lovely lens and I always enjoyed using it. Very sad to see what's happened to it meanwhile.
It is still sharp - it's just got... added character now :)
 
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