Is it really possible (and practical) to coat older uncoated lenses? I shoot 8 x 10 and I love my big giant 210/8 SA and the 360 Symmar-S. Both lenses were made in the 50's. Is there a reliable place that can apply multicoating?? Is there an S Grimes of the coating world??

By the way, Is there a search function to this message board? thanks

-- Tom Keenan (tmk@earthlink.net), March 14, 2000

Answers

I don't know the Symmar that well, but you'd be crazier than I am to get the Angulon multi-coated.

The major difference is between un-coated and coated. Although there is a difference between an M.C. and an S.C. lens, all else being equal, it's just not worth the cost.

Now, if you had an un-coated lens of good quality that you got at a good price and that had enough air-to-glass surfaces to actually benefit from a coating job, then, yeah, knock yourself out. Personally I think that defeats the whole purpose of buying older glass in the first place - SAVING MONEY!

-- Sean yates (yatescats@yahoo.com), March 14, 2000.

It's probably not a realistic proposition. Although most spectacle lens manufacturers have multi-coating facilities these days, and you could possibly get the job done at a reasonable cost; there's the dis-assembly of the lens to consider, and what the heat of the coating plant might do to the edge blackening and cementing of the elements. If the rim blackening was damaged it could cause more flare than the multi-coating would reduce. You've also got the very good chance that the lens wouldn't go back together perfectly, and sharpness would be affected.

Altogether, not worth the risk I'd say.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), March 15, 2000.

Check with Steve Grimes at skgrimes@skgrimes.com. His website (http://www.skgrimes.com/) doesnt mention coating, although I thought he offered that service as well. If not, maybe he can give you a lead.

-- Ron Shaw (shaw9@llnl.gov), March 15, 2000.

I think that if you have a Symmar-S it was made in the 70's not 50's. And most Symmar-S lenses were multicoated. You can check the age of both of your lenses on the Schneider web site.

-- David Grandy (dgrandy@accesscable.net), March 15, 2000.

See also http://www.wisner.com/coatings.htm.

-- Chris Patti (CMPatti@aol.com), March 15, 2000.

I recently had my APO Lanthar 150 recoated and though it was only a single coating it solved the problem of severe cleaning marks sustained from the previous owner. I used John van Stelten and am very happy with his work. The cost was $225 + shipping. I am not sure if he does any multi coating.

His address is:

Focal Point Inc. 1017 South Boulder Road Suite E-2 Louisville, Co. 80027 Phone 303-665-6640 Fax 303-665-3803 E-mail: focalpt@ecentral.com

-- Ray Fenio (rfenio@indiana.edu), March 16, 2000.