I've got several black M Summicrons that are mint-, BUT: all have less than new looking f-stop numerals. The numbers have lost their original whiteness, probably from typical finger oils etc. Not a big deal, but in low light conditions the numbers are far more difficult to read than on my new lens.

Does anyone have any hints/experience on cleaning the numbers back to a bright condition? I suspect I could send these off to Leica, but -- ? Thanks for any suggestions!

-- patrick C. Garner (pg@patrickgarner.com), August 24, 2001

Answers

This place sells lacquer sticks, in a variety of colours, for exactly that purpose:

http://micro-tools.com/

http://www.micro-tools.com/Merchant2/paint.htm

Cheers,

-- John Collier (jbcollier@powersurfr.com), August 24, 2001.

I have had the same problem. I have used a combination of bleach (ordianary household) and detergent on a q-tip. Make sure that there is no excess on the q-tip to run down into the lens. Swab lens numerals and data with the particular part of the lens being treated, upside down. In lieu of this working, I have ordered the laquer sticks from Fargo. They are a paint stick that you simply use to repaint the digits and then swab off the excess. Colors are available. I have used the white. I don't know if the red they have matched the red scale on many leica lenses. Good luck and light.

-- jim gumm (jim.gumm@okdhs.org), August 24, 2001.

Hmm... this gives me an idea, though it would probably diminish resale value: color-code the f-stops and DOF lines ala Nikon MF lenses.

-- Ken Geter (kgeter@yahoo.com), August 24, 2001.

Try denatured alcohol on a q-tip. Get the kind from the hardware store in the paint section, not the weaker rubbing alcohol from the drug store which contains a lot of water. I have found it will remove most gease, dirt and oily residue from camera gear without harming paint (or optics) if it inadvertantly spills over to where you don't want it. As a plus it dries (evaporates) very rapidly.

-- Jack Flesher (jbflesher@msn.com), August 24, 2001.

John, Jim, Jack-- Thanks for the tips. I've already ordered several paint sticks & was unaware that such a great product existed. Thanks again--! Pat

-- patrick C. Garner (pg@patrickgarner.com), August 25, 2001.