Wild M10 delaminated/damaged lens in the zoom optics

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Rorschach
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Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2019 11:44 am

Wild M10 delaminated/damaged lens in the zoom optics

#1 Post by Rorschach » Thu Jul 22, 2021 6:46 am

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IMG_3020.JPG (112.42 KiB) Viewed 2658 times
Hi,

I have been offered a deal on a Wild M10 optics body that has one of the two lowest lenses (that sit right above the objective) showing pretty severe delamination or other damage. Is the lens salvagable and if not, is it possible to find a replacement? Further question: how difficult is it to replace, i.e. will there be a nearly impossible alignment problem to be solved or would it be a relatively easy job of just unscrewing, replacing and rescrewing?

Here is an image of the lens in question. It looks like that will severely affect image quality if nothing is done, rendering the unit quite unusable.
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IMG_3020.JPG (112.42 KiB) Viewed 2658 times

Scarodactyl
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Re: Wild M10 delaminated/damaged lens in the zoom optics

#2 Post by Scarodactyl » Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:15 am

My guess is that this would be very difficult to find a replacement for, and it would be difficult (thogh perhaos not impossible) to maintain good alignment in the process. If it's really cheap it might be worth seeing how badly the view is affected--it kind of looka like coating damage from mold.

Rorschach
Posts: 334
Joined: Sun Mar 10, 2019 11:44 am

Re: Wild M10 delaminated/damaged lens in the zoom optics

#3 Post by Rorschach » Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:29 am

Scarodactyl wrote:
Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:15 am
My guess is that this would be very difficult to find a replacement for, and it would be difficult (thogh perhaos not impossible) to maintain good alignment in the process. If it's really cheap it might be worth seeing how badly the view is affected--it kind of looka like coating damage from mold.
That's what I thought as well. I have the repair/maintenance manual for the Wild M8 and from that it seems that collimation is required after zoom optic lenses are being fiddled with. No reason to think that a Wild M10 would be different in this regard. However, I do not have the repair manual for it. Perhaps I will ask from Leica Finland if they still have that lens part and how much it would cost to have it replaced. Probably will be way too much but asking doesn't cost anything. Best would be to find a Wild/Leica ex tech who could maybe do it at a more reasonable cost.

Phill Brown
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Re: Wild M10 delaminated/damaged lens in the zoom optics

#4 Post by Phill Brown » Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:09 am

I've seen similar that cleaned off without trace with Zeiss lens cleaner on cotton buds.
Not saying that's what it is but thread fungus will likely be on other parts also.
Has a fairly distinctive smell to me if I remember correctly.

Scarodactyl
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Re: Wild M10 delaminated/damaged lens in the zoom optics

#5 Post by Scarodactyl » Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:10 am

Odds are good if the threads are still there that they might come off clean. This looks like someone already cleaned it.

Phill Brown
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Re: Wild M10 delaminated/damaged lens in the zoom optics

#6 Post by Phill Brown » Thu Jul 22, 2021 11:58 am

I can only pass on that I bought a Nikon f trinocular head with thread fungus from Japan, didn't read the small print but that's why it was cheap.
Looked like the coatings would be damaged but Zeiss lens cleaner was the answer where IPA wasn't.
Worked on first surface reflector also. Spay on, left for a 20 secs then spray rinse with IPA.
I wouldn't spray directly onto a lens so rolled the cotton bud over the surface.
I have lens tissue and alcohol which have their place also.
Good luck, hope over expectation, might get lucky.

Rorschach
Posts: 334
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Re: Wild M10 delaminated/damaged lens in the zoom optics

#7 Post by Rorschach » Sat Jul 24, 2021 7:57 am

Thanks for the info. However, the seller responded that it's not a case of fungus. Instead, somebody was way too liberal with optics cleaning solution which got into the cement between the lens pairs of that doublet. Said it might still be possible to fix it but it's not an easy job and would need recementing the pair most likely. That doesn't sound feasible with my skill set. So the best (only?) option would be to find a replacement lens. These aren't readily available though, it seems. Would be great to find another M10 that is severely busted, and thus very cheap, but with a good corresponding lens to scavenge.

Scarodactyl
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Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2018 9:09 pm

Re: Wild M10 delaminated/damaged lens in the zoom optics

#8 Post by Scarodactyl » Sat Jul 24, 2021 1:54 pm

Interesting. I have never seen a broken M10 for sale--in fact I have only ever seen a couple ever. If the price is right recementing might not be too bad--Nathan Renfro (user microworldofgems) managed it with a Zeiss dic prism. It might be harder to get them apart than to put them back together--I tried it once with a Nikon stereo where both bottom lenses has recrystallized cement, but I could never separate the elements. If you try make sure to scribe it ao you can align it as it was. I wouls think you could also have 3d printed a jig of some sort to make alignment easier too.

Phill Brown
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Location: Devon UK.

Re: Wild M10 delaminated/damaged lens in the zoom optics

#9 Post by Phill Brown » Sun Jul 25, 2021 8:02 am

If lens cleaner got in then solvent would get in also?
Anyone who got way too liberal with any solution is unlikely to know what they are doing or make a 100% accurate assessment. Maybe it was "someone else" though.
I'd still be reasonably confident that it can be serviced and rectified by someone with the knowledge and tools.
Coating damage is from physical contact only more often than not.

Rorschach
Posts: 334
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Re: Wild M10 delaminated/damaged lens in the zoom optics

#10 Post by Rorschach » Sun Jul 25, 2021 9:51 am

Phill Brown wrote:
Sun Jul 25, 2021 8:02 am
If lens cleaner got in then solvent would get in also?
Anyone who got way too liberal with any solution is unlikely to know what they are doing or make a 100% accurate assessment. Maybe it was "someone else" though.
I'd still be reasonably confident that it can be serviced and rectified by someone with the knowledge and tools.
Coating damage is from physical contact only more often than not.
Yes, I guess solvent would penetrate probably even better. I am sure it was someone else. This seller has been in the scope business for decades and really knows his stuff in and out. What happened to that lens is probably the classical case of an inexperienced/ignorant user who didn't know the golden rule: "never put lens cleaning fluids directly on the optics, put that stuff on lens cleaning paper".

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