Replacing the front element

st11x · 24th January 2004

Hi,

I have a lens that has a very faint scratch on the glass. So far, it hasn't cause me any concerns, and most of the time when I hold the lens up, I can't really see the fault.

However, I would like to ask if I can get the front element replaced? The lens is a minolta and I tried to send a query via their website but the form goes dead when I press on the submit button. If you don't key in anything at all, the form woirks fine (makes you wonder what message are they sending).
I'm currently in Australia. I had worse experiences with Minolta Singapore (and their parent), so I'm not really surprised.

If it can be done, what kind of money am I looking to pay?

Thanks
Matt

sehsuan · 24th January 2004

guess you can only contact Minolta and their subsidaries to see what they can do for you. i've only heard of another user replacing a front element, but that was a canon.

mylau · 24th January 2004

Originally Posted by st11x

Hi,

I have a lens that has a very faint scratch on the glass. So far, it hasn't cause me any concerns, and most of the time when I hold the lens up, I can't really see the fault.

However, I would like to ask if I can get the front element replaced? The lens is a minolta and I tried to send a query via their website but the form goes dead when I press on the submit button. If you don't key in anything at all, the form woirks fine (makes you wonder what message are they sending).
I'm currently in Australia. I had worse experiences with Minolta Singapore (and their parent), so I'm not really surprised.

If it can be done, what kind of money am I looking to pay?

Thanks
Matt

i've paid $400 to replace a front element before.

sehsuan · 24th January 2004

$400 on what lens, mylau?

st11x · 25th January 2004

Originally Posted by mylau

i've paid $400 to replace a front element before.

Wow! That's too steep for the lens I bought. I paid about SGD $ 650 for the lens when it was new. Maybe they have different prices for lens of different grade. As with anything Australian prices, it'll probably be double that

Minolta have like a main distributor here. It's hagemayer.com.au. Tried their website to send an equiry, but the same thing happens to their form. Bad luck.

I'll probably have to ring them up on the next business day.

Matt

SNAG · 25th January 2004

Hi there, st11x!

Just to ask, is the front element causing any image degradation on your pictures? If not, I suggest that you don't change the front element. From what I assume (and I may be jolly well wrong), replacing the front element is not going to be cheap, and if it ain't broke, why fix it?

If it really turns out to be more than $200, I suggest that you spend the money elsewhere.

And to prevent such incidents from happening, put a protective filter on everytime you shoot..

Just my 2 cents worth!

st11x · 25th January 2004

The lens still work beautifully at the moment. I just thought if things get worse, I might want to send it in for a replacement.

Now that I know the average price of doing it, the money is probably better spent on a new lens in my case

I used to have the UV filter on my old lenses but I have stopped using them.

Thanks
Matt

ST1100 · 25th January 2004

If you can barely see the scratch, it shouldn't affect the image. Shine a torch at it and notice what angles the line is most visible. Those are the angles where stray light hitting the front element will degrade the picture the most. Keep the hood on.

Kit · 25th January 2004

I used to shoot with a 70-200 f/2.8 that had a cracked front element with a small portion chipped off. My pics turned out alright. Guess I was lucky.

smallaperture · 28th January 2004

Originally Posted by st11x

The lens still work beautifully at the moment. I just thought if things get worse, I might want to send it in for a replacement.

Now that I know the average price of doing it, the money is probably better spent on a new lens in my case

I used to have the UV filter on my old lenses but I have stopped using them.

Thanks
Matt

You say you stopped using filter to protect your lens. I wonder why. Is it that you're more daring now, living more dangerously or something.

With my small digicam, I am always worried that I scratch or chip the front element of the lens. With SLR lenses, there is no worries for me, as I always have the filter for protection. It's like buying insurance, no worries.

Filter degrading your pix? Never, just do an A/B comparison. Even single coated filter will do. HMC, the standard for multi-coated ones are better.

sriram · 28th January 2004

One of my very best lens has a scratch on the front element. However the scratch is not huge and the image quality is still superb. Unless your scratch is like a crater, I'd suggest just using the lens and don't worry about it. I've used a friend's Kiev medium format kit with scratches and dings on the lens but the image quality is still superb... I only faced a problem when shooting directly at the sun when it tends to flare a bit more.

AReality · 29th January 2004

For your info...
Canon S'pore quoted me $340 to change the front element of a 70-200 F2.8.

HelmetBox · 30th January 2004

I read on the net sometime ago that some guy actually took the glass out then went to some spectacle shop and asked them to duplicate the exact lens with the same dimensions and index....... Don't know how true is it?

st11x · 30th January 2004

Originally Posted by smallaperture

You say you stopped using filter to protect your lens. I wonder why. Is it that you're more daring now, living more dangerously or something.

Don't really know why I started off this lens without it. I probably thought the lens designer would have invented a detachable "pre-front" element if it didn't had any adverse effects on a lens. Maybe they were after more business coz you will definitely scratch it

Well, I'm regreting that now.

Matt

st11x · 30th January 2004

Originally Posted by HelmetBox

I read on the net sometime ago that some guy actually took the glass out then went to some spectacle shop and asked them to duplicate the exact lens with the same dimensions and index....... Don't know how true is it?

That's interesting. The spectable stores do carry lens made from Nikon. Hmm, if it is good for you eyes, it must be good for the camera

He took the glass out from his lens?

HelmetBox · 30th January 2004

Originally Posted by st11x

That's interesting. The spectable stores do carry lens made from Nikon. Hmm, if it is good for you eyes, it must be good for the camera

He took the glass out from his lens?

From the write up, he mentioned that he removed the front element then went down to get a 'duplicate' as its basically just 'a piece of lens'. I'll do a search on the net again and if I find the article I'll post the link

smallaperture · 1st February 2004

The replaceable front element is simple the protective UV/skylight filter. Simple, isn't it. If you ever scratch or crack it, no problem, just replace it. I always have a spare filter to replace just in case I crack the one I have on the lens.

In fact, during the excitement of shooting, and moving on, I forget to replace the lens cap, and put cam and lens into the bag. This happens quite often to me. So far, the filter gets dirty only, and no scratch. The filter is the fall guy, the insurance.

TME · 1st February 2004

Originally Posted by smallaperture

The replaceable front element is simple the protective UV/skylight filter. Simple, isn't it. If you ever scratch or crack it, no problem, just replace it. I always have a spare filter to replace just in case I crack the one I have on the lens.

In fact, during the excitement of shooting, and moving on, I forget to replace the lens cap, and put cam and lens into the bag. This happens quite often to me. So far, the filter gets dirty only, and no scratch. The filter is the fall guy, the insurance.

Isn't the front element an integral part of the lens? If u read lens specs it always says how many elements in how many groups.... The skylight/UV filter is just the filter and that's not part of the lens. It's an external piece of glass screwed onto the lens thread.

TME · 1st February 2004

Originally Posted by st11x

Hi,

I have a lens that has a very faint scratch on the glass. So far, it hasn't cause me any concerns, and most of the time when I hold the lens up, I can't really see the fault.

However, I would like to ask if I can get the front element replaced? The lens is a minolta and I tried to send a query via their website but the form goes dead when I press on the submit button. If you don't key in anything at all, the form woirks fine (makes you wonder what message are they sending).
I'm currently in Australia. I had worse experiences with Minolta Singapore (and their parent), so I'm not really surprised.

If it can be done, what kind of money am I looking to pay?

Thanks
Matt

Is it possible to do a DIY polish or get some camera workshop to do a little polishing for u. I know those polishing creams or something like that that can remove very fine scratches? Might beat changing the front element.

oeyvind · 1st February 2004

Originally Posted by TME

Is it possible to do a DIY polish or get some camera workshop to do a little polishing for u. I know those polishing creams or something like that that can remove very fine scratches? Might beat changing the front element.

by doing that you are also removing whatever coating on it as well.

24th January 2004	#1
st11x Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Canberra,Australia Posts: 57	Replacing the front element Hi, I have a lens that has a very faint scratch on the glass. So far, it hasn't cause me any concerns, and most of the time when I hold the lens up, I can't really see the fault. However, I would like to ask if I can get the front element replaced? The lens is a minolta and I tried to send a query via their website but the form goes dead when I press on the submit button. If you don't key in anything at all, the form woirks fine (makes you wonder what message are they sending). I'm currently in Australia. I had worse experiences with Minolta Singapore (and their parent), so I'm not really surprised. If it can be done, what kind of money am I looking to pay? Thanks Matt

25th January 2004	#9
Kit Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Bukit Timah / Melbourne CBD Posts: 6,010	I used to shoot with a 70-200 f/2.8 that had a cracked front element with a small portion chipped off. My pics turned out alright. Guess I was lucky. __________________ arkitectural photography http://arkitecturalphoto.1x.com/

29th January 2004	#12
AReality Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 4,395	For your info... Canon S'pore quoted me $340 to change the front element of a 70-200 F2.8. __________________ . The Visual Journalist

24th January 2004	#2
sehsuan Deregistered Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 6,674	guess you can only contact Minolta and their subsidaries to see what they can do for you. i've only heard of another user replacing a front element, but that was a canon.

25th January 2004	#6
SNAG Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 1,410	Hi there, st11x! Just to ask, is the front element causing any image degradation on your pictures? If not, I suggest that you don't change the front element. From what I assume (and I may be jolly well wrong), replacing the front element is not going to be cheap, and if it ain't broke, why fix it? If it really turns out to be more than $200, I suggest that you spend the money elsewhere. And to prevent such incidents from happening, put a protective filter on everytime you shoot.. Just my 2 cents worth!

25th January 2004	#8
ST1100 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Singapore, Bedok Posts: 1,801	If you can barely see the scratch, it shouldn't affect the image. Shine a torch at it and notice what angles the line is most visible. Those are the angles where stray light hitting the front element will degrade the picture the most. Keep the hood on.

28th January 2004	#11
sriram Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 1,274	One of my very best lens has a scratch on the front element. However the scratch is not huge and the image quality is still superb. Unless your scratch is like a crater, I'd suggest just using the lens and don't worry about it. I've used a friend's Kiev medium format kit with scratches and dings on the lens but the image quality is still superb... I only faced a problem when shooting directly at the sun when it tends to flare a bit more.

30th January 2004	#13
HelmetBox Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Posts: 1,312	I read on the net sometime ago that some guy actually took the glass out then went to some spectacle shop and asked them to duplicate the exact lens with the same dimensions and index....... Don't know how true is it?

1st February 2004	#17
smallaperture Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Catchment Area Posts: 2,423	The replaceable front element is simple the protective UV/skylight filter. Simple, isn't it. If you ever scratch or crack it, no problem, just replace it. I always have a spare filter to replace just in case I crack the one I have on the lens. In fact, during the excitement of shooting, and moving on, I forget to replace the lens cap, and put cam and lens into the bag. This happens quite often to me. So far, the filter gets dirty only, and no scratch. The filter is the fall guy, the insurance.