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Scratch on lens...
Been a while since I've posted on Apug. Wanted to hear what you thought of a slight scratch on a lens I recently purchased. The lens is an older/vintage, 480mm Rodenstock APO Ronar.
Lens has what appears to be a very slight surface scratch (maybe 1/4" at that). Not deep, but it's there on the surface. Lens was a great price and will allow me to experiment before making the bigger investment (should I choose to ever replace this lens).
I've done some reading on 'scratched lenses' and thus far, deduce that I should leave it be. Says I can actually do more harm to the lens attempting to buff, polish or attempt repair to the glass.
What say you?
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In controlled or muted lighting it's unlikely to affect your images. Shooting into the sun or any specular light source (like flash) it could result in flare.
It's sometimes recommended to fill such a scratch with India Ink.
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Why don't you do some shooting with it as a test. Chances are, the scratch doesn't affect the image quality. Just leave it be. Buffing it will probably do more damage to the lens because you might rub off the coating on the lens. It's like that pimple on prom night. It perceived bigger than it really is 
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It's not going to effect anything. If you don't believe me look at this lens test:
http://kurtmunger.com/dirty_lens_articleid35.html
If you are taking pictures into the sun ya, maybe you will notice some contrast loss. But unlikely.
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Use a lens hood if you think that flare will be a problem; but then you should be using one anyway. Don't worry about it.
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Excellent advice and information...you've helped answer several questions I had. As always...thank you!
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he he
It is probably like the gunk that seems to collect on my glasses.
I don't notice it until I look AT my glasses.
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 Originally Posted by Dorothy Blum Cooper
...What say you?
Check out this link:
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/p...lens-club.html
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According to the excellent manual by Arthur Cox, 'Photographic Optics', the fix for a scratch is to fill it with an opaque varnish (or black paint).
I suppose these days you could use acrylic paint as, being water based, you could easily remove it and try again if you messed it up.
The reason for doing this is because a scratch will disperse light at that point, causing flare...
BUT! Little scratch, very little flare, methinks 
Bottom line, can you see a problem with flare when you use the lens? Is it actually causing a problem? I really doubt it...
Best policy is probably not to do anything at all unless you know the scratch is causing an issue.
Any attempt to polish or buff the lens will scrap it, I'm sure.
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I was given an old Tamron SP lens with a gouge across the front element.Filled in the rut with Indian ink,let it dry,and cleaned with a microfiber cloth.
Shot a test roll with the sun just out of the frame.No flare!Keep in mind that this lens looked like it was "Keyed" and what I did was a radical fix with nothing to loose.
Give your glass,with hood, a try and see how it performs.My solution is a last resort.
Mike
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