Silver Refinishing FAQs

Q: Are these lenses repainted?

No! Many black-finished vintage lenses were never painted in the first place, aside from their lettering. Rather, they were finished with black anodizing. These lenses have had the original black anodized coating chemically removed and replaced with a natural silver-colored anodizing.

Q: What is anodizing?

Anodizing is an electrochemical process whereby the outer surface of a raw aluminum piece is transformed into an extremely thin layer of hard aluminum oxide in a special chemical bath. This greatly increases the hardness of the aluminum surface, causing it to be much more durable and wear-resistant than it would otherwise be, perfect for a regularly handled item like a camera lens. When first anodized, the surface contains microscopic pores which will accept black or other colored dyes. After an item is dyed (or not, if a silver surface is preferred), it is then sealed using a heated chemical bath to create an impervious, permanent surface.

Q: How do you re-anodize/refinish these lenses?

First, the lens is completely reassembled and cleaned, and all lettering paint is removed using a chemical solvent. The original black finish is then removed using a caustic solution, revealing the natural silver coloring of the metal fabric. Parts to receive a shiny “chrome” surface are then machine-buffed to a high shine. The parts are then cleaned again and re-anodized, leaving a permanent and factory-durable silver finish. All engraved lettering is hand-repainted, and the lens is reassembled, tuned, and calibrated.

Q: Does this process fix wear/damage to a lens?

Since anodizing does not deposit a new surface, but merely transforms the existing metal surface into a hard coating, it will not cover up wear/damage to the surface of a lens, nor does it cover natural grain/crystal structure that may be apparent in the aluminum used to make the lens. However, it will even out the color compared to worn areas on a black finish, often allowing them to blend in much better than they did before. Any existing exterior wear to the lens will be mentioned in the item description and shown in the photos accompanying the listing.

Q: Do you also CLA the lens while it is apart?

Yes! The lens disassembly involved in reanodizing also provides a great opportunity to CLA (Clean/Lube/Adjust) the internal optics and mechanics of a lens. See my CLA FAQ below for details!

Q: Why are your CLA items marked “No Returns”

Due to the labor-intensive nature of this process involved and the unique nature of these lenses, it is unfortunately not worth my while to offer my regular 14 day “any reason” money-back policy on these items. They are, however, protected under eBay’s standard money-back policy in the case of mechanical or optical defects. Please read the item description and look at the photos closely before making your purchase.

Q: Why do you not refinish certain brands/models of lens?

Not all vintage lenses are amenable to this process. Vintage metal Nikon lenses, for example, are completely coated in a very durable layer of hard lacquer that is incredibly stubborn to remove, making this process unfeasible in most cases. Most Canon FD series lenses are the same way. Other lenses employ parts made of plastic or other materials that cannot be re-anodized. Good candidates, on the other hand, include many Pentax Takumar and K, Minolta MC/MD, Canon FL, and Hexanon series lenses .I select lenses that I think fans of vintage lenses will find desirable and which I think will look particularly attractive in a silver finish. If there’s any particular lens you’d like to see refinished, feel free to reach out to me, and we can discuss the feasibility.

CLA FAQs

This lens has been completely disassembled and CLAed (Cleaned/Lubed/Adjusted), with cleaning of individual components aperture cleaning and total helical cleaning/relube for like-new performance!

Q: Why buy a CLAed lens?

Put quite simply, lenses get dirty over time. Many used vintage sold lenses here on eBay are described as “mint condition,” typically meaning they are free of obvious optical flaws like haze or fungus and have a clean-appearing exterior. However, opening them up tells a quite different story. While these lenses may appear tightly built, they nearly all use open designs, which allows substantial amounts of dust, dirt, and grit to enter the lens, where it settles into delicate precision components, adversely affecting the mechanical properties of the lens and leading to increased wear. Furthermore, even in unused samples, lubricants tend to degrade over time, leading to degraded focus action as grease dries out, or slow blades and soiled optics as oil migrates within the lens.

Q: What  services do you perform on the lens before sale?

With the lens disassembled, I perform a full CLA (Clean Lube Adjust). This entails cleaning out any internal and external soiling, cleaning aperture blades of grease that can slowing, re-lubing the focus helical, and adjusting all components for tightness and accuracy. Where there is extensive dust or internal lens soiling, I will disassemble lens cells and clean off surfaces; however, it is my general philosophy to keep lens elements in their factory positions in assembled cells when at all possible to ensure optimum performance.

Q: DUST? What do you mean DUST?

A: All vintage lenses have dust in them. In fact, they had dust in them when they were brand new from the factory! This is because prior to the advent of very modern sealed designs, lenses were not put together in a clean room environment, and the natural static charge of the glass tends to attract dust particles. Coupled with the open designs used in these lenses, it is virtually impossible to find any vintage lens without some degree of dust particles visible when you look closely through the lens. All of my CLA lenses have at minimum the exterior and internal cell surfaces wiped with a dust-free, lab-grade optical tissue and then blown off with an air bulb prior to reassembly and thus have a significantly below average amount of dust for a vintage lens.

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