Mitutoyo 5x - Haze/Residue Issue

Brandontmyers · Post by **Brandontmyers** » Wed Oct 02, 2019 6:50 am

Hi Everyone,

I recently acquired a Mitutoyo M Plan APO 5x. There appears to be some residue or haze on the front lens element. I have attempted to clean it but it appears to be on the inside. Cleaning it does not improve anything.

Is this something that can be fixed/repaired? I have seen some videos of people disassembling a Mitutoyo objective, but did not want to go down that road quite yet.

Chris S. · Post by **Chris S.** » Wed Oct 02, 2019 7:29 am

Brandon,

If you can possibly return this objective, I'd advise that you do so immediately. Sad to say, Mitutoyo objectives should be regarded as non-repairable. You might be able to disassemble this one, but getting it back together with all the elements correctly shimmed and aligned, would be difficult/impossible. It's worth noting that even Mitutoyo reportedly will not perform this service.

Good luck!

--Chris S.

Scarodactyl · Post by **Scarodactyl** » Wed Oct 02, 2019 7:51 am

Look at it under a stereo if you have one. It might actually be etched. It looks like one I had a while back (I almost wonder if it could possibly be the same one) https://www.photomacrography.net/forum/ ... hp?t=38344

Brandontmyers · Post by **Brandontmyers** » Wed Oct 02, 2019 8:12 am

Thanks to you both! I was afraid it was going to be bad. I got this one on eBay. After a ton of back and forth where the seller stated that there 'was nothing wrong with the objective', I got a refund to bring the total to $60. Still, if it doesn't work that doesn't really help.

Here is what it looks like at 4.5x under my scope. Forgive the white balance. The camera attached to my scope is terrible.

Scarodactyl · Post by **Scarodactyl** » Wed Oct 02, 2019 8:36 am

Yup, not much to be done about that I think. Someone left it next to the HF or something.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Wed Oct 02, 2019 11:55 am

I'm very sorry to hear about the objective.

On the bright side, that's one of the finest images of etched glass that I've ever seen.

--Rik

ray_parkhurst · Post by **ray_parkhurst** » Wed Oct 02, 2019 2:31 pm

I had an objective with sort of similar etching, which really killed the contrast and overall IQ. I ended up hitting it with a very light coat of clear lacquer, and it worked surprisingly well after.

Brandontmyers · Post by **Brandontmyers** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 1:25 pm

rjlittlefield wrote:I'm very sorry to hear about the objective.

On the bright side, that's one of the finest images of etched glass that I've ever seen.

--Rik

A consolation prize I guess! Thank you :-)

Brandontmyers · Post by **Brandontmyers** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 1:26 pm

ray_parkhurst wrote:I had an objective with sort of similar etching, which really killed the contrast and overall IQ. I ended up hitting it with a very light coat of clear lacquer, and it worked surprisingly well after.

I am very interested in trying this! At this point, the lens is useless to me so if I can do something to improve the quality, I am absolutely on board.

Is there a specific lacquer I should use? And when you say a very light coat, would it be like one pass of lacquer?

ray_parkhurst · Post by **ray_parkhurst** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 1:36 pm

I just used clear spray lacquer, I don't remember the brand. I did a couple quick passes over the lens. First pass dried and left some texture. Second pass filled in all the texture and left the surface smooth. You may need more than 2 passes given the deep etched texture I'm seeing.

Scarodactyl · Post by **Scarodactyl** » Thu Oct 03, 2019 6:41 pm

Please try this and post the results! It would be awesome if it worked!

Macro_Cosmos · Post by **Macro_Cosmos** » Sat Oct 05, 2019 2:55 am

Welcome to Mitutoyo and their abysmal quality control. It appears to be separation, there's nothing that can be done really. If you pull it apart, you won't be able to put it back with the precision required. Still $60 is a nice deal.

Mitutoyo 20x M Plan objectives have the poorest longevity. 3 of them crapped itself on a friend I know after just 3 years of use on his measuring stuff.

Wish there are better made mit alternatives at similar prices, but unfortunately it doesn't appear to exist. '

Chris S. wrote: It's worth noting that even Mitutoyo reportedly will not perform this service.

Yes, they won't. Mitutoyo objectives are like disposable containers. Hell, some come out of the factory and misalign itself. It's quantity over quality. That's how they achieve the cheaper prices (in perspective).

Macrero · Post by **Macrero** » Sat Oct 05, 2019 4:11 am

I would have returned it. $60 for a ruined objective are still $60 wasted.

As already mentioned, you won't be able to re-assemble it correctly. Furthermore, you can't fix delamination.

I have used Mitutoyo objectives with light scratches and even small chips with more than acceptable result.

But this is a completely different story. Never tried/heard off the clear lacquer "solution". Not sure if it will work in this case, since the delamination seems to be inside the optics. But since you already accepted the partial refund and you can't return the objective, you can try that.

Anyway, good luck with the repair.

- Macrero

Scarodactyl · Post by **Scarodactyl** » Sat Oct 05, 2019 7:52 am

Where are you getting delamination from this? The front element has been partially dissolved, that isn't Mitutoyo's fault.

Macrero · Post by **Macrero** » Sat Oct 05, 2019 8:16 am

Scarodactyl wrote:Where are you getting delamination from this? The front element has been partially dissolved, that isn't Mitutoyo's fault.

From the pics, it seems like a kind of delamination to me. I did not say it is a Mitutoyo's fault. Though, truth be told, I've had at least a couple of delaminated Mitutoyo objectives. One was a 20X, can't recall the other one(s). No one's perfect, neither is Mitutoyo.

You can send a Nikon or Olympus objective to the manufacturer for repair. Depending on the issue, it can be very expensive and not worthy. But they would accept the repair in most cases. Mitutoyo would not, no matter how easy or dificult the repair would be.