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Process to "uncoat" Cooke Mini S4s

Chris Adams

Chris Adams

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Hey guys, I just bought a set of mini S4's and I'm looking into getting uncoated front elements for them as well. I'm wondering if anyone has any information about the cost/where to buy them.

Also does anyone know the process involved in switching them out? All I can find online is that a "trained lens technician" should swap them out.

Does anyone have any experience in this?
 
I have had a set with the extra uncoated elements. I would buy direct from ZGC in the states, talk to Christine . And yes, this has to be done by a trained lens technician. It'S not a "let's change the elements for that shot" kind of thing. It takes a couple of hours to do ($$) and preferably in a dust free environment . Check with a local rental house that carries Cooke lenses if they could do it for you and for what price. Or you can send them to ZGC to have them swapped . The last option is probably the best bet . Good luck.
 
You guys... Do NOT have your lens coatings removed.

The Mini-S4/i lenses are the only cinema lenses, to my knowledge, where the manufacturer sells uncoated front and rear elements, upon request, and a tool set to change them.

This is a swap procedure, not a removal. Please keep the front elements with coatings, do not remove the coatings from the glass surface.


I own two sets of Mini-S4's and I have the tool set and uncoated front and rear elements. It's a swap procedure that is simple enough for any basic lens tech to do. I have an intermediate level of optics knowledge and experience, thus I do front and rear elements swaps along with shimming and basic maintenance on my lenses, including my Mini-S4's.

Yes this is something you do from job-to-job, but it's only really worth changing when the jobs are larger budgets or they are feature films. I say this because out in LA, a set of regular six Mini's is approx $400/day... to have a rental house lens tech change them, it is likely $200 to swap each direction. So to go uncoated and back, you're looking at $400. Suddenly your client is looking at $800 + whatever you charge extra for the uncoated elements. It gets to be a little unattractive for a weekend music video.

I am lucky to have optics experience and can pass much more realistic savings to my clients, as rental houses also do.

I'm currently doing a lens test today and tomorrow with my lenses. I'm comparing coated Mini's, uncoated front mini's and uncoated front/rear Mini's. Will post to RedUser (or can be seen at my rental website here), when finished. Hopefully end of this weekend.

If you have any questions about this procedure or the uncoated look, please PM me or email me at RyanPatrickOHara(at)gmail{dot}com
 
To also further answer your question;

A set of six uncoated front elements for the standard 18, 25, 32, 50, 75 and 100 set is approx $2,000 from ZGC
https://www.zgc.com/s/p/cooke-zuncoatedp.html

The rental house tech can use a typical spanner wrench to remove the front retainer/clamp rings to access and swap the front elements, but I would HIGHLY recommend the tool-set cooke makes. These are machined rings to the specific needed diameter of each lens. By using these tools, the risk of error is greatly reduced. Cost depends. I have multiple sets up to a nine-set so I needed the 8-tool set (the 18mm does not have notches/keys, you must unscrew with friction) which is $1,100. If you have the standard 6-set, you can purchase the 5-tool set for $850: https://www.zgc.com/s/p/cooke-z-toolm.html


The same set of uncoated REAR elements are $1,225:
https://www.zgc.com/s/p/cooke-zuncoatedrear.html

If you have the 40, 65, or 135 those uncoated front elements are purchased separately at approx $300-400/each:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1005638-REG/cooke_8_7_1_1_uncoated_front_element_for_40mm.html
https://zgc.com/s/p/cooke-8.6.1.1-uncoated.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1005640-REG/cooke_8_8_1_1_uncoated_front_element_for_65mm.html

If you are interested in uncoated Rear elements for those extra focal lengths as well:
https://www.zgc.com/s/p/cooke-8.7.1.8-uncoated.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...8_1_8_uncoated_uncoated_rear_element_set.html
https://zgc.com/s/p/cooke-8.6.1.9-uncoated.html


ALL in for uncoated fronts, rears and tools for a standard 6-set of Mini's will cost you approx $4,000.
 
Ryan Patrick O'Hara said:
You guys... Do NOT have your lens coatings removed.

The Mini-S4/i lenses are the only cinema lenses, to my knowledge, where the manufacturer sells uncoated front and rear elements, upon request, and a tool set to change them.

This is a swap procedure, not a removal. Please keep the front elements with your coatings.


An addendum to Ryan's post: Luma Tech, distributors of the ILLUMINA series (www.lumatechinc.com) of high speed S35 lenses also furnishes factory-supplied uncoated front elements for focal lenghts 18, 25, 35, 50 & 85mm. We may also do the 135mm on special request. Yes, changing them out should be done by an experienced technician with access to a positive airflow hood/assembly cabinet to minimize entry of dust. The job is straight-forward and not horribly time consuming. Back focus should be re-checked when swapping elements.

For a tech closest to you, you might try calling Frank Battaglia at Commander (formerly CPT) in Atlanta. They have an experienced "old school" technician there who should be able to help. www.commanderllc.com

Hope this info is helpful to you and others.
Click to expand...
 
I was chatting to a guy at Cooke about this and I'm sure he said that it was easier to swap out the front elements than the rear ones and that swapping the front elements out had the biggest effect of the two procedures anyway.

Just thought I'd throw that in there in case it's helpful to know.

Freya
 
@Chris: If you're still interested I have Fred's former set of uncoated front elements that I would be willing to sell you. PM me for details

A
 
Ryan Patrick O'Hara said:
To also further answer your question;

A set of six uncoated front elements for the standard 18, 25, 32, 50, 75 and 100 set is approx $2,000 from ZGC
https://www.zgc.com/s/p/cooke-zuncoatedp.html

The rental house tech can use a typical spanner wrench to remove the front retainer/clamp rings to access and swap the front elements, but I would HIGHLY recommend the tool-set cooke makes. These are machined rings to the specific needed diameter of each lens. By using these tools, the risk of error is greatly reduced. Cost depends. I have multiple sets up to a nine-set so I needed the 8-tool set (the 18mm does not have notches/keys, you must unscrew with friction) which is $1,100. If you have the standard 6-set, you can purchase the 5-tool set for $850: https://www.zgc.com/s/p/cooke-z-toolm.html


The same set of uncoated REAR elements are $1,225:
https://www.zgc.com/s/p/cooke-zuncoatedrear.html

If you have the 40, 65, or 135 those uncoated front elements are purchased separately at approx $300-400/each:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1005638-REG/cooke_8_7_1_1_uncoated_front_element_for_40mm.html
https://zgc.com/s/p/cooke-8.6.1.1-uncoated.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1005640-REG/cooke_8_8_1_1_uncoated_front_element_for_65mm.html

If you are interested in uncoated Rear elements for those extra focal lengths as well:
https://www.zgc.com/s/p/cooke-8.7.1.8-uncoated.html
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...8_1_8_uncoated_uncoated_rear_element_set.html
https://zgc.com/s/p/cooke-8.6.1.9-uncoated.html


ALL in for uncoated fronts, rears and tools for a standard 6-set of Mini's will cost you approx $4,000.
Click to expand...


Do you know if there's a way to buy an individual tool for a specific lens? If sending in to the lens tech is about the same price to service as buying the tool itself, I'd rather own the tool so I can swap at my own leisure.
 
Kenneth Bauer said:
Do you know if there's a way to buy an individual tool for a specific lens? If sending in to the lens tech is about the same price to service as buying the tool itself, I'd rather own the tool so I can swap at my own leisure.
Click to expand...

I'd imagine ZGC would sell you whatever you'd like to buy :) haha. I just bought the new 21mm uncoated front element, rear element and the tool separeately, because it's not included in any 'sets'.

Email chris(at)zgc(dot)com

Do you just have a couple focal lengths?
 
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