Re: Stereo Ricohmatic 225 progress

[Eric Goldstein <egoldste@xxxxxx>]

Greg Erker wrote:

>   I am considering mixing and matching
> front and rear lens goups to improve my
> odds. Does anyone know a reason why I shouldn't?
> (I don't think Ricoh matched fronts up with
> a specific rear group. The fronts are serial
> numbered but the rears aren't.)

Classic camera shooters are always asking this question because they may
have a perfectly wonderful camera in their possession except the front
element has been destroyed and they want to replace it with one from
their parts camera.

According to Master Camera Tech Ken Ruth, this is not a good idea.

He contends that before the 70s, fine optical glasses had to be cooked
up in relatively small batches (little automation) and there was fairly
significant variation from batch to batch. Just as the tolerances for
grinding were far greater than today, the tolerances for refractive
indices were also far greater, and batch-to-batch matching of lens
elements was part of the lens-making equation.

I have no direct experience or knowledge about this, merely passing the
information along...


Eric G.