Re: Rank amateur camera lens questions

On Feb 15, 9:06 am, e...@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
On Sat, 14 Feb 2009 21:09:11 -0800 (PST), mp...@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
On Feb 14, 8:53=A0pm, e...@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Greetings All,
I have a digital camera that I'd like to use with lenses not made for
it. The camera is a Sony Cybershot DSC-W120. I am a machinist and have
the ability and equipment to make an adapter that will mount to the
camera by using the tripod screw hole. I understand that smaller
diameter lenses can be used with the camera because the imaging device
is so small. I have placed a 4X tele lens and a .5X wide angle lens
that I have in front of the camera lens and the camera is able to
focus through these lenses. What I'd like to do is cut down the
diameter of these lenses so that they weigh less and are more compact.
I'm thinking that I can make a hole saw and use diamond lapping
compound to cut a smaller lens out of the middle of the larger lens.
So I'm wondering if the smaller diameter lenses will work and what to
use to protect the lenses themselves while cutting them so that any
coatings are not damaged.
Thanks,
Eric Snow

Like this
http://www.bugeyedigital.com/product_main/ckc-unicam37.html

You might look at Richards web site with lots of images on conversions
and adapters
http://www.truetex.com/micad.htm

For glass lenses you can wax them onto a spindle (machine a brass
annulus that contacts the lens at the ~80% diameter point) then do
your grinding down of the lens in diameter.
For plastic lenses you can wax them on a spindle as well but the
coatings on plastic lense are not as durable as they are put on at a
lower temp (substrate will melt or soften) and you can just machine
the pmma or polycarb lens down to size.

To practice you can go by some cheap film cameras for a $1 at the
local good will store and practice.

Michael
www.oscintl.com

Greetings Michael,
Thanks for the speedy reply. I should have stated that another reason
to make smaller diameter lenses is just because I want to.  So what
kind of wax should I use, just plain old parrafin? And to remove the
wax? Acetone perhaps? To reduce the lens diameter my plan is to use a
machined to desired size brass tube (annulus) charged with diamond.
Then I'll chamfer the edges a little with a flat, hand held diamond
lap.
Cheers,
Eric- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

The wax is called stacking wax and they have different metling
temperatures.
I dont like these guys web or service but they are the only ones I
know of right now
http://www.universalphotonics.com/PrecisionOptics.htm
Yes acetone is pretty good at removing it.
This should work good for glass, you might want to try and machine the
pmma or plastic lenses with a regular lathe tool.
Mcihael
.

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