BEWARE: UV Nikkor 105mm on ebay - tampered with / modified

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

There is a UV Nikkor 105mm currently on ebay which has been massively modified / tampered with,
yet the seller is unwilling to warn potential buyers, although I have exchanged a lot with him, incl.
presenting him proof.

It is even unclear if the main optics are still the same and included, as he is unwilling to deliver proof
that it takes images. He has proven though (to me), that focus blocks at 5 meters and cannot be set
to infinity when mounted to a camera body.

Left is my lens, right the modified one by that seller. Note the protruding rear dark metal part.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Strange. That lens to the right definitively is not the standard edition.

I fail to understand why such a modification was performed, though.

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Strange. That lens to the right definitively is not the standard edition.

I fail to understand why such a modification was performed, though.

It may have been used in an optic lab etc. or was built into a special imaging system,
I have seen such before. How far that mod went, what it does, if it is still working for
photographic multispectral purposes and if it is still parfocal (!!) is highly questionable.

I've seen this lens being used as a collimating optic where a parfocal beam was needed
for UV-VIS-NIR and also for scientific multispectral image amplification systems.

Certainly not a modification Nikon has done. I never heard of them doing such.

[Akira]

The additional part appears to contain a rear filter.  It should be easy to assume that it was modified for a special purpose and mounted on a certain dedicated imaging apparatus without the reflex mirror.

[Bjørn Rørslett]

Is this lens still on eBay, Klaus? I searched for it and couldn't find it anywhere. The only UV-Nikkor found is from a European vendor and appears to be in perfect factory condition. Price is very high, though, so potential customers should consult Sevenoaks.com or similar sources for a Rayfact UV 105 lens. The Rayfact might be cheaper ...

[simsurace]

Is this lens still on eBay, Klaus? I searched for it and couldn't find it anywhere. The only UV-Nikkor found is from a European vendor and appears to be in perfect factory condition. Price is very high, though, so potential customers should consult Sevenoaks.com or similar sources for a Rayfact UV 105 lens. The Rayfact might be cheaper ...

sevenoaks.com seems to be a hedge fund. Did you mean http://www.company7.com ?

EDIT: Yes. My bad memory.

[Akira]

I don't know the current avarage price of UV 105, but when I asked a couple of dealers about the price of Rayfact UV 105 several years ago, their quotes were around 550,000 JPY.

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

I don't know the current avarage price of UV 105, but when I asked a couple of dealers about the price of Rayfact UV 105 several years ago, their quotes were around 550,000 JPY.

My last info was around JPY630.000, so depending on exchange rates and import taxes, plus seller markup end up at around $6.000 for a new one in box with warranty(!!)

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Seller just informed me that it was attached to a Crime Scene UV System which obviously was modified by the maker to suit their individual needs.
As it was purely used for UV, I'm pretty sure the optics added or modified destroyed its perfect parfocality!

[Akira]

Then the rear filter could be 1.25" Baadar U...

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Then the rear filter could be 1.25" Baadar U...

Akira, I know we are all getting older and eyesight dwindles, but I cannot see a filter, rather a lens.
Mr Baader's Venus filter invention actually made reflected UV imaging possible at high quality, so
personally I think he deserves the correct spelling of his name ;-)

[Akira]

Akira, I know we are all getting older and eyesight dwindles, but I cannot see a filter, rather a lens.
Mr Baader's Venus filter invention actually made reflected UV imaging possible at high quality, so
personally I think he deserves the correct spelling of his name ;-)

Klaus, I see a flat opaque thingie in the rear part of the modified UV Nikkor whose image you posted above.  The flat thingie is apparently fixed with the retaining ring with two tiny holes into which a popular tool can be sticked to tighten or loosen.

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Klaus, I see a flat opaque thingie in the rear part of the modified UV Nikkor whose image you posted above.  The flat thingie is apparently fixed with the retaining ring with two tiny holes into which a popular tool can be sticked to tighten or loosen.

You may be right, but actually that looks like a conventional lens mount to me, so personally I would guess it is some sort of Barlow or Smithe lens which has been added to the optical path, especially since it moves with changing the focus.

[Andrea B.]

Klaus - thank you for the heads up on this lens both here and on UVP (via Alex). 

It appears that the Ebay ad has been expanded to include info about the forensic addition.
I thought I would post my correspondence with the seller for everyone to see.
At this point I do not think there was any intent to mislead, just lack of knowledge about an original UV-Nikkor.

Andrea:
(...asks about the lens...)

Seller:
Are you referring to the view on the pictures that show extended optics when the lens is on an infinity setting? It does mount to a Nikon camera with no problem (see attached photo) but because it was used with forensic equipment it may have had an additional piece added on the back of the lens that doesn't allow for the full infinity setting when used on a camera without an adapter. I have another person who owns a UV Nikkor UV105 F/4.5 who mentioned that as well. If it is a problem I will either add that information to the listing or remove the listing until I get further clarification.

Andrea:
Thank you for the quick response.
 Yes, I think you should explain the addition on the rear of the lens. Your listing raised a "red flag" on my website UltravioletPhotography.com because this lens did not "look right" to those of us who own it. Our members would want to understand why there was something extra on this lens and how it affected focus. Also, do you know whether that extra piece is removeable?
 Thanks again -
 Andrea Blum
 UltravioletPhotography.com

Seller:(bolding is from Andrea)
I have added the revisions to the listing as well as a picture of it mounted on my Nikon camera. I.was told by a man who owns an original that he could remove whatever it is on their that may have been added but Sirchie (the company who makes the Ruvis forensic equipment that it was attached to) told me this morning that it is very unlikely that they ordered it altered from the factory. Since it is from one of their early products they don't know for sure. They now sell their product with a UV60mm lens (probably a Canon).

Added to the Ebay post. The red lettering is from the seller, not me. Bolding is mine.
On Nov-20-15 at 10:40:14 PST, seller added the following information:

 Special Note: This lens was used with a Sirchie Ruvis Krimesite Scope for police forensic use and it comes with a Nikon F - C adapter to fit on the Krimesite Scope that it attaches too.  It will fit a regular F mount Nikon, but because I have shown the images with the lens focus set to infinity a couple of watchers have suggested that it will not allow for the full infinity setting when used on a camera without an adapter.  I apologize for not putting this in the original listing details but I was not aware of any potential problem. I have updated the listing to include a photo of the lens mounted on my Nikon camera without an adapter, and have added a picture of the F - C adapter as well.  If you have already bid on this not knowing this onformation and want to cancel the bid I will certainly understand.
 Marlatt Media
 
****************

As I wrote on UVP, I've never seen a UV-Nikkor in recent years under an open bid, so this might be a chance to get a UV-Nikkor for under the going rate if the forensic addition does not put you off. I'm thinking it could likely be removed and the UV-Nikkor remounted if necessary?

[Dr Klaus Schmitt]

Guess I really regret having brought this up, the only person who benefits from this now is that seller ....

Unfortunately, the seller did not correctly add what he found out by his own tests he made (initiated by me) and the photos he provided, that the lens in its currently state CANNOT FOCUS TO INFINITY ANYMORE and actually blocks the mirror box at a closest possible focus setting of about 5 meters.

This is what I have also written to him:
I am of the opinion now after quite some research, that your lens has been adapted and modified to fit the needs of that specific RUVIS system made by or for SIRCHIE. I actually doubt that it could be used “as is”, as the optical path and function has been modified for reflected UV photography only AND for it being used with a image amplification tube or plate, which has a smaller entrance pupil of 18mm.

In other words, the lens
a) lost its ability to focus to infinity
b) lost its parfocality (i.e. UV, VIS and IR image are not in the same plane of focus anymore
c) lost its ability to cover a full frame sensor and most likely also APS, but has a very reduced images size now

The seller has also confirmed, the there is no filter built in on the rear, rather an optical element. I have asked him to conduct another experiment which will confirm a) - c) and I will report about it.

Further he already has a quite high bid on it (off ebay), so that one won't come cheap, so don't hold your breath on that one...