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So here's a debate: vintage brass vs modern alloy lens barrels after I visited the old Graflex repair shop in Rochester
I was in Rochester last month and stopped by this old Graflex repair shop that's been there since the 50s. The guy running it now showed me a crate full of brass lens barrels from the 1920s that still look perfect, and then pointed to a pile of modern alloy barrels from the 90s with cracks and corrosion. So which is actually better for longevity? I know brass is heavier and harder to machine, but it seems to hold up way better over decades. Has anyone else run into this choice when restoring old lenses?
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phoenixh7417d ago
Right there with you, that 90s zinc garbage was just junk from the start lol.
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jade_lane1917d ago
Yeah but were those alloy barrels from the same manufacturer? Some of that 90s alloy stuff was garbage metal mixed with too much zinc. Cheap casting process. Ive got a brass Voigtlander barrel from 1912 that still threads like butter. Meanwhile my 90s Sigma alloy barrel has this weird powdery corrosion around the filter threads. Different metal standards back then I guess. Was the shop guy talking about specific brands or just generalizing about the materials?
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