Fungus?

[wjlapier]

This is the rear of a Hasselblad 80mm f/2.8 T lens. Is this fungus and if so, who would you send it to to have it removed and cleaned? Or is it scratches in the coating?

 

[DREW WILEY]

It sure looks like fungal mycelial strands. Sometimes strong UV light will kill and somewhat reduce that. Or you can try a tightly sealed desiccation box filled with fresh silica gel, and leave it in there several months, to see if that helps as well. But it would be best to send it off for an internal cleaning, if the value of the lens warrants that. Someone else will have to give a tip where to send it.

 

[mshchem]

Fungus, if that is scratches you should be able to feel it with your fingernail. Once in the cement between lens elements fungus is difficult to destroy. Keep it absolutely dry as Drew has mentioned.

 

[Steve906]

No not fungus IMHO looks like light scratch marks in the rear coating. Try to identify the surface it's on, if on the very rear unlikely to be fungus. The strands normally grow and appear to be joined together from a starting point, often at the edge. Looks like the whole thing needs a good clean anyhow then it may be easier to tell. no way to feel scratches that shallow and trying may just create more.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Some marks to the left appear to be fungus but the marks to the right appear to be scratches. I suggest that you first try lens cleaning fluid and gently wipe with a cotton ball. Then set the lens by a window for a week or two to see if the Sun's UV light clears up what appears to be fungus.

 

[250swb]

Fungus will be on the inside, but to me that looks like the coating has ben scratched off. Even so if it were fungus you'd want to stop it, but UV light will do that, or having the lens cleaned, but it doesn't mean fungus (if it is) hasn't already etched the glass. I think the bottom line is that whatever it is it isn't going to make a difference to the image if you use a lens hood.

 

[wjlapier]

Maybe it’s not fungus and that would be great—I hate fungus in lenses. I’d still like to send it to someone who knows how to clean it if it’s fungus. Any suggestions?

 

[koraks]

It looks like scratches, really. They look like the scratches you get when e.g. keeping a couple of lenses without caps in a box or carrying bag and allow them to rattle about. The filter thread on one lens can then scratch the lens elements of another.
If it's fungus, take a q-tip and some ethanol or another light alcohol and remove it. Easy enough. However, if fungal growth has etched the glass, no cleaning will ever remove the damage. The same is true for the scratches you appear to have on your lens.
I don't see any reason to send this lens off for cleaning. Do whatever cleaning needed yourself, and live with the remaining damage.

 

[blee1996]

Like several people mentioned, I also tend to believe it is scratches rather than fungus. Or could be scratches due to previous owner trying to remove fungus.

When fungus is not hard etched into glass & coating, it is quite easy to remove thoroughly by soaking the lens element in Hydrogen Peroxide. You can get it from any pharmacy or supermarket in US.

 

[sfphoto]

Is this fungus? Or is it scratches in the coating?

Marks on the rear element (near the film/sensor) are more likely to show up than those on the front. Cleaning yourself (see below) is all a repair shop would do w/o re-surfacing or replacing the element. One you clean it, determine if you want to live w/ how it is or replace the lens.

There are several versions of this lens. Check SOLD prices on your model then see what Hasselblad USA says about the cost of an element. Service cost of replacing the element will be a fraction of the glass cost I would think.

First clean the entire area w/ Dustoff. Then the glass w/ denatured alcohol, preferably w/ Kodak/Tiffen lens tissue.

Other alcohols are NOT recommended, neither is Hydrogen Peroxide:
"I saw a heartbreaking post on a Facebook group about cleaning a vintage camera lens with Hydrogen Peroxide. The photographer wanted to get rid of fungus on the lens. But instead, they ended up destroying the optics. They cited photographers on YouTube who say this is the thing to do. And unfortunately, that’s the problem. Lots of photographers on YouTube aren’t experts."

 

[koraks]

denatured alcohol

'Denatured' means it has additives added to it to render it unfit for human consumption. Plain alcohol will clean a lens just as well; the additives added to denatured alcohol aren't very significant for cleaning purposes and if anything, they do more bad than good.

 

[sfphoto]

'Denatured' means it has additives added to it to render it unfit for human consumption. Plain alcohol will clean a lens just as well; the additives added to denatured alcohol aren't very significant for cleaning purposes and if anything, they do more bad than good.

That is what my local repair shop uses. I have used myself for cleaning fungus from elements. No affect on coating.

 

[Lemmythink]

It sure looks like fungal mycelial strands. Sometimes strong UV light will kill and somewhat reduce that. Or you can try a tightly sealed desiccation box filled with fresh silica gel, and leave it in there several months, to see if that helps as well. But it would be best to send it off for an internal cleaning, if the value of the lens warrants that. Someone else will have to give a tip where to send it.

Is your source good for this? I saw 'youtube man' echo the 35%RH or less will dry camera/lens lubricants. But aren't all camera lubes organic based? I recently saw another 'youtube man' talk about leaving his entire 645Z kit behind because all his lenses now had fungus. Surely storing them in a sealed container with silica pellets (that soon hit the limits of my meters at 10%RH easily) would be the arcadia we all want? So why don't we? Maybe because there is truth to the 35%RH idea? I've just got a lens that supposedly has a bit of fungus. Have given it some UV from a 100W source and a few dips in low RH but the idea of 'gumming it up' is a real put off. Surviving <10% RH storage would be wonderful for all my kit - damp house!

PS Looks like scratches to me.