Helios 44-2 '88 center element fungal infection

[ColinMacIntyre]

What would you do? The center optical element doesn't seem to have a straightforward way of coming apart... or is it easier than I think? New to photography, but wanted to try out some vintage lenses.

Second question: I couldn't get the lens to come out of the helicoid in the standard way, even with a lot of brute force. Ended up ratching the focal ring screws instead! Any experience with such difficulty?

 

[4season]

That doesn't look like fungus but rather, black paint on the edge of the glass becoming loose and brittle. And your photo appears to depict a cemented pair of elements, not something you'd normally attempt to separate.

 

[AgX]

The edges of lenses typically are only rough ground. The black paint either can get off completely or air bubbles can appear over the years resulting in a sprangled pattern. A very common phenomrnon at lenses in general.

The only remedy would the total dismantling of such lens, taking off the old paint from the lens edges and repainting them. Here one got to weigh between that little increase of stray light versus the chance of severe misalignment at reassembling.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

If you really want to fix it, then remove the paint with acetone and repaint it. I use Speedball Super Black ink for that. I've also used a Pigma Micron Brush Pen. Both work fine.

 

[ColinMacIntyre]

Thanks guys! Looks like I'll just have to live with it.