Is this a lens coating deterioration or just a haze?

River Mantis · Sep 11, 2023

I've just noticed this pattern on the lens coating of my newly purchased Yashica 35 electro. Is it a permanent coating defect or something on the top that can be removed? The reflection looks like it's coming from a concave surface so it can't be the outermost surface.

Kino · Sep 11, 2023

One can only speculate, but to me it appears to be lubricant that has evaporated and redeposited on the back of the lens surface. Maybe the camera got really hot at some point?

Does not appear to be fungus, but again, it is pure speculation on my part.

The only sure way to tell is to have the element removed and attempt to clean it IF the spotting is not on a cemented surface in between elements.

Have you shot anything with it? It may not matter much in any event unless you are shooting directly into sunlight with your subject back lighted.

River Mantis · Sep 11, 2023

Kino said:
One can only speculate, but to me it appears to be lubricant that has evaporated and redeposited on the back of the lens surface. Maybe the camera got really hot at some point?

Does not appear to be fungus, but again, it is pure speculation on my part.

The only sure way to tell is to have the element removed and attempt to clean it IF the spotting is not on a cemented surface in between elements.

Have you shot anything with it? It may not matter much in any event unless you are shooting directly into sunlight with your subject back lighted.

It doesn't look like a fungus for me either. No, I haven't shot with it yet, I want to overhaul it before all foam seals dusted everywhere inside (they turned to be of a sticky kind, not dusty one).

xkaes · Sep 11, 2023

It's not worth "repairing", whether it is "haze", "condensation", lens separation, or the "coating". Besides, it may not be a problem. Take a few pictures in a few different lighting situations at different f-stops. Do you actually see any "problem" with the results? My bet is that you don't. There are lots of lenses that have some element separation, but it has no impact on the images.

Sirius Glass · Sep 11, 2023

Kino said:
One can only speculate, but to me it appears to be lubricant that has evaporated and redeposited on the back of the lens surface. Maybe the camera got really hot at some point?

Does not appear to be fungus, but again, it is pure speculation on my part.

The only sure way to tell is to have the element removed and attempt to clean it IF the spotting is not on a cemented surface in between elements.

Have you shot anything with it? It may not matter much in any event unless you are shooting directly into sunlight with your subject back lighted.

I agree. Wait until it is either a problem or the camera needs a CLA before having the oil haze worked on.

awty · Sep 11, 2023

Take it out and have a look.

Is this a lens coating deterioration or just a haze?

River Mantis

Kino

River Mantis

xkaes

Sirius Glass

awty

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