Is This Lens Fungus?

perkeleellinen · Feb 14, 2009

Hello all,

Please could you look at the pic in the link below and tell me what you think the marks in the upper right may be. They were extremely difficult to photograph and this is the best attempt out of 20 or so. The pattern covers about 100 degrees in terms of rotation of the lens and extends about 15 - 25% toward the centre. The marks have an odd 'three pronged' pattern and are denser in number toward the outer edges. Is this fungus?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3440/3278220641_3e0536e5ff_b.jpg

Steve.

archphoto · Feb 14, 2009

This could be oil, is it yours ? Brand ? Maybe you could clean this yourself.

Fungus tends to be denser and no specs, some wire type image like fractals.

Peter

perkeleellinen · Feb 14, 2009

It's a Nikkor 105/2.5. Mine as of this morning - a second hand buy from a UK shop (via the telephone).

Ian Grant · Feb 14, 2009

I'd call the shop, you may need to send it back, the photos are difficult to asses, but from your description it might be fungus.

Ian

archphoto · Feb 14, 2009

Where are the spots ? On a lenssurface or inbetween them ?

Basicly I would unscrew the lensmount and take it off and than see how easy I could remove the rear lens part.

Ian Grant · Feb 14, 2009

Don't tamper with the lens, that's bad advice as the shop won't take it back if there's signs you've tried taking it apart.

Ian

perkeleellinen · Feb 14, 2009

The spots are on an internal lens surface. I think I'll call the shop Monday - pity, the lens feels nice and I was keen to try it out tomorrow.

Galah · Feb 15, 2009

perkeleellinen said:
The spots are on an internal lens surface. I think I'll call the shop Monday - pity, the lens feels nice and I was keen to try it out tomorrow.

The fungus I have seen looks like fine threads from a spider's web all over an intermal lens surface.

Surprisingly, people report that they can still get "good" images with such lenses.

mudman · Feb 15, 2009

Galah said:
The fungus I have seen looks like fine threads from a spider's web all over an intermal lens surface.

Surprisingly, people report that they can still get "good" images with such lenses.

I've shot a few witha Zeiss that is full o fungus... as long as the subject isn't backlit, no worries. Backlighting however brings the fungus full force and the photos show it quite terribly. Also that looks more like a problem with the coating, not fungus. I'd still contact the shop though.

david_mizen · Feb 15, 2009

from my knowledge of the nikon 105 they are some what prone to oiling up (popular hard working lens) like the others the fungs affected lenses ive seen look like little spider webs

perkeleellinen · Feb 16, 2009

The lens went back this morning. I did consider keeping it and just using it, but the marks / fungus would effectively stop me from ever selling it on.

I managed to get a better look at the marks when the sun came out this morning. The "three pronged patterns" I saw are only present toward the centre of the lens, around the edges the pattern becomes far more dense and resembles a spider's web. The marks looked white in the light. Anyway, after the new inspection, I'm pretty sure it's fungus and the shop have accepted it back.

I once read that fungus can spread and infect other lenses and even cameras. Any truth in this?

Excalibur2 · Feb 16, 2009

****I once read that fungus can spread and infect other lenses and even cameras. Any truth in this?***

Fungus spores are everywhere anyway, they are probably on your skin and clothes too...just make sure you don't give them the right conditions to start and thrive. But if you had a clean laboratory with lenses and put an infected lens amongst them, then it could pass to other lenses if the conditions were right.

Some guys carry food in their camera bags, don't make sure equipment is dried properly when used in wet conditions, store in a damp dark place for the winter and wonder why, when in the spring they get the equipment out, have fungus.

perkeleellinen · Feb 16, 2009

A couple of those silica gel bags in the camera bag?

Ian Grant · Feb 16, 2009

The reason it often infects other lenses is they are stored in the same place under the same conditions

Ian

perkeleellinen · Feb 16, 2009

I've got to start another search for a 105/2.5 now...

Excalibur2 · Feb 16, 2009

Ian Grant said:
The reason it often infects other lenses is they are stored in the same place under the same conditions

Ian

LOL well in that case the lenses would get infected anyway without placing a fungus lens amongst them.

I've seen a camera with the lens and camera body (inside) covered in fungus, kept in an attic with no other cameras around.

Ian Grant · Feb 16, 2009

In another thread yesterday I mentioned how I'd stored some vintage cameras in a dry cellar, nothing particularly valuable then, an early Rolleicord, an Agifold, a very nice Exacta VX1000 plus 3 lenses.

The cellar was very dry in the winter, when I stored the cameras in a cabinet,but I didn't realise very damp in the summer due to condensation, all the cameras were a total write off the corrosion was quite severe, there was also fungus, the Triotar lens off the Rolleicord & the Pancolor on the Exacta were OK, but the Zeiss 35mm Flektagon & 135mm Sonnar have slight fungus, they may be cleanable, I've not tried yet (18 years later) but they have been stored in the dry since with no further ill effects.

Ian

Excalibur2 · Feb 16, 2009

Ian Grant said:
In another thread yesterday I mentioned how I'd stored some vintage cameras in a dry cellar, nothing particularly valuable then, an early Rolleicord, an Agifold, a very nice Exacta VX1000 plus 3 lenses.

The cellar was very dry in the winter, when I stored the cameras in a cabinet,but I didn't realise very damp in the summer due to condensation, all the cameras were a total write off the corrosion was quite severe, there was also fungus, the Triotar lens off the Rolleicord & the Pancolor on the Exacta were OK, but the Zeiss 35mm Flektagon & 135mm Sonnar have slight fungus, they may be cleanable, I've not tried yet (18 years later) but they have been stored in the dry since with no further ill effects.

Ian

So where did the fungus come from? It was either in the equipment before you placed them in the cabinet or floated in from the air maybe thru a keyhole or whatever.

Ian Grant · Feb 16, 2009

The spores are airborne, so they'll penetrate just about anywhere. The cameras where in an ex MOD metal filing cabinet. I cured the condensation by installing a night storage heater in the cellar. It's not only damp thats the problem it's lack of fresh air, so a small fan can be almost as effective.

Ian

Excalibur2 · Feb 16, 2009

Ian Grant said:
The spores are airborne, so they'll penetrate just about anywhere. The cameras where in an ex MOD metal filing cabinet. I cured the condensation by installing a night storage heater in the cellar. It's not only damp thats the problem it's lack of fresh air, so a small fan can be almost as effective.

Ian

I've never found an answer to how long fungus can live i.e. if you have fungus in your len elements and store the lens in perfect conditions (dry, plenty of moving air etc)....does the fungus eventually die or stay dormant. If it does die then is it months, years, or what.

Ian Grant · Feb 16, 2009

Fungus doesn't affect lenses stored in good conditions, but fungal spores can remain dormant for long periods of time so an affected lens will get worse if returned to poor conditions.

ian

Allan Swindles · Feb 16, 2009

I had a couple of Hass. Sonnars CLA'd recently, both showing signs of fungus. Not a problem if caught in time but it can damage the glass if left untreated. My repairman advised me NOT to STORE my lenses in my super leather Hasselblad Reporter case or any other leather case for that matter. My gear used to be housed in what I thought was a decent purpose built cupboard but it appears, in the wrong part of the house. I'm thinking a display cabinet in a warm lounge might be the answer but I doubt the lady will go for it. Yes, I do wear the trousers but I don't push my luck.

Ian Grant · Feb 16, 2009

If the lady doesn't go for it trade her in against some better equipment

Steve Bellayr · Feb 16, 2009

Yes, return the lens. Fungus is not good. Oil on the blades is bad on SLRs but not rangefinders.

Allan Swindles · Feb 17, 2009

Ian Grant said:
If the lady doesn't go for it trade her in against some better equipment

No chance, when I asked her what she wanted for her birthday, she said, A DIVORCE. I told her I wasn't planning to spend that much. Do I wear the trousers or what? Have to go, she's just come in.

Is This Lens Fungus?

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