Strange lens fungus

shutterboy · Dec 6, 2014

Or maybe not. So, I suppose most of you are bored reading over and over again that I inherited a Pentax K-1000 with a 50mm on it. I discovered a small "cobweb" like thing at the edge of the front element when doing a flashlight test. This camera has been sitting in a bag for about 15 years, so I was not surprised. But, what really surprised me was it came right off when I cleaned this thing with Eclipse (http://photosol.com/eclipse/) which I suppose is 99.9% methanol. The flashlight does show some internal dust, but it is otherwise clean and flawless.

What I am wondering is, was it really what I thought it to be? Can "that thing which must not be named" be taken off just with a microfibre and alcohol without disassembling the lens or am I just being optimistic?

ambaker · Dec 6, 2014

This was on the outside of the lens? Does not sound like fung*s to me.

I've only ever seen it on the inside of lenses.

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Sirius Glass · Dec 6, 2014

Put the camera in the sunlight so that the light shines into the lens. That can help get right of early fungus growth.

tkamiya · Dec 6, 2014

Most of fungus I found were in between elements but most of them came right off with light application of cleaning fluid and gentle wipe. One was so severely infected, coating flaked off but that was an exception.

Fungus grows in moist condition. If the camera was sitting in a bag, I am not surprised outside of the element as well as inside were exposed to high humidity. I think you got lucky.

Arklatexian · Dec 7, 2014

shutterboy said:
Or maybe not. So, I suppose most of you are bored reading over and over again that I inherited a Pentax K-1000 with a 50mm on it. I discovered a small "cobweb" like thing at the edge of the front element when doing a flashlight test. This camera has been sitting in a bag for about 15 years, so I was not surprised. But, what really surprised me was it came right off when I cleaned this thing with Eclipse (http://photosol.com/eclipse/) which I suppose is 99.9% methanol. The flashlight does show some internal dust, but it is otherwise clean and flawless.
If you can get to the fungus before it etches the glass, it should wipe off easily which sounds like your experience. It is not the fungus per se that etches the glass, it is the chemicals that the fungus produces over a period of time that etch the lens. As was said earlier, my friend, it seems to me that you were lucky to catch the condition early.......Regards!

Alan Gales · Dec 7, 2014

It's possible but I doubt it was fungus on the outside of the lens. I wouldn't worry about it. Go out and enjoy your K-1000!

My first 35mm camera was a Canon AV1 back in 1982. I was working at a Venture store in the camera and sporting goods department. The camera was a display and my boss marked it down cheap. I had the choice of the Canon or a Pentax K1000. Knowing absolutely nothing about 35mm cameras at the time, I chose the Canon because it came with a flash. A buddy of mine bought the K1000. The Canon turned out to be aperture priority only with no manual way of setting the shutter so I sold it a year later and bought a brand new Contax 139. I hooked up with my buddy last August and he still owns the Pentax. I asked him if he wanted to sell it and he said no.

blockend · Dec 7, 2014

Alan Gales said:
The Canon turned out to be aperture priority only with no manual way of setting the shutter

I have two AV-1s, and treat them as interchangeable lens point and shoot cameras. Aperture value - and consequently shutter speeds - can be altered by changing the ISO, though I agree that isn't how they are generally used. Both of mine (chrome and black) work perfectly. They get more use than my T50, T70, T90, A-1 and FTb. The only Canon that's used as often as the AV-1s is the full manual AT-1.

Sirius Glass · Dec 7, 2014

Off topic:
A foot was infected with athletes' foot.
What did one toe say to another?
There is a fungus among us!

Alan Gales · Dec 7, 2014

blockend said:
I have two AV-1s, and treat them as interchangeable lens point and shoot cameras. Aperture value - and consequently shutter speeds - can be altered by changing the ISO, though I agree that isn't how they are generally used. Both of mine (chrome and black) work perfectly. They get more use than my T50, T70, T90, A-1 and FTb. The only Canon that's used as often as the AV-1s is the full manual AT-1.

Yeah, I didn't want to fool with changing the ISO (ASA back then in the U.S.) dial. I wanted a real shutter speed dial. The funny thing is that I shot the Contax in aperture preferred most of the time. It did have an exposure compensation switch though.

PentaxBronica · Dec 12, 2014

The SMC coatings seem pretty resistant to fungus, as long as it doesn't get into the balsam which holds two elements together on some of them.

I've rescued a couple of lenses like yours, one of which had fungal growth over almost a third of the front element. You wouldn't be able to tell which now, as it cleaned up perfectly. I think I just used lens cleaner and a cotton bud, then polished with a microfibre cloth before reassembling it.

You can take all the glass out without disturbing the focus helicoil, there are front and rear groups which in turn strip down into individual elements. However, as yours is now fine I suggest getting out and using it! UV exposure is the best way to kill fungus, so go out and take photos.

Strange lens fungus

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