Fungus

[magicaxeman]

As we buy older camera's and lenses I guess we are more likely to come across it than the digital crowd.

How do you view it? would you buy a lens that had fungus? no matter how mild?

The reason I ask is I keep seeing camera's and lenses sold where the lens has " mild fungus" or a little hazy due to fungus and just cant understand why people buy them.

Myself I wont touch anything with fungus, I don't want to risk the spores transferring to my other lenses and as such all lenses are kept capped and in a flight case, but with said case left open so sunlight hits it every day.

I have only ever had one lens with fungus a good while ago and that got binned pretty damn quickly. I learn't then that tucking them away sealed up from dust (but also light) wasn't such a good idea, I'd rather deal with a little dust than fungus.

 

[excalibur2]

You can give me all your lenses with fungus as it doesn't worry me as the spores are everywhere anyway...all you have to do is keep a lens in a dry, light, ventilated place and the spores won't germinate (or whatever the technical word is).

 

[magicaxeman]

I think we should have a clear out corner in here, where people can donate items to other users just for them covering postage costs.

Nothing left here with fungus though, not for years.

 

[Carter64]

Just bought two lenses described as having some fungus. A Soligor 300mm (came with some other stuff) and a Sekor 65m TLR. The Soligor did indeed look badly hazy. Off with the front element, good clean out, all bright and sparkly now Rear element had a finger print on the inside. Some-one bottling out of full dismantling, methinks lol.
Similar with the the Sekor. Good clean, all's well. Considering I got them both dirt cheap, well worth the effort. In fact, I'd probably not had a go had they not been so cheap. Not sure about the UV effectiveness but a blast in front of the facial tanning tubes (I use it for SAD light therapy) thrown in just for the hell of it!
Doused spirit and irradiated, the fungi have had a fortnight in Ibiza if it hasn't killed them.
So, yes; chuck me your poor, your riddled lenses at postage cost!

 

[Ambermile]

Therein lies pain, anguish and arguement I think. Donate your lens for free, then see it sparkly and shining in the classifieds for £30 - going to be a tough one to swallow for many people I feel...


Some fungus is fine, lots is bad. There was a time when it would not bother me - quick strip, spit and polish with Uvex and back together no problem. These days can't be bothered so tend not to go for them.

 

[Carter64]

Personally, I was thinking just of lenses that the donor considered a waste of space and are on the verge of being chucked out anyway. As an inveterate tinkerer, I'd just be doing it for the fun. Probably take me several weeks each with no guarantees that I'd even get the thing back to any usable condition.
I doubt if I'd ever sell-on. I'm crap at selling stuff. Buying's my strong point

 

[excalibur2]

I think we should have a clear out corner in here, where people can donate items to other users just for them covering postage costs.

Nothing left here with fungus though, not for years.

Was the fungus on the lens you threw away as bad as this:-
http://www.lensrentals.com/news/2008.10.30/front-element-scratches

I've also shots of a zoom with very bad fungus and you would say the shots are very good if I posted them, so all fungus lenses can go to the poor and needy (which is me )

 

[joxby]

Its been a while since I got my fungussy lens pics out.
If I'd a know there was a charity like EX where I could send my fungussy lenses to live out the rest of their useful days......I wouldn't have wanged this one straight in the bin...

I wouldn't knowingly go within a hundred miles of a fungussy lens, let alone use one...

 

[puggie]

blimey my Takumar SMC 50mm f1.4 was much worse than that, kinda like that but the 'webs' had gone all the was into the middle and met up .


clean as a whistle and good as new now, binning that was a waste.

 

[joxby]

....binning that was a waste.

was it heck, I've got enough ***** cloggin the place up as it is without saving cruddy lenses with dandylions growin out of em....

one man''s utter garbage is another mans collecting OCD I suppose...