Older lenses

hoolio

hoolio

Suspended / Banned
Messages
331
Name
Julian
Edit My Images
Yes
I've been looking at some older lenses with a view to buying and have seem this spotting on the inside of the barrel of a few. What is it?
 

Attachments

  • $_57.JPG
    $_57.JPG
    85.8 KB · Views: 78
looks like fungus to me .................
 
I have to admit that was my thought as well, though this was described as fungus free! Fungus free glass maybe.
 
Regardless of whatever it is I defo wouldn't buy it lol
 
I know, shame as it is outwardly very clean.
 
yep it would have to be really cheap to be honest lol
 
with just the 1 pic its hard to tell if its described as fungus free and it has that in it the seller you would hope would explain shoot him a message and ask if your interested in the lens .
 
owenb said:
looks like fungus to me…
Click to expand...
•
…not sure about that, possible though I never have seen this.
The inner barrel is oiled with very long lasting synthetic lubricants that should not
alter with time… by definition. This could explain "why" I haven't seen this before
on the inner barrel but on the glass (if it is fungus!).

Glass on the other hand is what I experienced as being affected by fungi growth.
Interesting here is that the "white stuff" is mirrored in the lens making it look twice
as bad as it really is… whatever it is.

Though the glass is free and maybe no mechanical obstruction results from this
"presence" I would consider that these were very common in the days and to find
another "healthier" lens should not be difficult.
 
Last edited:
If I used old lensed on a new body I would always be worrying about fungus spreading to the camera body.
 
redsnappa said:
If I used old lensed on a new body I would always be worrying about fungus spreading to the camera body.
Click to expand...
Fungus grows on lenses with biological coatings when left for a long time in a damp environment. Those coatings are rarely if ever used on modern lenses. There's nothing in a camera body for the fungus to grow on. It doesn't migrate from lens to lens. I kept half a dozen old film camera lenses in a drawer in a damp unused bedroom for twenty years. One lens was badly affected. Every other one is still perfect.
 
groberts0 said:
…what is it with fungus which I've noticed often crops up with second hand lenses? Why does it happen and how?
Click to expand...
•
Fungus spores floating in the air are as abundant as any usual dust particles.
They are just everywhere! …even in the Antarctic, carried there by winds. So,
any and every thing that "breathes" will inspire them in.

That is the reason why I will preferably buy "IF" lenses as they breathe internally,
all the movements are done in the enclosed barrel volume. Non IF lenses do not
have a enclosed barrel volume because their full movement would produce large
and bulky barrels. …just think of the P900 for example.
 
It looks like the matt black resin coating has deteriorated a little. Quite common on certain lenses such as the CZJ 50/4 and 65/2.8 for Petacon Six bodies. I've never seen fungal growth that looks anything like that.

Bob
 
Canon Bob said:
…looks like the matt black resin coating has deteriorated a little…
Click to expand...
•
Since I never have seen fungal growth looking like that, I though too it could
be inner barrel coating deterioration… but I thought it would not do so in
circular shapes but more like with angular edges.

From my part, since I never saw that, this is highly speculative!
 
Canon Bob said:
It looks like the matt black resin coating has deteriorated a little. Quite common on certain lenses such as the CZJ 50/4 and 65/2.8 for Petacon Six bodies. I've never seen fungal growth that looks anything like that.

Bob
Click to expand...

This is very likely too, seen it a few times. Definitely not fungus IMO.
 
p1861705780.jpg


Here's a Flektogon with a similar problem although smaller spots but more numerous.
Bob
 
Last edited:
This is quite interesting. The reason I posed the question is the seller has many other items that are/seem to be, though second hand, high quality and top end. I wondered how they would get the description that wrong, though not inconceivable.
 
chris malcolm said:
Fungus grows on lenses with biological coatings when left for a long time in a damp environment. Those coatings are rarely if ever used on modern lenses. There's nothing in a camera body for the fungus to grow on. It doesn't migrate from lens to lens. I kept half a dozen old film camera lenses in a drawer in a damp unused bedroom for twenty years. One lens was badly affected. Every other one is still perfect.
Click to expand...

Thanks - still seems strange, I would have thought that the inside of a lens would be a sterile environment but obviously not.
 
 
Last edited:
Canon Bob said:
It looks like the matt black resin coating has deteriorated a little. Quite common on certain lenses such as the CZJ 50/4 and 65/2.8 for Petacon Six bodies. I've never seen fungal growth that looks anything like that.

Bob
Click to expand...

I agree it's not fungal,I think you could be right
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top