Possible Fungus? Hope not!

BenA

BenA

Suspended / Banned
Messages
127
Name
Ben
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi there,

Not long ago I got my hands on a Rolleicord Va Type 2. My first medium format camera and I am loving it!

Noticed something today though that has got me slightly worried. On the inside of the lens barrel there are quite a few white dots (shown in picture attached).. Wondering if this is the start of the growth? No fungus at all on either of the lens elements just on the inner barrel.

Thanks in advance,
Ben
 
Hard to be sure from that but looks more like dust or haze which is less serious but would ideally be cleaned out. However I suspect most 60+ yr old lenses hsve some and it's unlikely to make much difference. If you're worried then Brian Mickleboro is the man to send it to for a service.

Sorry just reread your post. If not on glass then not as above. Is lens clear when you look through it with the back open?

I had some similar white specks on the inside of a Nikon body which I think were fungal. Get it cleaned out, I'd say.
 
Last edited:
As Francesco says, it doesn't look like fungus, plus it's not on the taking lens which is good. If you I'll off the good I think you can get to the viewing lens and you could give it a little clean around the affected area with a cotton bud and a little suitable cleaner, I can't remember the name, same sort off stuff used in lighter fluid, isopropyl alcohol.

Andy
 
Well I wouldn't worry Ben as someone has said it's not on the taking lens, and even if it is fungus as long as you keep the camera in a dry place it wont spread and will go dormant and eventually die, anyway if you did have the lens cleaned the fungus will return (as it's everywhere)....if you didn't make sure the camera wasn't in a damp dark place.
Probably all the sellers of fungus lenses on the bay have kept their old camera gear in the loft. :(
 
Last edited:
Thank you all for replying!
The marks are on the taking lens as well, but also just on the barrel not on the glass. Think I'll play it safe and presume it's fungus so I'll keep it in a dry place with a few of those moisture collecting bag things.

Thanks again!
 
BenA said:
Thank you all for replying!
The marks are on the taking lens as well, but also just on the barrel not on the glass. Think I'll play it safe and presume it's fungus so I'll keep it in a dry place with a few of those moisture collecting bag things.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

Another question often asked is "can I keep my lens with fungus with other lenses that are clean" and the answer is yes if in dry conditions, as they forget that all camera gear with normal usage i.e. not clean lab use... has spores in them anyway just waiting for the right conditions to start and thrive...if you have a clean lens you don't want, then for a test, place it in a warm, dark, damp place (or even in your bathroom) and see what happens over the months.
 
I have heard that placing the lens in strong sunlight for a while can kill off the fungus... OTOH, remembering the thread about pointing your lens at the sun, maybe it would burn the house down! (That would get rid of the fungus, for sure ;) )
 
Some guys put their lenses under sunray lamps....I suppose it depends on the fungus as mushrooms in a field don't care. But exposing your lens to the sun is a quick way of removing any minute bits of moisture in your lens that the fungus would use.
 
Fungus requires moisture to thrive, but can remain dormant for years waiting to regrow and spore.

The "tendrils" are properly known as mycelium and on a more detailed level, hyphae which are effectively the "roots" of the fungus, searching for fresh sources of moisture and cellulose material to feed upon.

It is the ultra violet light in the sun which will start to kill off the organisms so a UV light would be better than sunlight. But unless totally eradicated the UV irradiated spores can mutate and regrow.
 
...and don't carry food with your camera gear...I wonder how many of joe public have just eaten a greasy sandwich, just roughly wiped their hand on a tissue (or their jeans) then used their finger to wipe dust off the lens :eek:
 
excalibur2 said:
...and don't carry food with your camera gear...I wonder how many of joe public have just eaten a greasy sandwich, just roughly wiped their hand on a tissue (or their jeans) then used their finger to wipe dust off the lens :eek:
Click to expand...


Tis ok. That kind of Joe certainly wouldn't notice fungus inside the lens.

As long as you don't buy his last weeks hobby from eBay or Cash Converters.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top