Lens fungus - rear element.

[RaymondC]

Hi do I have fungus?

Off a 18-35 AF lens Nikkor, still in warranty. Not covered right?

What is the est cost and should I worry or just leave it?

It may had been that the past week or two I left it on my shelf and I

used a heater and dried some clothes on it ... the humidity.

The lens had been hardly out.

 

Thanks.<div></div>

[scott_linstead]

Can't really see from the image, but I think fungus usually affects a lens over a LONG time, and I think it is an internal thing. Is your 'fungus' on the inside or outside? Was the rear lens cap on? You dried some clothes on the shelf or on the lens?(haha)

 

Give me some more details, I had a dirty element once on an expensive lens, so I'm well informed on this. I had Nikon clean it in montreal andthey did it "on the spot". I walked out with the lens that very day, no charge.

[douglas_greenberg]

It does look like fungus. I hope I'm wrong.

 

I doubt it will affect your photos in any perceptible way, though only taking some sample photos will determine this. You should keep an eye on the fungus to be sure it doesn't grow/spread. Leaving the lens out in the sunlight for a while supposedly will help in this regard, though I've always been skeptical about this.

 

It's kind of expensive to get it removed, as the lens has to be dissassembled to get at the element surface that's affected. The price will easily be half of what you paid for the lens.

 

The problem you face is that if the fungus remains viable for a long time it will etch the surface of the glass, causing permanent damage.

 

The best place to have fungus removed is Focal Point Lens in Louisville, Colorado, http://www.focalpointlens.com/. However, what you have is so small and localized that probably just about any competent repair firm could take care of it.

[arnabdas]

Like Doug G I also think it is fungus.. the tale-tell sign is that foggy area surrounding the growth -- which is tiny droplets of moisture created by the fungus.

<P>

If it is on the outside, you can simply clean it yourself. Avoid contamination at all costs. Use many pieces of tissues with RoR lens cleaaner and do not use the same piece of tissue on other parts of the lens. Then inspect the inside very closely to find any traces of fungus.

<P>

I too agree that Focal Point Inc. is a great place to have your lens cleaned. See <a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00Bq1r">this thread sharing my experience with them</a>.

[tommyinca]

The picture is too small and unclear to tell. It does not look like lens fungus as is. Fungus are very transparent, you will need to see it with light refecting at an angle. It also has spider like growth pattern. Fungus usaully start at the bellow, move to the edge and to the center. It don't normal just start as a spot in the center. Below is a picture of some lens fungus. If it does not look like something like that, you may just have something internal fell off and land on the inside of the rear element. To show the fungus better, picture below has contrast over extended and it is also a "negative" image.<div></div>

[dean_tomasula1]

It doesn't look like fungus. Fungus looks like snowflakes or spiderwebs.

 

This looks like the internal coating may be flaking off. It looks like a pretty severe problem in this case. But the good news is it can easily be repaired by a qualified lens repairman. I don;t know how much it will cost, but I would think no more than $250 at the most expensive, probably a lot cheaper.

[RaymondC]

The lens used to be totally clear and now I see that spot.

The rear cap was on as all my caps, sat on my shelf. Heating damp clothes (half damp clothes) off my oil fin heater in my room. I really should of taken it into my wardrobe instead.

 

I have things from food packets - sachets of oxygen absorber. Are these the same as the silica gel? If not I will get some. Normally my stuff are away in their original plastic bags and in their Nikon boxes.

 

That spot is in the inside. I used eclipse liquid to clean it, it does not go away. Not showing up on pix. I am thinking not to fix it cos for a lens of this price the repair is gonna be a XX sum. Then why not just use this as long as ... and then later pickup a 2nd hand lens like a Nikon 17-35 or a 20-35. (?). What are your views.

 

Thanks.

[arnabdas]

"Fungus looks like snowflakes or spiderwebs. " -- Dean T.

 

NOT always.

 

I am still almost certain this is fungus growth. I have had fungus that were remarkably similar.

 

A full-CLA of the 200mm/f4 AF Micro Nikkor cost me less than 200$ at Focal Point. Worth a try, I'd think.

[RaymondC]

Thanks, I will look around town. Issue is of course I am not in the USA, I am in New Zealand so there is a v limited amount of lens repairers. I will take this to a Nikon reseller and see what he says.

 

Thanks again.

[fourfa]

huh? what do you guys see in this blurry, hand-held photo that looks like anything? All I see are three reflections from lights in the rear glass, and a whole lot of motion blur.

 

also:

 

"Not showing up on pix."

 

then what's the problem?

[arnabdas]

"huh? what do you guys see in this blurry, hand-held photo that looks like anything? " -- Andy R

 

-- I do see something in the middle of rear element that could likely be fungus (See attached). Photographers are expected to have reasonable eyesight and some basic observation skills, no?

 

"then what's the problem?" -- Andy R

 

-- This made me laugh. I always thought it was a good idea to send in a lens for CLA as soon as any fungus is spotted. Waiting until it starts to affect pictures would be too late.<div></div>

[lex_jenkins]

It is appropriate to be concerned about the possibility of fungus, mold or mildew on lenses or film because it will get worse. Eventually it will spread to cover entire elements or to consume the emulsion from certain kinds of films - critters really seem to enjoy dining on Kodachromes.

 

Be careful when using heat. Too much heat can cause other problems, such as liquifying grease, which can then migrate to the diaphragm or optical elements.

 

If you're in a damp climate you might want to build a "dry box". It could be something as simple as a box with passive ventilation, a low wattage bulb and, possibly, some dessicants. I would add HEPA type filters to the passive vents to reduce the risk of contaminants entering from the outside. For a small box I wouldn't use more than a 15 watt appliance bulb, possibly smaller.

 

I'm in the process of deciding on such a box design myself because my camera gear is divided between two households and a storage unit. I like to have camera gear handy where I might be without having to lug it with me all the time. And while my storage unit is fairly well climate controlled for temperature and humidity, I'm concerned about the frequent sweeping in the halls and other units. I'd like to keep critters from getting into sensitive places and I'm not sure the plastic storage tubs I've using are the best solution.

[fourfa]

insufficient data. looks like a reflection to me. use a tripod, stop down, use a macro lens and get close. we're all just flappin our jaws until he does that.

[cliff_lesergent]

All that's shown in the photo above is some reflections from a light bulb (unless the fungus has grown in a pattern exactly the same as the glowing filament in the light bulb seen at the edge of the lens...).

 

There's nothing visible in either photo that looks even remotely like fungus, but the best way to avoid fungus, or to kill it once it starts, is to expose it to light. Take your lens out and use it on a sunny day once in a while, and you won't have too much to worry about.

[RaymondC]

I cannot get another pix becos I tried it just then and its gone? I'm spooked. I took out out of the Nikon plastic bag and box and its gone. I did notice the rear cap was loose and I put in some silica gel and oxygen absorber yesterday.

 

I know what I saw yesterday. If you look at it and rotated the lens it was still there both in my room and in the main room. I have a showed it to another family member and he saw it. I used eclipse and lens tissue and (repeatedly) rubbed it and it used clean tissue and a clean wipe afterwards, it didn't go away.

 

Strange ..

[RaymondC]

Haha.. Here's the thing. It was from the reflection of my light bulb.

 

Its daylight now. I turned my light on - that same room. and took the rear cap off. I saw that thing again. If you rotate the lens to any angle and if you are in the way partially you still see the thing.

 

I then took it to the kitchen with natural daytime light. It is gone. I took it to our sunroom and its gone.

 

:-) Thanks guys!! I feel I been given another life.

[arnabdas]

Ok, here I go eat my words ...gulp!

[lex_jenkins]

Yup, if you rotate the lens and the "spot" doesn't rotate too, the spot is probably due to the lights and reflections.

[john schroeder]

I had a guy in the store yesterday complaining that the LCD screen on his camera was out of focus. After much dicussion and tests we determined that the problem with the LCD screen would dissapear when he took off his tri-focals. The bad news is the customer still insists there is a problem with the camera. No joke! Don't feel bad, optical illusions get the best of us.

[greg s]

"reflection of my light bulb" = much easier to fix than fungus :)