Camera Labs

Today I nearly bought a 50mm F1.4 lens for £6, I see the price of a good Lens would be £150-£300
The advert said it had a haze on the inside front lens, or it could be fungus?
Now knowing a great deal when I see it! I thought If I could clean it somehow and it was haze inside I should be on to a winner.
(And I have never Opened up a lens before.)
Would you have ago at cleaning it, and getting some experience in how the inside works.
I did not get it in the end it went for £30 with the postage.

_________________
Sony A77, Sony A580, Sony18-55,Minolta AF28-85,Minolta AF 75-300,Minolta AF 50mm f2.8 Macro,Minolta MD 50mm f1.7,Minolta MD 135mm f2.8,Image MD 28mm f2.8,Minolta MD 50mm1.2
http://s1131.photobucket.com/home/bundy58/index
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67754225@N05/

I wouldn't get one with known fungus. It could spread to other lenses if you're not careful. Cleaning might or might not be possible depending on where the fungus is. If it happens in the glue between optical elements then forget it. Also fungus is said to be able to "eat" into the glass so even if you could remove it, it may leave marks.

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

For under $10, I might buy the lens just for the sake of taking it apart, even if it's optically useless. (That said, I didn't know that fungus could spread to your other lenses. Good to know.)

_________________
Body: Canon Rebel XS, Canon EOS 7D
Lenses: Sigma 17-70mm f2.8-4.0 OS HSM DC Macro, Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS II, Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II, Canon EF-S 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 USM, Canon EF 85mm f1.8 II USM

Popo, have you heard anyone ever microwave one , just a thought, it should not damage the glass but kill the fungus?

_________________
Sony A77, Sony A580, Sony18-55,Minolta AF28-85,Minolta AF 75-300,Minolta AF 50mm f2.8 Macro,Minolta MD 50mm f1.7,Minolta MD 135mm f2.8,Image MD 28mm f2.8,Minolta MD 50mm1.2
http://s1131.photobucket.com/home/bundy58/index
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67754225@N05/

metal + microwave isnt a good idea, probably wouldn't kill it either

Microwaves work by heating the water. I'm not sure there's much water in fungus anyway...

_________________
Canon DSLRs: 7D, 5D2, 1D, 600D, 450D full spectrum, 300D IR mod
Lenses: EF 35/2, 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 135/2+SF, 28-80 V, 70-300L, 100-400L, TS-E 24/3.5L, MP-E 65, EF-S 15-85 IS
3rd party: Zeiss 2/50 makro, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300 f/2.8 OS, Celestron 1325/13
Tinies: Sony HX9V.

I was just thinking of microwaving the glass lens, this is what i found on the webb.
"The time of microwave irradiation could be changed for different species as we have had satisfactory amplifications".

http://www.fgsc.net/fgn43/ferreir.html

_________________
Sony A77, Sony A580, Sony18-55,Minolta AF28-85,Minolta AF 75-300,Minolta AF 50mm f2.8 Macro,Minolta MD 50mm f1.7,Minolta MD 135mm f2.8,Image MD 28mm f2.8,Minolta MD 50mm1.2
http://s1131.photobucket.com/home/bundy58/index
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67754225@N05/

blending it would be fun.

_________________
"I'm playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order" - Eric Morecambe
________________________________________
D7000 and too many lenses.

I bought a pair of coated binocs (7x50) with severe fungus. Took the whole thing apart, cleaned it, and now I have a professional pair of binocs for 10 bucks.

_________________
I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

What causes the fungus?

_________________
"I'm playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order" - Eric Morecambe
________________________________________
D7000 and too many lenses.

Trapped moisture, some bad luck and time.

_________________
Canon 5D MkII -|- Sigma 24mm f/1.8 | Carl Zeiss 35mm f/2.0 | Canon 50mm f/1.4 | Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro | Lensbaby Composer
Canon A-1 -|- Canon 28mm f/2 | Canon 35mm f/2.8 | Canon 50mm f/3.5 Macro

@Citruspers

What did you clean it with? and could you see any marks at all.

_________________
Sony A77, Sony A580, Sony18-55,Minolta AF28-85,Minolta AF 75-300,Minolta AF 50mm f2.8 Macro,Minolta MD 50mm f1.7,Minolta MD 135mm f2.8,Image MD 28mm f2.8,Minolta MD 50mm1.2
http://s1131.photobucket.com/home/bundy58/index
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67754225@N05/

Cleaned it with isopropyl alcohol/ethanol, 85% pure I think. Works very well, as long as you don't breathe the fumes

It didn't leave any marks, really, perhaps some wipe marks that would dry up in time.

_________________
I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

Anybody heard about freezing it in a sealed bag?

_________________
Sony A77, Sony A580, Sony18-55,Minolta AF28-85,Minolta AF 75-300,Minolta AF 50mm f2.8 Macro,Minolta MD 50mm f1.7,Minolta MD 135mm f2.8,Image MD 28mm f2.8,Minolta MD 50mm1.2
http://s1131.photobucket.com/home/bundy58/index
http://www.flickr.com/photos/67754225@N05/

You should check out of cold temperatures fungi can take first, some can take a fair bit.
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showfla ... er/6161463

And there is the problem of additional moisture when you thaw the lens again. To circumvent this I think one needs to remove as much air as possible from the plastic bag and lens itself before freezing.

And even if the freezing works, you only succeed in killing the fungi, not removing it.

_________________
Canon 5D MkII -|- Sigma 24mm f/1.8 | Carl Zeiss 35mm f/2.0 | Canon 50mm f/1.4 | Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro | Lensbaby Composer
Canon A-1 -|- Canon 28mm f/2 | Canon 35mm f/2.8 | Canon 50mm f/3.5 Macro