Is this fungus?

jjphoto · Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Posts: 406

I don't know what this is. I thought it was fungus, and it might be, but it appears to be little 3 dimensional clumps such as oil spots or other matter.

ZoneV · Expire: 2011-12-02

I think it is not fungus, but as you think it could be some small fluid drops, condensed moisture.
Because moisture is a good starting point for fungus, you better try to get rid of it - my opinon.
Probably it goes away when you store the lens some days open in a room with normal humidity?

Sevo · Expire: 2012-12-03

Patterns like these are almost always condensation marks - fungus has a much less mechanical and more organic regularity.

There may be other causes, too - I own one lens with a similar dot pattern which is, under a strong loupe, made up of small bubbles, quite obviously a result of something gassing out in the cement.

jjphoto · Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Posts: 406

It's in a lens that has a large amount of bellows action (it moves lots of air in and out) from minimum focus to infinity. I think this has caused oil to be sprayed onto this element that is closest to where the lens expansion takes place. It doesn't look like fungus to me, but better safe than sorry.

I think I'll see about getting it cleaned anyway.

JJ

jjphoto · Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Posts: 406

peterqd · Expire: 2014-01-04

I've seen this kind of thing when a lens has been heavily misted up after bringing it in to a warm room from freezing outside. I don't think this can happen in Oz though! Smile