Lens fungus permanent solution?

[Arlon]

I have a few lenses with fungus in them that doesn't seem to affect the performance of the lens but I was trying to figure how to keep the fungus from spreading further into the organic glues and coatings.

I read about ammonia, kryptonite, chlorine, etc.. All seem really bad to me.

Well, has anyone tried to use a UV steralizing light? It kills everything in my aquarium water including mold spores. Why not for lenses? I think the UV coatings migh be a problem but maybe lighting them from the rear?

I'm thinking about building a UV "light box" big enough for my biggest lenses and putting all of them through a UV treatment. Hopefully kill spores that are present and those waiting to attack my new lenses.

Just a thought at the moment.
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D200, D90, D70 (IR converted), D50, F2
Big box of MF lenses from 18mm to 600mm and a lot in between..

Favorites are the micro nikkors (55mm, 105mm and 200mm).

[Attila]

Put them on direct sunlight with aluminum folio reflectors after a few days fungus has not much chance to survive and after all store them always on dry place without caps (to allow light throw) a cheap UV filter would be nice as front cap you need to solve only the rare transparent cap.
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Olympus E-1,Bessa L,Bessa RF Skopar 10,5cm,Besa I Color Skopar 105mm,Olympus OM2n,Nikon FA,Yashica Eletro 35 GN,
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Carl Zeiss Jena:Flektogon 2.8/20mm,4/25mm,2.4/35,2.8/65mm,4.5/4cm Tessar, 8/500mm Fernobjektiv
Pancolar 1.4/55mm,1.8/50mm,1.8/80mm,Tessar 2.8/50mm,Biotar 2/58mm,1.5/75mm,1.5/7,5cm
Carl Zeiss: Sonnar 2.8/135,2.8/180mm,Tessar 4/135mm
Nikon: 3.5/20mm,2.8/28mm,1.4/35mm,1.4/50mm,1.2/50mm,2/50mm,1.8/105mm,2.5/105mm,4/200mm macro,4.5/300mm
Pentax: Pentax 1.2/50mm,1.8/85mm,4/200mm
Helios: Helios-40 1.5/8,5cm,Helios-44-1 2/58mm,Helios-44-2 2/58mm
Olympus OM: 3.5/18mm,3.5/21mm,1.4/50mm,3.5/55mm macro,2.8/135mm,2/90mm macro,35-70mm,60-250mm
Meyer: 4.5/35mm Primagon,Primoplan 1.9/58mm,1.9/75mm,2.8/100mm,Orestegor 2.8/135mm,4.5/40 Helioplan
Leica: 4/100 Macro Elmar,2.8/90 Elmarit last version
Please visit my Ebay shop to support my reviews !

[LucisPictor]

Direct UV-light can harm fungus. The problem is that the lenses inside the cam will absorb most of the UV light.
And the spawn (spores?) will not be killed by UV light, they are really tough!!
_________________
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who divide the world into two kinds of people, and those who don’t.
"Schnäppchenjäger" | "KAPCTEH" | "Karusutenu" | "Carsten" | T-shirt?
Cams in use: EOS 40D, EOS 350D, EOS 50e, EOS 500, Spotmatic SPII, EXA I & 1c, Zenit EM; Oly 35RC,Minolta Hi-Matic E & F, Ricoh 500RF, Yashica Electro 35 GS, FED-3b and some others...
Lenses in use: Asahi Pentax: 2.8/28;3.5/35;1.4/50;1.7/50;2.8/105;3.5/135;28-80 | Canon (AF):1.8/50;17-85;75-300 | Former GDR: CZJ Flek 4/20; Pentacon 3.5/30; Pentaflex 1.8/50; CZJ 2.8/50; CZJ 4/135; Pentacon 4/200 | Fujinon: 43-75 | Hanimex: 3.5/23; 4/100;80-200 | Hoya: 25-42;80-205 | Leica: Elmarit-R 2.8/35; Summicron 2.0/50 | Mamiya: 1.8/55 | Minolta: 1.7/50 | Nikkor: 2.8/24;2/35;2/50;1.2/55;1.8/85;3.5/135 | West German: Zeiss 2.8/50; Ludwig 2.9/50; Meyer 2.8/100; Will 4.5/105; Schneider 3.5/135;Enna 3.5/135; Zeiss 4/135;Isco 4/135; Enna 4.5/240 | Olympus: 3.5/28;1.4/50;3.5/135 | Rikenon: 1.7/50;35-70 | Rollei/Voigtländer: 1.4/55;1.8/50 | Russian: Peleng3.5/8; Zenitar2.8/16; MIR2.8/37; Volna2.8/50; Industar2.8/50; Industar3.5/50; Industar3.5/5cm; Helios2/50; Helios2/58; MIR38 3.5/65; Volna2.8/80; Jupiter2/85; Kaleinar2.8/100;Tair2.8/135; Jupiter3.5/135; Jupiter4/135; Telear3.5/200; Jupiter4/200; Tair4.5/300;RF: Jupiter2.8/35;Industar2.8/53 | Sigma: 28-85;28-105(AF);17-70(AF) | Soligor: 28-105;35-200;70-220 | Tamron: 2.5/24;2.5/135;60-300;70-210 | Tokina: 28-105;80-200;12-24(AF);70-210(AF) | Vivitar: 3.5/17;2/24;2/28;2.5/28;2.8/28 | Yashica: 2/5cm | Other Japanese: Cosina3.8/20; Albinar2.8/28; Porst1.8/35; Beroflex 8/500; Spiratone28-200; Maginon70-210
Green are the lenses I shoot the most.
More? http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65

[mahojazz]

guess the best way to stop it from spreading is keeping in a dry cabinet with control RH%. fungus need a certain humidity to stay alive. anything lower will die.

[LucisPictor]

I don't think that it will die, I'm afraid. It just won't grow.
It is pretty difficult to "kill" fungus and even more so with fungus spawn.
These are really tough!
_________________
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who divide the world into two kinds of people, and those who don’t.
"Schnäppchenjäger" | "KAPCTEH" | "Karusutenu" | "Carsten" | T-shirt?
Cams in use: EOS 40D, EOS 350D, EOS 50e, EOS 500, Spotmatic SPII, EXA I & 1c, Zenit EM; Oly 35RC,Minolta Hi-Matic E & F, Ricoh 500RF, Yashica Electro 35 GS, FED-3b and some others...
Lenses in use: Asahi Pentax: 2.8/28;3.5/35;1.4/50;1.7/50;2.8/105;3.5/135;28-80 | Canon (AF):1.8/50;17-85;75-300 | Former GDR: CZJ Flek 4/20; Pentacon 3.5/30; Pentaflex 1.8/50; CZJ 2.8/50; CZJ 4/135; Pentacon 4/200 | Fujinon: 43-75 | Hanimex: 3.5/23; 4/100;80-200 | Hoya: 25-42;80-205 | Leica: Elmarit-R 2.8/35; Summicron 2.0/50 | Mamiya: 1.8/55 | Minolta: 1.7/50 | Nikkor: 2.8/24;2/35;2/50;1.2/55;1.8/85;3.5/135 | West German: Zeiss 2.8/50; Ludwig 2.9/50; Meyer 2.8/100; Will 4.5/105; Schneider 3.5/135;Enna 3.5/135; Zeiss 4/135;Isco 4/135; Enna 4.5/240 | Olympus: 3.5/28;1.4/50;3.5/135 | Rikenon: 1.7/50;35-70 | Rollei/Voigtländer: 1.4/55;1.8/50 | Russian: Peleng3.5/8; Zenitar2.8/16; MIR2.8/37; Volna2.8/50; Industar2.8/50; Industar3.5/50; Industar3.5/5cm; Helios2/50; Helios2/58; MIR38 3.5/65; Volna2.8/80; Jupiter2/85; Kaleinar2.8/100;Tair2.8/135; Jupiter3.5/135; Jupiter4/135; Telear3.5/200; Jupiter4/200; Tair4.5/300;RF: Jupiter2.8/35;Industar2.8/53 | Sigma: 28-85;28-105(AF);17-70(AF) | Soligor: 28-105;35-200;70-220 | Tamron: 2.5/24;2.5/135;60-300;70-210 | Tokina: 28-105;80-200;12-24(AF);70-210(AF) | Vivitar: 3.5/17;2/24;2/28;2.5/28;2.8/28 | Yashica: 2/5cm | Other Japanese: Cosina3.8/20; Albinar2.8/28; Porst1.8/35; Beroflex 8/500; Spiratone28-200; Maginon70-210
Green are the lenses I shoot the most.
More? http://forum.mflenses.com/viewtopic.php?t=65

[estudleon]

I use the lenses at maximun I can, and expose them to the sun all the friday's mornings (well, the woman who work at home do this if I 'm working).

Rino.
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M42: tak 3,5/28
CZJ: 4/20, 2,4/35, 1,8/50, 1,8/50 aus jena, 3,5/135MC, Pentacon 1,8/50
Fuji: , 1,8/55, 1,4 50, 2.2/55, 4/85
Mamiya 2,8/135
Misc. : jupiter 9

[Jesito]

You can build an small UV source based on UV LEDs and cycle it on top of the lenses:

http://forum.mflenses.com/diy-ultimate-fungus-killer-t8886.html

Jes.
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Jesito's backsack:
Zooms Sigma 18-200, Tamron 35-135 and 70-210 short, 70-210 long, 28-70 CF Macro (Adaptall)
Fixed CZJ Planar 50mm 1.7, Helios 44-2, Cosinon 28mm, CZJ Sonnar 135, Industar-61, Jupiter-9, Industar-50, CZJ Pancolar 50/1.8, Tamron 24mm, Tamron 135mm, Sands Hunter 135mm, Weltblick 135mm
DSLR Canon 350D, Pentax *1stDS, SIGMA SD-9
TLR/6x6/645 YashicaMat, Mamiya 645E, Petri 6x45, Nettar
SLR Minolta X300, Fuji STX II, Praktica VLC3, Pentax P30t, Pentax SF7, EXA500, EXA 1A, Spotmatic(2), Chinon CM-4S,
Rangefinders Chinon 35EE, Konica C35 auto, Olympus 35RC, Canonet 28, Yashica Lynx, FED-2, Yashica electro 35, Argus C3, Regula Cita III, Voigtlander Vitoret LR, Welta Welti-I, Argus C4, Kodak Signette 25, Zorki-4, Bessa-R
Compact Film Konica C35V, Voigtlander Vitorets, Minox 35 ML, Canon Prima Super 105
Compact Digital Caplio GX100, Aiptek Slim 3000, Canon Powershot 520


Life is that boring wasted time in between two pictures

[martinsmith99]

I have always kept my lenses in my camera bag with the caps on. Maybe I need to have a rethink.

However, I never take them outside if it's wet or very cold.

[martinsmith99]

Okay, I now have my lenses stored in a transparent plastic container with the front caps off. I've purchased a couple of rechargeable silca gel packs and will put one inside.

Thanks for the heads up.
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Cameras - Canon 40D, Pentax Spotmatic F, Praktica MTL5 & Praktica TL3
MF lenses - Olympus Zuiko 28mm F2.8, CZ Flektogon MC 35mm F2.4, SMC Takumar 55mm F1.8, Tamron SP 90mm F2.5 macro, CZJ MC Sonnar 135mm F3.5, Tair-3 PhS 300mm F4.5, Osawa 400mm F5.6
ms-imaging

[peterqd]

Just think about the essential conditions that fungus needs to germinate:
- moisture
- food
- darkness
- still air

Without even one of these conditions the spores cannot germinate. Without all of them there is absolutely no chance of fungus germinating or spreading. So keep your lenses in dry, well-lit and well ventilated place. If you take them outside in cold weather, think about condensation when you bring them inside again and make sure they dry out naturally. Relative humidity is a factor but it's related to temperature, so condensation will not form if you store your lenses at constant room temperature. Use a clear filter in preference to a lens cap and open the apertures up to let the light in. A well-ventilated place allows any humidity to escape, but in humid climates a clear plastic box with some silica-gel pouches (or even better, a de-humidifier) is better. Remember to change and dry out the pouches periodically. The worst thing you can do is keep them with their caps on in a camera bag in a cold room!
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Lenses: M42 - CZJ 2.8/20, 2.4/35, 1.8/50, 2.8/50, 3.5/135 - Meyer/Pentacon 1.8/50, 2.8/50, 2.8/135, 4/200
Russian - J9, J21, J37A, M1v, M24m, I50-2, H44m-4 Vega12
Takumar 3.5/28, 2.0/35, 3.5/35, 1.4/50(x2), 1.8/55(x2), 1.9/85, 3.5/135 - Vivitar 2.8/28
K-mount : Pentax-M 2.8/28, 1.7/50 - Tamron zooms :SP28-80, SP35-80, SP60-300, 80-210
DSLR:Canon 400D 35mm SLR: Pentax Spotmatic SP, SPII(x2), SPF, ESII, K2, ME Super, P30 - Chinon CE3 - Minolta XG-M - Praktica Nova 1B, PLC2
Rangefinder: Zorki-4, Beauty Light-o-matic III Medium Format: Yashica-Mat 124G

[martinsmith99]

I live in an old cottage where dampness can be a problem. We have 2 dehumifiers running during the day.

If UV light kills fungus then why put UV filters on the lens? Doesn't this defeat the object?

Thanks
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Cameras - Canon 40D, Pentax Spotmatic F, Praktica MTL5 & Praktica TL3
MF lenses - Olympus Zuiko 28mm F2.8, CZ Flektogon MC 35mm F2.4, SMC Takumar 55mm F1.8, Tamron SP 90mm F2.5 macro, CZJ MC Sonnar 135mm F3.5, Tair-3 PhS 300mm F4.5, Osawa 400mm F5.6
ms-imaging

[peterqd]

Light doesn't KILL fungus, it just stops it spreading. The same applies to ventilation and moisture, and also to the coating that provides the organic food matter. If you remove any of these vital ingredients the fungus will stop spreading and will often die back, but it can remain dormant for many years and will start spreading again whenever conditions are suitable once more.

I don't know if the UV portion of daylight has any special properties in this aspect, but I didn't mean a UV filter, just a plain protective one in preference to an opaque lens cap. I don't use filters at all.
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Lenses: M42 - CZJ 2.8/20, 2.4/35, 1.8/50, 2.8/50, 3.5/135 - Meyer/Pentacon 1.8/50, 2.8/50, 2.8/135, 4/200
Russian - J9, J21, J37A, M1v, M24m, I50-2, H44m-4 Vega12
Takumar 3.5/28, 2.0/35, 3.5/35, 1.4/50(x2), 1.8/55(x2), 1.9/85, 3.5/135 - Vivitar 2.8/28
K-mount : Pentax-M 2.8/28, 1.7/50 - Tamron zooms :SP28-80, SP35-80, SP60-300, 80-210
DSLR:Canon 400D 35mm SLR: Pentax Spotmatic SP, SPII(x2), SPF, ESII, K2, ME Super, P30 - Chinon CE3 - Minolta XG-M - Praktica Nova 1B, PLC2
Rangefinder: Zorki-4, Beauty Light-o-matic III Medium Format: Yashica-Mat 124G