Home

Please support mflenses.com if you need any graphic related work order it from us, click on above banner to order!

SearchSearch MemberlistMemberlist RegisterRegister ProfileProfile Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages Log inLog in

Should I return this old Sigma Mini Wide II? Fungus?
View previous topic :: View next topic  


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 3:30 pm    Post subject: Should I return this old Sigma Mini Wide II? Fungus? Reply with quote

Hi Folks,

I wanted to ask you experts a quick question. I got this old Sigma Mini-Wide II from a Dutch auction site. I asked the seller if the lens contained any fungus beforehand and he said that it didn't. Now I'm still learning a lot about old lenses and stuff and saw a couple of examples where there is fungus on or etched in the front glass. This seems to be the case with my lens? It shows primarily when I hold it at an angle instead of head on. Should I return it? I paid 40 euro's for it (45 dollars)



Thanks much in advance,

Niels


Last edited by Nilez83 on Wed Apr 06, 2016 3:36 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 3:35 pm    Post subject: Re: Should I return this old Sigma Mini Wide II? Fungus? Reply with quote

Nilez83 wrote:
Hi Folks,

I wanted to ask you experts a quick question. I got this old Sigma Mini-Wide II from a Dutch auction site. I asked the seller if the lens contained any fungus beforehand and he said that it didn't. Now I'm still learning a lot about old lenses and stuff and saw a couple of examples where there is fungus on or etched in the front glass. This seems to be the case with my lens? It shows primarily when I hold it at an angle instead of head on. Should I return it? I paid 40 euro's for it (45 dollars)



Thanks much in advance,

Niels


Good question. First post photos won't show until someone quotes it, an antispam measure. Hopefully this works.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 3:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I would return that one. You should be able to find a good example of a similar or identical lens for that price. What camera are you shooting?


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 3:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ah I see, thanks jamaeolus! I will be shooting with the Canon T3i (600D) with an adapter ring

Last edited by Nilez83 on Wed Apr 06, 2016 3:40 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 3:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Return it.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 3:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That lens looks pretty beat up , looks like someone tried to open it already. Weren't there any pictures in the listing?
Anyway, I would return that thing as well if that's a possibility.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Canon EOS system allows for a pretty good range of lenses.

This site shows register distance in various camera systems. If the camera system has a LONGER flange than your camera it allows an adapter to be easily made and most lenses that can have adapters do have them. Off the top of my head, Contax/Yashica (CY), Olympus (OM), Pentax (PK), Nikon, M42 and Exakta mount camera lenses should all have inexpensive adapters.

By flange distance:

http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~westin/misc/mounts-by-register.html

and alphabetically

http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~westin/misc/mounts-alphabetical.html#vBessamat


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 4:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Send it back. I have heard these sigmas are difficult to disassemble to clean.

M42, Nikon, Contax-Yashica, Olympus OM, PK all easily adaptable to eos. Watch out for old minolta MD mounts - very common, no good for eos. See

http://rick_oleson.tripod.com/index-99.html

Alt: Tokina RMC 28mm is of similar IQ to sigma miniwide II IME.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow thanks heaps for the fast and helpful responses folks!! I'll take a look at the alternatives mentioned. The eos adapter rings for m42 are indeed cheap. In the meantime I emailed the seller and he agreed to take it back, so this is likely going to end well. Next time I'll make sure I watch out for clearer and more pics from different angles in the listing. Lesson learned.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Definitely return it! Even with the desirability of the Sigma xxxx-Wide II models, you paid way too much for a lens in that condition. $10-15 USD tops.

I concur with marcusBMG, seek out a Tokina. I managed to pick up a nearly new Sigma Mini-Wide I. But it was bested in every way by a Tokina EL 28-f2.8. IIRC, the SL/EL models came after the RMC, but seem to be optically the same.

Another suggestion, Canon nFD 28mm f/2.8. It's simply excellent, one of the best rendering 28mm I've tried.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi WNG555, big rookie mistake then lol. Glad I can return it. Aren't those fd lenses a problem for the crop sensor canons? I heard the glass element in the adapter tends to degrade the image quality a bit. You do see those fd lenses a lot here so it would be cool if it was still a possibility for a rebel series body.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 5:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nilez83 wrote:
Hi WNG555, big rookie mistake then lol. Glad I can return it. Aren't those fd lenses a problem for the crop sensor canons? I heard the glass element in the adapter tends to degrade the image quality a bit. You do see those fd lenses a lot here so it would be cool if it was still a possibility for a rebel series body.


Doh! My bad! I was reading through the posts so quickly I forgot this is adapting to EOS.
Yes, you're right, skip the FD lenses.

Olympus is easily and often adapted for EOS. Their f/2.8 is very good, and the f/3.5 is cheaper, but still delivers.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 5:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

no problem, nice to see that being confirmed by one of you guys. I'll hunt for the other brands.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 6:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did end up fixing my Mini-Wide I, which had a haze problem, not fungus - I suspect such haze here.
Its probably the result of deposits of evaporated lubricant.
The Mini Wide I is in fact not that difficult to disassemble though the Mini-Wide II has a different construction and I cant say for certain.

In any case, the price is too much for a fixer-upper.


PostPosted: Wed Apr 06, 2016 6:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Even with careful scan of images it is easy to get fungus infected lens. As you experienced it can be hard to even get to show in a photo when you want it to. Be careful of "as-is" auctions with little or no description and/or poor photos, just don't overpay on those. Some manufacturer lens are more prone to fungus than others. I love Olympus ergonomics and optics but they are amongst the most prone to fungus in my experience. Pentax lenses in IMHO are a safer buy than most. Anyway, don't hesitate to return lenses that are not as advertised. I have returned a few, or had price adjustments. Good hunting and welcome to the forum.