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what are the biggest bargains you have found?
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PostPosted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 11:49 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

NikonD wrote:
I've got nikkor 105/2.5 AI-S in mint condition for 95€ but has a fungus infection I just hope it's nothing serious


My 105 has had a bit of fungus for years...at least the remnants of what was fungus...it hasn't grown or spread so I'm assuming it's dead and I'm safe...hope yours is and you are too...


PostPosted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 1:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mfkita wrote:
NikonD wrote:
I've got nikkor 105/2.5 AI-S in mint condition for 95€ but has a fungus infection I just hope it's nothing serious


My 105 has had a bit of fungus for years...at least the remnants of what was fungus...it hasn't grown or spread so I'm assuming it's dead and I'm safe...hope yours is and you are too...

Be aware, usually fungus doesn't "die" in the sense of a plant dying, it just becomes dormant. If the lens is stored badly (ie in still air, in darkness and with any dampness or humidity) it could very easily start growing again.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 1:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

As far as I know spores are everywhere in the environment so the chance for fungus growth is there from the moment you take your lenses out with the camera. What makes them develop or not are damp, dark, humid storage areas which is not the right way to do it in the first place anyway.

Just clean what you can (without taking too much risks while disassembling the lens) and keep the lens in dry places. Of course, using the lenses every once in a while is a very good idea, and that was what they were made for!

PS: I have recently bought some silica bags and put one or two inside lenses cases and storage bags. I guess it is another way of preventing humidity. Very cheap.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ChromaticAberration wrote:
As far as I know spores are everywhere in the environment so the chance for fungus growth is there from the moment you take your lenses out with the camera. What makes them develop or not are damp, dark, humid storage areas which is not the right way to do it in the first place anyway.

Just clean what you can (without taking too much risks while disassembling the lens) and keep the lens in dry places. Of course, using the lenses every once in a while is a very good idea, and that was what they were made for!

PS: I have recently bought some silica bags and put one or two inside lenses cases and storage bags. I guess it is another way of preventing humidity. Very cheap.


+1

I'm a believer in silica gel, too, as a dessicant. Have been making my own bags from crystal cat litter, which is 100% silica gel, and paper towels; very inexpensive. Store all my lenses alongside these bags. Agree moisture is very bad for lenses, very good for fungal growth.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 11:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tokina RMC 3.5/17 for 25ukp and Nikon Nikkor-N Auto 2.8/24 for 32ukp.


PostPosted: Sun Jul 29, 2012 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Heh! Picked up a Lomography Fisheye camera at the Goodwill, brand new with the desiccant package still inside, $2. About what this little cheap piece of plastic should sell for, LOL, can't believe they retail fo $49!

Should be good for a few laughs. Smile


PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 7:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

iangreenhalgh1 wrote:
Tokina RMC 3.5/17 for 25ukp and Nikon Nikkor-N Auto 2.8/24 for 32ukp.


Wow! Shocked
Congrats, very good deals.
I thought I had my Tokina 17mm for cheap (€ 65).


PostPosted: Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Both have fungus so fingers crossed i can clean them, but I couldn't pass on a Tokina 17 for 25 quid, no way. I already have one but it;s in Konica mount so I can only use it on my NEX, I want this second one as it;s in PK and can be used on my EOS.


PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2012 8:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

guardian wrote:
ChromaticAberration wrote:
As far as I know spores are everywhere in the environment so the chance for fungus growth is there from the moment you take your lenses out with the camera. What makes them develop or not are damp, dark, humid storage areas which is not the right way to do it in the first place anyway.

Just clean what you can (without taking too much risks while disassembling the lens) and keep the lens in dry places. Of course, using the lenses every once in a while is a very good idea, and that was what they were made for!

PS: I have recently bought some silica bags and put one or two inside lenses cases and storage bags. I guess it is another way of preventing humidity. Very cheap.


+1

I'm a believer in silica gel, too, as a dessicant. Have been making my own bags from crystal cat litter, which is 100% silica gel, and paper towels; very inexpensive. Store all my lenses alongside these bags. Agree moisture is very bad for lenses, very good for fungal growth.


Yup, it's estimated that there are between 5 and 10 spores inhaled with every human adult breath depending on your location. Of the kinds that typically grow on lens glass with dust/debris as food; 50% to 55% Relative Humidity (RH) is required for germination (sprouting) and most strains like it cool (under about C 25˚). The idea that they like it dark is somewhat of a myth. Almost all lens glass will shield fungi from the UVc rays which they actually do hate - so even sitting on a window ledge during a bright day will not kill spores already inside the lens - assuming the lens doesn't heat up to C 30˚or so that is - and also assuming that the lens isn't made of quartz glass (I dunno of any that are tho!). Quartz glass will pass the UVc rays and kill the fungi - no other glass that I know of will.

If the lens is in a climate where 55% RH is common then typically sized (two or three of your thumbs in volume) Silica packets are pretty useless. And also such packets become saturated and then work in the opposite way - giving off moisture when humidity is lower than their saturate point - thus actually prolonging the amount of time fungi have to sprout and grow. Additionally many types of lens lubricants begin degassing and drying out at under 25% RH and new desiccant packs can and will bring the RH down to between 17% and 20%. So this is bad - physically for the lens!

But there is salvation! Smile RH is co-related with temperature. The higher the temp : the lower the RH will be. And it doesn't take much! At about C 35˚ it's nearly impossible for RH to reach over 45% - in a closed space in normal weather where humans live. At C 30˚ to 35˚ usually an RH of 30% to 35% is maintained - depending on the climate and/or home weathering. At around C 25˚ to 30˚ an approximate RH of 45% to 35% is maintained.

By placing a small incandescent light (or a 50cm ultra-thin fluorescent tube) in a closed cabinet of approximately 100cmx50cmx50cm this temperature and RH coefficient can be maintained (indoors) during all seasons. This is how expensive lens cabinets work in fact. With the good ones, the power to the light bulb is switched on when RH reaches past your preset and off again when it is obtained. Usually that lightbulb is behind a rear or side panel so you don't see the light switching on and off - but hiding the light isn't necessary. Using a home made lit cabinet to about the mentioned specifications also will almost never bring RH down below 25% and if it does (like during a VERY dry winters days), just turn off the lights manually and you're good.

Here's my rig which cost me about $75 all total including the three untra-slim light fixtures on a cold and humid (C 12˚ / RH 65%) winders day (the perfect kind for growing fungi in lenses BTW):



With this setup so far (in 2 years) the RH has never gone over 50% and never under 25%, I did need to turn off the lights a few times in 2 years tho to prevent it from going under 25% RH. Also with the lights in these positions and the glass front like that it makes a really nice display and night-light in my bedroom! Very Happy


PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tokina 17mm RMC (Olympus mount) for 40€. Brand spanking new. Still in the box.


PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 7:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

TijmenDal wrote:
Tokina 17mm RMC (Olympus mount) for 40€. Brand spanking new. Still in the box.

I am so jealous! Twisted Evil


PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 10:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

guardian wrote:

I'm a believer in silica gel, too, as a dessicant. Have been making my own bags from crystal cat litter, which is 100% silica gel, and paper towels; very inexpensive. Store all my lenses alongside these bags. Agree moisture is very bad for lenses, very good for fungal growth.

I didn't know about cat litter silica gel - excellent idea, thanks. I had purchased several dozen small bags of the stuff and distributed them around camera and lens bags, boxes and drawers, but I find my local farmers' supply house stocks a make of silica gel catcrapcatcher.


PostPosted: Wed Aug 01, 2012 10:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

A Takumar 2/58mm m42 (Sonnar design) for $80.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 1:32 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Tesselator wrote:






Meself drooling! Pure porn! Lens porn! Shocked


PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Himself wrote:


Meself drooling! Pure porn! Lens porn! Shocked


You have captured the essence of my first thought upon seeing the post and photo. Wow! What a beautiful collection!!

My second thought, one I'm hesitant even to whisper:

This lucky lens owner needs to offer daily a prayer for absence of seismic activity.


PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2012 1:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I got my kiron 28-210 for $13.99. I purchased my Zeiss off ebay for 60 dollars but when it arrived, I noticed there was a dent on the front so no filter could go on. I really wanted one that was perfect so I asked for a refund, The guy gave me my money back and told me to just keep the lens! That's what you call a come up!


PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I keep sayin' I'm not lookin' for any new gear...but when the deal's there, I can't say no...

Got this puppy this morning for $30 at a thrift shop....(the aperture leaves are a bit slow to shut but there's no oil on them...and of course it's not a problem when used manually on the Canon)
...the focusing ring is nice and silky smooth, unlike modern AF barrels (and so a lot slower AF than the newer versions...but again not a problem for MF use)...



Not that it needs to be shown...but here's a quick test shot @5.6...100% corner crop (only sharpening is 3 on the DPP scale)...



PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

30 bucks, wow, great find! I paid 30ukp for my old Micro-Nikkor 3.5/55 which is 50 bucks.

My Tokina 3.5/17 arrived, I've looked three times and I still can't find the fungus it's supposed to have Smile


PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 10:00 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Laughing pleasant suprise!


PostPosted: Sat Aug 04, 2012 11:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Angenieux 28 70, which i paid 35 euro for it. I try to see how nikon mount look like, and can not put it in shape again. I sold it later for 400 euro. Very Happy


PostPosted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 11:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

....and now this 250mm mirror lens I just picked up today....awaiting the adapter...



PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 12:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm not sure what to say, but i pulled the trigger - http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=271031607888

Tell me what I am, either stupid or...


PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 12:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The only bargain that i have found was a skopagon 2/40 at $25 in 1989. Well, today i see that like a bargain[/u]


PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 1:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

just received my Nikkor 105/2.5 AI-S in new condition for 80€
lens was infected with fungus and after 15min of work the glass is clean and clear



PostPosted: Mon Aug 13, 2012 3:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Let me guess, easy to disassemble fron element and that is where the critters were, typical! Sellers lost! Nice bargain right there, looks brand new.