# lens fungus?



## Jeff Canes (Jan 9, 2004)

What is lens fungus? I found a Zeiss Ikon on Ebay be sold as is but it has is fungus thing

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2977463196&category=710


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## motcon (Jan 9, 2004)

it means that it was not stored in an acceptable range of humidity and that mold has grown _inside_ of the lens. 

will it still work? yah.

will it screw up your pics? prolly.

can you fix it? yeah, but......a lens is a highly complex piece of equipment. i bought a cheapo just so i could take it apart. never could get it back together properly, let alone aligned.

you may want to ask the seller more questions including some indication as how far the mold has progressed and even if he/she has any shots that have been taken with the lens with mold.


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## ksmattfish (Jan 9, 2004)

If the fungus is in the area where two elements fit tightly together it may not be able to be cleaned at all.  Even if it is in an area where it can be cleaned, as Motcon said, it's a crapshoot whether it's salvagable.

I have heard of folks leaving their fungussy lenses locked open on bulb in the bright sun for a few weeks.  Some claim this kills off any active fungus, although it still leaves the dead fungus in the lens.

I wouldn't purchase a camera with fungus in the lens for more than 25% of normal value (I wouldn't pay more than $40 for the camera you linked to), because you really don't know what you are getting until you've shot with it.

On the other hand, if you can get a good deal because of fungus, it may be worth it.  Check out my photo "Omar and Mike" in the workers theme.  That was shot with a lens that has very noticable fungus when you look through it, but compared to a clean version of the same camera, I can't tell that it affects the image at all.  A clean version of that camera goes for $75 to $100.  I got the fungussy one for $15.


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## ksmattfish (Jan 9, 2004)

Actually, after looking at that camera again, it's probably worth around $250 clean and functioning, so maybe fungus value is about $65.

By the way, I have a Zeiss Ikonta 6x9 w/ a tessar lens.  It's a great camera.


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## Galaxy_Stranger (May 14, 2004)

You CAN have it taken to a camera repair shop.  They're used to cleaning out lenses.  Well, some of them are anyway.

Last I heard, it was about $20 a piece to have them broken down and cleaned.  You may want to find some place that will do it and get an estimate.


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