Cleaning lens fungus.

[Rol_Lei Nut]

What defines a "modern" coating? I have 40 year old lenses, do they count as modern?

Thanks.

No clear definitions, but I've seen several 1950's and early 1960's vintage lenses with coatings far softer than is usual (typically of German manufacture, though I have no Japanese lenses from that time).

That doesn't mean that many of that age aren't *hard* or that all "modern" lenses have tough coatings, depends on the manufacturer, ect.

[dehk]

Depends on how bad it is most of the time it just comes off easy. But I was cleaning my 50 1.4 AIS , the fungus etched itself on the glass. 2nd from last element.

Lighter fluid? Doesn't work.
Alcohol? Doesn't Work.
Soap? Doesn't Work
Buffing with Tooth Paste? Doesn't work.
Dremel with a buffing pad and buffing compound? Took the coating off, still etched.

Good luck! And lets hope the fungus is not between two glued together element, that's even worst.

[E. von Hoegh]

No clear definitions, but I've seen several 1950's and early 1960's vintage lenses with coatings far softer than is usual (typically of German manufacture, though I have no Japanese lenses from that time).

That doesn't mean that many of that age aren't *hard* or that all "modern" lenses have tough coatings, depends on the manufacturer, ect.

The very early coatings were verydelicate. Some lenses had only the inner surfaces coated, as the coating wouldn't stand cleaning. By WWII they had, for the military at least, learned how to make fairly durable coatings.

[baachitraka]

condition of the lens.

[Rol_Lei Nut]

"Hello fungus my old friend..."

or

OUCH!

It's pretty widespread.
Is there more deeper inside (in the photo the inside looks a bit murky)?
It may or may not clean up well: it depends on whether the fungus has etched the lens or the coating. Hard to tell without trying...

[baachitraka]

Its just on the surface, I believe. May be I take it to India and put it under scorching Sun for entire summer.

[Pumalite]

You have to send that lens to an exprt; if not buy an EXC at Keh; honest and cheap

[baachitraka]

I found someone from England is doing the lens cleaning(fungus) for 45 pounds.

[Peltigera]

My concern here is how may other lenses are going to get infected while you are failing to get this lens cleaned. Fungi spread and if the conditions are right in one lens, they probably are in the others as well. Unless it is worth a great deal of money (i.e. more than all your other lenses put together) I would bin it and buy a new one.

[baachitraka]

This lens is in isolation and I always put my cameras in separate plastic boxes with lots of silica gel in it. Recently, I am taking care of my enlarger lens in the same way.