Is this what I think it is?

Chex · 04-14-2011, 04:38 PM

I picked up this SMC Takumar 55mm f1.8 a little while back, and I was wondering what this stuff is on the outside fringe of the front lens.. I think its some oil or grease that someone may have used to lubricate it.. I'm not even sure how much it effects my shots since most of my focal points are closer to center.. but it bugs me and I'm ready to tear into this thing and clean it! Is this grease or something else? And what should I use to clean it, just my bottle of lens cleaner?

Last edited by Chex; 04-23-2011 at 11:30 PM.

alohadave · 04-14-2011, 04:42 PM

It's either fungus or the front element is separating.

Either way, you most likely won't see it in your pictures in 99% of the time. If it bothers you, take it apart and clean it (if it's fungus), or sell it to someone else.

Chex · 04-14-2011, 05:11 PM

I wouldn't sell it, I might donate it to my nephew who is just getting into photography and has a T2i, I already ebayed an EOS/m42 mount because I'm going to give him one of the 55mm Tak's I have.. it just sucks that the SMC f1.8 is the contaminated one and the older Super-Tak f2.0 is the clean one.

creampuff · 04-14-2011, 07:44 PM

It's fungus... and it's spreading... if you don't clean if off quickly, that lens is nothing more than junk. Already it probably has etched onto the lens coating and possibly will leave an impression even if cleaned off.

goddo31 · 04-14-2011, 07:53 PM

Pretty sure that's fungus.
It hasn't spread too much yet though, you might aswell have a go at pulling it apart and cleaning it off. Especially if it was a cheap purchase. A camera repair shop could sort it out for you too.

Not sure what your lens cleaner will be composed of, but try getting some isopropyl alcohol and some good cloths. If you need something stronger than that to clean it off, you can try acetone. However with the acetone, avoid breathing in the fumes as much as possible

It looks like the fungus is just on the front element but it's hard to say. If it's just confined to the front element it may be quite easy to get to and clean. But you wont know until you pull it apart

If you just leave it as is, Denis (creampuff) is right, it will just get worse. And yeah the longer it's there the greater the risk of lens coating damage.
A lens with any fungus has very little sale value.

Chex · 04-14-2011, 08:42 PM

Well then I guess I'll pull it apart and try to clean it.. if it doesn't turn out.. well I have the 55mm f2.0 still.

chongmic · 04-14-2011, 09:48 PM

How about my lens in the attached picture? Is it crack, dust or fungus? This is taken from the back of the lens with light source from the front.

Attached Images

goddo31 · 04-14-2011, 09:55 PM

It's a little bit hard to say definitively, but with the little strands it looks like fungus to me. eek!

alohadave · 04-15-2011, 06:42 AM

Originally posted by chongmic

How about my lens in the attached picture? Is it crack, dust or fungus? This is taken from the back of the lens with light source from the front.

Did you fish that out of a lake? That looks like you've got an algae colony in there.

ZEPsikopat · 04-15-2011, 07:34 AM

Originally posted by alohadave

Did you fish that out of a lake? That looks like you've got an algae colony in there.

I can't stop laughing. You definitely read my mind

chongmic · 04-15-2011, 07:44 AM

Got it from ebay. Brought it to a camera shop, they said is cleanable, with reasonable fees.

axl · 04-15-2011, 08:37 AM

Originally posted by ZEPsikopat

I can't stop laughing. You definitely read my mind

+ 1 to that.
If the poster would harvest all that fungus he could get pretty rich

Chex · 04-15-2011, 03:32 PM

foly huck... people get enough pics through lenses like that Adobe might end up making a new filter for photoshop called "FUNGUS"

04-14-2011, 04:38 PM	#1
Chex Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: The 'Stoke, British Columbia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,678	Is this what I think it is? I picked up this SMC Takumar 55mm f1.8 a little while back, and I was wondering what this stuff is on the outside fringe of the front lens.. I think its some oil or grease that someone may have used to lubricate it.. I'm not even sure how much it effects my shots since most of my focal points are closer to center.. but it bugs me and I'm ready to tear into this thing and clean it! Is this grease or something else? And what should I use to clean it, just my bottle of lens cleaner? Last edited by Chex; 04-23-2011 at 11:30 PM.

04-14-2011, 04:42 PM	#2
alohadave Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Quincy, MA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,024	It's either fungus or the front element is separating. Either way, you most likely won't see it in your pictures in 99% of the time. If it bothers you, take it apart and clean it (if it's fungus), or sell it to someone else.

04-14-2011, 05:11 PM	#3
Chex Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: The 'Stoke, British Columbia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,678 Original Poster	I wouldn't sell it, I might donate it to my nephew who is just getting into photography and has a T2i, I already ebayed an EOS/m42 mount because I'm going to give him one of the 55mm Tak's I have.. it just sucks that the SMC f1.8 is the contaminated one and the older Super-Tak f2.0 is the clean one.

04-14-2011, 07:44 PM	#4
creampuff Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,953	It's fungus... and it's spreading... if you don't clean if off quickly, that lens is nothing more than junk. Already it probably has etched onto the lens coating and possibly will leave an impression even if cleaned off.

04-14-2011, 07:53 PM	#5
goddo31 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,576	Pretty sure that's fungus. It hasn't spread too much yet though, you might aswell have a go at pulling it apart and cleaning it off. Especially if it was a cheap purchase. A camera repair shop could sort it out for you too. Not sure what your lens cleaner will be composed of, but try getting some isopropyl alcohol and some good cloths. If you need something stronger than that to clean it off, you can try acetone. However with the acetone, avoid breathing in the fumes as much as possible It looks like the fungus is just on the front element but it's hard to say. If it's just confined to the front element it may be quite easy to get to and clean. But you wont know until you pull it apart If you just leave it as is, Denis (creampuff) is right, it will just get worse. And yeah the longer it's there the greater the risk of lens coating damage. A lens with any fungus has very little sale value.

04-14-2011, 08:42 PM	#6
Chex Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: The 'Stoke, British Columbia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,678 Original Poster	Well then I guess I'll pull it apart and try to clean it.. if it doesn't turn out.. well I have the 55mm f2.0 still.

04-14-2011, 09:48 PM	#7
chongmic Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 42	How about my lens in the attached picture? Is it crack, dust or fungus? This is taken from the back of the lens with light source from the front. Attached Images

04-14-2011, 09:55 PM	#8
goddo31 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,576	It's a little bit hard to say definitively, but with the little strands it looks like fungus to me. eek!

04-15-2011, 06:42 AM	#9
alohadave Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Quincy, MA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,024	Originally posted by chongmic How about my lens in the attached picture? Is it crack, dust or fungus? This is taken from the back of the lens with light source from the front. Did you fish that out of a lake? That looks like you've got an algae colony in there.

04-15-2011, 07:34 AM	#10
ZEPsikopat Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Luxembourg Posts: 109	Originally posted by alohadave Did you fish that out of a lake? That looks like you've got an algae colony in there. I can't stop laughing. You definitely read my mind

04-15-2011, 07:44 AM	#11
chongmic Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 42	Got it from ebay. Brought it to a camera shop, they said is cleanable, with reasonable fees.

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04-15-2011, 08:37 AM	#12
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	Originally posted by ZEPsikopat I can't stop laughing. You definitely read my mind + 1 to that. If the poster would harvest all that fungus he could get pretty rich

04-15-2011, 03:32 PM	#13
Chex Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: The 'Stoke, British Columbia Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,678 Original Poster	foly huck... people get enough pics through lenses like that Adobe might end up making a new filter for photoshop called "FUNGUS"