[Docrwm]

I was looking at lenses on eBay earlier and saw a nice looking Pentax 50/4 but it had some odd white dots inside.....hmmmm. So I looked at threads on Fungus in lenses and then googled. Came up with a cool, if perhaps a bit overboard, solution to potential fungus
Beating Lens Fungus | The Digital Photo Experience

So, how seriously do you take fungus as a threat to your lenses?

---

Last edited by Docrwm; 06-28-2011 at 06:10 PM.

[RioRico]

So, how seriously do you take fungus as a threat to your lenses?

Not very. But I can afford to be nonchalant -- I mostly occupy high dry places. I have about three lenses (out of ~215) that I know to be somewhat fungal. I need to find a handy place to leave them out in the sun awhile, to kill it. None were expensive nor critical. Folks in low moist places should probably worry more.

[rparmar]

I live in Ireland. Anything with fungus will give something else fungus. So I will have none of it.

[adr1an]

I tend not to take Fun Gus seriously... Fun Sam and Fun Steve though.. they are not to be messed with.... lol Ok... obligatory "Fun Guy" joke out of the way...

I throw some of the silica desiccant bags in my gear (have it in the bags, and in the stuff in storage).. So far though, besides one Lens I inherited with some fungal 'crackling' on an element, I haven't picked up any more anywhere...

Is it worth sticking a packet of that "Damp Rid" in the cupboard I keep the stuff in ? I haven't really ever seen any mold issues though around the house, even in the shower spaces etc...

[Blue]

I was looking at lenses on eBay earlier and saw a nice looking Pentax 50/4 but it had some odd white dots inside.....hmmmm. So I looked at threads on Fungus in lenses and then googled. Came up with a cool, if perhaps a bit overboard, solution to potential fungus
Beating Lens Fungus | The Digital Photo Experience

So, how seriously do you take fungus as a threat to your lenses?

I take it serious enough that I by silica gel in 5 pound boxes and keep an eye on the overall rh where anything of importance that could be effected is stored regardless if it is camera gear or something else. During August in Florida, you can watch stuff rot.

[Blue]

Not very. But I can afford to be nonchalant -- I mostly occupy high dry places. I have about three lenses (out of ~215) that I know to be somewhat fungal. I need to find a handy place to leave them out in the sun awhile, to kill it. None were expensive nor critical. Folks in low moist places should probably worry more.

Do you take dust and crap in the air serious? Bakersfield comes to mind.

[magkelly]

I don't worry too much because I tend to turn on the AC at the least sign of humidity being as I am sensitive to it. I do check all my lenses regularly, use desiccant packages in my bags. I'd love a proper lens dry box, but I haven't been able to afford something like that and I'm not nearly handy enough with drills and electrics to make me one like the one in the article. I won't have any camera equipment in my house that has shown signs of it though. I've had a couple of lenses come my way that have just been covered with it and I tossed them immediately in a plastic bag for safety's sake. Neither one of them was worth saving so I didn't feel too guilty about it. I might try to save a rare Takumar but for most old lenses I wouldn't even bother.

[RioRico]

Do you take dust and crap in the air serious? Bakersfield comes to mind.

I take it seriously; that why I avoid it. Bakersfield (named after a vicious local land baron, so I have read) is maybe 500 ft above sea level. My lowest residence is at 3500 ft; as often as possible, I live at 5500 or 7500 or 9500 ft. Dust and crap is much thinner at elevation. Fewer bugs, too. And few fungal infestations. Florida is never on my itinerary.

[Blue]

I take it seriously; that why I avoid it. Bakersfield (named after a vicious local land baron, so I have read) is maybe 500 ft above sea level. My lowest residence is at 3500 ft; as often as possible, I live at 5500 or 7500 or 9500 ft. Dust and crap is much thinner at elevation. Fewer bugs, too. And few fungal infestations. Florida is never on my itinerary.

When I lived in SoCal, I lived in Yucaipa about 1 mile below the snow line so the fog never reached us but dust was ubiquitous . (Especially with those 2003 fires.) I miss the dry.

[BillM]

Had 2 citizens of Joplin,Mo. die of fungal infections recently that came on top of bacterial infections after recieving first aid for injuries recieved from an EF5 tornado strike.Local hospital had been put out of service at the time so aid that was administered was under primative conditions.Both persons had existing medical problems that had weakened their immune system prior to storm.
Regardless,deathly serious.

[reeftool]

It has rained for 25 of the past 30 days and the house is damp. I am a little concerned this year. Pollen has been an issue, at least earlier in the month. Everything was covered in a fine yellow powder. It was as thick as pond scum in puddles. It seems to get in everywhere.

[Laurentiu Cristofor]

I wouldn't buy a lens with fungus, no matter the price - I don't want anything to do with them. If I would like disassembling them and cleaning them, it might make sense, but I'm not into that. As for prevention, I keep lenses clean in dry places with silica bags next to them.

As a side note, have you heard about the zombie fungus? The first example there was featured on Planet Earth as well. Pretty amazing stuff.

[stevebrot]

I live in Ireland. Anything with fungus will give something else fungus. So I will have none of it.

I share Robin's opinion. I do a very detailed inspection of the internal glass whenever I take delivery of a new lens. If there is even a hint of fungus, it goes back to the seller or directly to the trash. I have too many treasured lenses to risk an epidemic.

Sound a little extreme? I have a fairly good background in microbiology and a good rule of thumb is that if something is found growing in a very inhospitable location, it must be very well-adapted to living in that place and probably very hard to eradicate from same!


Steve

[stevebrot]

Had 2 citizens of Joplin,Mo. die of fungal infections recently that came on top of bacterial infections after recieving first aid for injuries recieved from an EF5 tornado strike.Local hospital had been put out of service at the time so aid that was administered was under primative conditions.Both persons had existing medical problems that had weakened their immune system prior to storm.
Regardless,deathly serious.

I read about that on the news...opportunistic deep tissue mycosis...nasty!


Steve

[Blue]

I buy large quantities of silca gel due to living in an area of high humidity and potential power interruption due to storms etc. I use airtight containers with silica gel in them along with a hydrometer. I can see it through the container. I keep my Asahi Pentax K and associated lenses in one such container. I keep my Contax D in another one. I verify the reliability of the container before using them. I keep my various m42 collection in a surplus military giant ammo can that I verified the gasket still good on. In my general cabinet I keep pint jars of silca gel. These digital hygrometers are my friend.