[mccririck]

Is it possible to take a lens apart and clean the fungus off the elements? I bought two lenses in eBay, no mention of fungus and they both have it.

[stillshot2]

Try cleaning the outer portion first with a microfiber cloth. I was able to do this once since the fungus hadn't etched itself yet into the glass. Otherwise if this doesn't fix it personally I'd ask the seller pay for return shipping to send it back. If they don't cooperate you can always open a case and/or leave negative feedback unless the lenses were listed as-is. But they should have mentioned something as obvious as fungus, especially if the optics were listed as clear, etc.

[photoptimist]

Yes but not always.... lenses vary in ease of disassembly. Some parts of a lens may be easy to get to and clean, others not.

But are you sure it is fungus (easier to fix) and not degradation of the glue between elements (much hard to fix)?

Finally, are you sure the fungus is worth removing? Unless you are a lover of HDR and back-lit scenes, a little fungus won't affect image quality that much.

[marcusBMG]

Slight fungus (few tendrils, one or two little spots..) - probably not worth worrying about. More fungus, fugus pervasive on numerous elements, that will normally affect IQ.
Cleaning depends on the lens and where the fungus is. Zooms are complex. primes are much simpler. If the fungus is on or near elements at the front or back of the lens then it is often reasonably straightforward to get to it and clean it off. A lens spanner is an essential tool.
Do some browsing, there are numerous videos on the disassembly of various lenses that illustrate whats required, a number of web pages. There are some diy and repair articles here on PF. inc

Pentax Lens Disassembly Database - PentaxForums.com

[mccririck]

Yes but not always.... lenses vary in ease of disassembly. Some parts of a lens may be easy to get to and clean, others not.

But are you sure it is fungus (easier to fix) and not degradation of the glue between elements (much hard to fix)?

Finally, are you sure the fungus is worth removing? Unless you are a lover of HDR and back-lit scenes, a little fungus won't affect image quality that much.

Definitely fungus rather than balsam separation.

I checked the listing and the seller says "I would say in very good condition". No mention of fungus or any other problem.

[Riggson]

Is it possible to take a lens apart and clean the fungus off the elements? I bought two lenses in eBay, no mention of fungus and they both have it.

Photoptomist & Marcusbmg have both given you good advice. I have had to clean fungus out of vintage lenses and depending on the lens it's either a piece of cake or a major pain. If you do attempt it yourself make careful note of the orientation of the elements. Very easy to reverse one when reassembling.

[RICHARD L.]

I once bought a Minolta MD 100-300 mm f/5.6 zoom on eBay that had a bad case of fungus on the front of the Variator (group of lens elements that travels back and forth to change the focal length of the zoom). It was an easy fix costing 30 $. The repairman told me that today' lens coatings are fairly resistant to mold and can be cleaned with alcohol. See a reputable repairman and ask for a quotation.

[mccririck]

I got a refund from the eBay seller and got to keep both lenses so I'm going to take them apart myself and clean them.