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04-24-2010, 02:30 PM   #1
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Lens 'goop'

I was cleaning my lenses today and noticed that my Tamron 70-300mm has something like a smear/goop on it as visible from the side that faces the camera body. I cleaned it with the lens cleaning kit and it is still there, and shows up as a candy cane looking imperfection on my photos. Does anyone know what is going on here and how I can get rid of this 'goop'?

It almost looks like something got BEHIND the glass that faces the camera body and I really don't know what to do to remove it?????? I"m super duper careful about keeping everything clean so I don't know how something could have gotten inside the lens itself.

04-24-2010, 04:31 PM   #2
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I've thought about this and read your description a few times but still cannot picture what you're talking about . Can you show a photo of what you are talking about or/and a photo of the 'candy cane' affect it leaves? THE only thing I can think of, is that you've smeared some skin oil either on the front or rear glass of the lens. A Water based cleaner (if that's what you are using) may not completely remove it. That's a total shot in the dark though..

04-24-2010, 07:03 PM   #3
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Can you post photos of both the effect on your photos, and the "goop" in the lens if possible.

I've cleaned (or attempted to clean) perhaps 70-80 lenses, of "stuff", usually lens fungus or haze from the inside elements of lenses.

I may be able to identify what it is.
04-25-2010, 12:15 PM   #4
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Are you positive it's something in the lens and not fiber or dust particle on the sensor?

04-26-2010, 04:41 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by dnas Quote
Can you post photos of both the effect on your photos, and the "goop" in the lens if possible.

I've cleaned (or attempted to clean) perhaps 70-80 lenses, of "stuff", usually lens fungus or haze from the inside elements of lenses.

I may be able to identify what it is.
I will work on getting some of the pics loaded so you guys can see the imperfection. I will also TRY to take a photo of the 'goop' itself.

But to be a bit more descriptive in the mean time, when I look at the lens from the end that attaches to the body of the camera, there appears to be some white looking spot. I used the lens cleaning fluid/kit on a q-tip and then gently wiped it with a lens tissue and then with the special soft cloth that came with the cleaning kit. I repeated the process with the other end of the lens. The smear/goop is still be there, as if inside the lens vs. outside and for the life of me I can't figure out how it could have gotten there. I haven't been out in the elements (rainy, etc.) at all with the equipment and I'm almost OCD about keeping everything dust free and tidy. So again, it just escapes me as to what could possibly be going on. But as I said, I'll work on getting a few photos up later today/tonight.

I'm pretty certain it's a lens issue because it does not appear when I use my 18-55mm kit lens (the only other one I own currently), and the sensor appears to be clean as a whistle, so to speak. I did the 'dust removal shake' just to be certain there is nothing on there. And as I said, there is no problem with the smaller lens. *shrug*
04-26-2010, 10:28 AM   #6
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The fact that you can see this In the lens AND on your photos suggests one of 2 things. Either Moisture has gotten in there or oil has migrated to the surface of one of your elements. If it were dust (or even Fungus) inside the lens, it would have to be quite extreme to see it on your photos. The glass is just too close to the camera sensor to get a picture of anything Inside the lens. So if it IS the lens, there is something that is actually bending the light away from the normal path of the lens. That is a WAG on my part.

By Candy Cane effect we, or I, are/am assuming you mean the Shape of the spot on your photos. I still wouldn't rule out the idea sensor dust and coincidence. Seeing it or not depends on how you test for it. When you get the opportunity, put your kit lens back on and stop all the way down (f22 or something like that) and take a picture of the daytime sky. Do the same thing with your Tamron. Even the dust mapping feature, is not always fool proof and the shaker works marginally well at best for fused on particles. Touch the sensor cleaning methods are sometimes required. It is better on the K20 than it was on the K10 though.

04-26-2010, 04:44 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by JeffJS Quote
The fact that you can see this In the lens AND on your photos suggests one of 2 things. Either Moisture has gotten in there or oil has migrated to the surface of one of your elements. If it were dust (or even Fungus) inside the lens, it would have to be quite extreme to see it on your photos. The glass is just too close to the camera sensor to get a picture of anything Inside the lens. So if it IS the lens, there is something that is actually bending the light away from the normal path of the lens. That is a WAG on my part.

By Candy Cane effect we, or I, are/am assuming you mean the Shape of the spot on your photos. I still wouldn't rule out the idea sensor dust and coincidence. Seeing it or not depends on how you test for it. When you get the opportunity, put your kit lens back on and stop all the way down (f22 or something like that) and take a picture of the daytime sky. Do the same thing with your Tamron. Even the dust mapping feature, is not always fool proof and the shaker works marginally well at best for fused on particles. Touch the sensor cleaning methods are sometimes required. It is better on the K20 than it was on the K10 though.

Okay here is one photo that shows that lovely 'candy cane' shape as I call it. This is just a photo example that I didn't do any adjustments to other than to make the 'anomoly' show up better. I didn't get a chance to do a retest today or take a pic of the 'goop', but this at least gives you a visual of what I'm seeing on the photo w/the Tamron lens.

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04-26-2010, 04:49 PM   #8
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Oh my god, that does look like a candy cane....
04-26-2010, 04:50 PM   #9
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Wow that totally looks like a particle of dust I had on my K10D sensor once. You're sure this is on the lens? It doesn't show up with any other lenses? Maybe try another lens and take a shot of a white wall and see if it appears. Or can you get a shot of the lens and enhance it to see if you can get it to show up that way?

This is interesting . . .

Last edited by mel; 04-26-2010 at 05:12 PM.
04-26-2010, 04:56 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by hangu Quote
Oh my god, that does look like a candy cane....
See I told you. lol I was like what is this s**t, freakin Merry Christmas in April or something.
04-26-2010, 04:57 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by mel Quote
Wow that totally looks like a particle of dust I had on my K10D sensor once. You're sure this is on the lens? It doesn't show up with any other lenses? Maybe try another lense and take a shot of a white wall and see it appears. Or can you get a shot of the lens and enhance it to see if you can get it to show up that way?

This is interesting . . .
Weird right? lol I can't do any testing tonight but will do so tomorrow and keep you guys abreast of the situation for sure, posting photos, etc. thereafter.
04-26-2010, 05:00 PM   #12
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I'm still leaning with Mel on this one. Sensor dust. I've had some pretty odd shaped dust bunnies on my sensors in the past. Usually a blast with a blower will take care of such dust hairs. Put your camera in cleaning mode, point the lens opening toward the ground and give the mirror box a few good blasts with a rocket blower. Don't have one yet? No DSLR bag is complete without one.

I'm guessing that shooting into the light like that you had to stop the lens way down to keep from blowing out the sky. Yes? No?

I guess the Real question here is though, does the shape match the 'goop' on the lens??


1200
04-26-2010, 05:08 PM   #13
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It looks like sensor dust to me. Dust on lenses usually manifest itself as a large blurry mass. I can't imagine any dust inside a lens making that sort of a shape. However, if it doesn't show up on the 18-55mm then it would be the lens and not the sensor.

I'm still laughing over the candy cane, you weren't joking.
04-27-2010, 12:04 AM   #14
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If you have another lens, does it also show in the image taken with that lens?

Next, are you sure that that 'goop' that you see on the lens is not a reflection of some kind? Does it (seem to) move when you move/tilt the lens while cleaning? That had me fooled once.
04-28-2010, 07:03 AM   #15
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To everyone. Sorry I haven't posted a response yet and/or pics of the lenses. Last night I was faced with a sick pooch when I got home from work so we spent the afternoon/evening at the vet's office. He is doing better today so my hope is to FINALLy get some pics of the 'goop' and do the quick cleaning (blow dust off sensor), etc. So please bear with me...life happens, ya know? lol
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