Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
01-30-2023, 03:59 AM   #16
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: NY
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,559
QuoteOriginally posted by Stefan Jr Quote
Correct me if I'm wrong.

It's UV-C that penetrates the glass and kills the fungus.

While UV-B and UV-A will have no effect. Firstly - because it does not penetrate glass. And secondly - it has no sterilizing effect.

So, if anyone trying to treat/disinfect a lens with a lamp. Make sure it's an UV-C sterilizing lamp!
use the sun

01-30-2023, 12:34 PM - 1 Like   #17
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter
TDvN57's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Berlin
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 1,137
QuoteOriginally posted by TheSwede Quote
I this a tropics thing or does it happen all over the globe? I see that one of you is from Berlin. That does not sound very tropic to me. I am stationed i south of Sweden.
I used to live in the tropics until a year ago. During the winter here in Berlin relative humidity is mostly above 80%, until temperatures start to drop below freezing. I assume this is still a threat to unsealed lenses, cold or not.

I use two Procan dry boxes, the type that are plugged-in to power and actively removes moisture down to +/- 40%. I bought these about 12 years ago and they have been working faithfully even after moving a number of times. No messing with decicants.

This is the type I have: procan drybox - Google Search

Similar from B&H: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1348544-REG/ruggard_edc_50l_electroni...50l.html/specs
01-31-2023, 12:21 AM   #18
Loyal Site Supporter
Loyal Site Supporter




Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Dallas / Yucatan
Posts: 1,829
QuoteOriginally posted by TheSwede Quote
I this a tropics thing or does it happen all over the globe? I see that one of you is from Berlin. That does not sound very tropic to me. I am stationed i south of Sweden.
Fungus isn't limited to the tropics, although it's more commonly humid year-round there making it more important to combat.

The main factors are humidity (either in the air or damp, like from rain or fog) and darkness. Sunlight prevents it and can kill the spores. The 'white threads' people see in their lenses are the bodies of fungus spores which have 'hatched' and maybe already dead.

The big danger is that the fungus spore will stain or etch the surface of glass or coatings, which can be permanent. The white fungus threads are easily cleaned if you can successfully disassemble the lens. Glass etching cannot be removed.

So, store the lenses in translucent boxes without caps and insure they're always dry (40-50% humidity).



---------- Post added 01-31-23 at 01:23 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by TDvN57 Quote
I used to live in the tropics until a year ago. During the winter here in Berlin relative humidity is mostly above 80%, until temperatures start to drop below freezing. I assume this is still a threat to unsealed lenses, cold or not.
I was surprised to hear that humidity is so high in Berlin. Somehow, I just never pictured in my mind that Berlin was a humid place, although that simply comes from lack of familiarity.

I've heard the Ruggard dry cabinets you've linked to work very well and are silent. Glad to hear of another endorsement of that type of device!
02-27-2023, 04:03 PM   #19
Veteran Member
Silent Street's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Castlemaine, Victoria, AUS
Photos: Albums
Posts: 1,149
QuoteOriginally posted by 672 Quote
Well, Of course it hits the 67 75mm 2.8 AL, and not the 135 macro sitting right next to it...... So, I have about 25 lenses from Pentax and Canon locked up in a steel multi drawer tool chest in my home office. Been that way for twelve years . I use piles of desiccant packs , big 400 gram ones. Everything was fine when I bought new ones regularly , but recently I have been "drying" them out in the oven. Maybe back to new ones all the time. Basically Im looking for feedback and experience on how to improve my long term storage.

Best, 672

You cannot be absolutely sure that the 75AL fungus is a product of your storage conditions. Fungus can be seeded many years ago before it becomes a visible, annoying problem, but which time it is too late. Humidity is a fact of life and cannot be avoided. Reducing humidity to less than 50% runs the risk of drying out internal lubricants in both lenses and the old Pentax 6x7/67 cameras which do not have the benefit of modern day stable PTFE-based dry-state lubricants.

There is a very good chance that all of the other lenses you have are now seeded by fungus due to their proximity to the infected lenses. This is how the fungal spores are spread — too easily and too effectively when one or more infected pieces are stored with those that are not infected.

Eliminating fungus is a product of professional disassembly in a controlled environment and aggressive mechanical treatment e.g. abrasive removal followed by finishing and polishing — it is easier and cheaper just to buy a new lens! UV light, dry storage etc. and other famous examples of quackery will not retard nor cure fungus (nor will populist treatments do anything to 'cure' thorioum-tinted Takumar lenses!).

03-02-2023, 04:45 PM   #20
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Feb 2023
Posts: 17
Having spent the last 45 years living in the deserts of AZ, NM, and NV I have never been bothered by fungus. It bothers me when I see a lens advertised for sale and it is described as 3excellent, except for small fungus. While I'm a professional photographer, retired, I am not a lens technician. The thought of disassembling one of my lenses is a no-no. I have read where removing fungus is an expensive proposition. I don't know if there is anything I could suggest.
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
645d, 645z, berlin, camera, fungus, glass, humidity, lenses, medium format, spores, threads, tropics
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Fungus in rear elements Sigma Mini Wide 28mm f2.8 ColinM Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 3 10-22-2022 02:28 AM
Nature More Fungus Portraits tncasual Post Your Photos! 2 09-01-2022 08:14 PM
Nature Coral Fungus RobG Post Your Photos! 6 07-06-2021 03:37 PM
Is this fungus or lens element separation? mjp29 Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 5 01-24-2021 03:39 PM
Pentax F 35-70 - keep perfect past-fungus or worse without fungus Dr.Gaga Pentax SLR Lens Discussion 2 04-25-2013 05:06 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:48 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top