What is this on my lens?

bullwinkl · 09-16-2013, 05:32 PM

I just got this yashica m42 yashikor lens and have not seen this before. Is this fungus of some kind

? It seems to be on the outside but does not wipe off. Any ideas and any way to fix this?
The lens also has oil on the aperture blades and I'm wondering if anyone has a link or information on taking this lens apart to clean them.
I spent just under 20 dollars for this lens and what I thought might have been a good deal, i'm beginning to suspect was actually a 20 dollar paper weight.
Name: yashica lens spots.jpg
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Name: yashica lens spots.jpg
Views: 521
Size: 38.8 KB

**SoftwareArtifex** · 09-16-2013, 06:32 PM - **1 Like**

It almost looks like some kind of hot splatter, like from hot oil or welding?

Steve.Ledger · 09-16-2013, 06:39 PM - **1 Like**

Yes, I agree - the previous owner was probably trying to photograph welding or grinding sparks.
Buy a cheap filter for those jobs..
You won't wipe that off...

bullwinkl · 09-16-2013, 06:50 PM

Thx for the responses. I should clarify, this is the rear of the lens.

narual · 09-16-2013, 07:05 PM

So they were trying to do reverse-lens macro photography of welding? That sounds pretty dangerous.

**SoftwareArtifex** · 09-16-2013, 07:21 PM

Probably it happened out-of-service.

Are there any marks on the body or just on the glass?

**patrick9** · 09-16-2013, 07:32 PM

A couple of the spots look like they might still have the metal from the splatter in them

bullwinkl · 09-16-2013, 09:28 PM

@SoftwareArtifex No. there's nothing on the outside that I can see that looks like this, it's just the glass. I used a 50mm with a macro on it to take these pictures, these spots are very small. Here is a wider shot to give a better reference of the size of things I'm dealing with. Clearly the lens has the eos adapter I put on it but the actual outside of the lens body looks clean.
Name: yashica lens spots2.jpg
Views: 322
Size: 53.0 KB

Name: yashica lens spots2.jpg
Views: 322
Size: 53.0 KB

narual · 09-23-2013, 02:16 PM

is it showing up in photos? if you take, say, a toothpick and gently go across the glass, is it catching on the spots? if there's no texture difference, maybe it's separation of the lens elements or some discoloring of the adhesive used in them. But if it's not showing up in photos, then you'll probably get your $20 worth.

09-16-2013, 05:32 PM	#1
bullwinkl New Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 3	What is this on my lens? I just got this yashica m42 yashikor lens and have not seen this before. Is this fungus of some kind ? It seems to be on the outside but does not wipe off. Any ideas and any way to fix this? The lens also has oil on the aperture blades and I'm wondering if anyone has a link or information on taking this lens apart to clean them. I spent just under 20 dollars for this lens and what I thought might have been a good deal, i'm beginning to suspect was actually a 20 dollar paper weight.

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09-16-2013, 06:32 PM - 1 Like	#2
SoftwareArtifex Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 58	It almost looks like some kind of hot splatter, like from hot oil or welding?

09-16-2013, 06:39 PM - 1 Like	#3
Steve.Ledger Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Far North Qld Posts: 3,301	Yes, I agree - the previous owner was probably trying to photograph welding or grinding sparks. Buy a cheap filter for those jobs.. You won't wipe that off...

09-16-2013, 06:50 PM	#4
bullwinkl New Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 3 Original Poster	Thx for the responses. I should clarify, this is the rear of the lens.

09-16-2013, 07:05 PM	#5
narual Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: South Bend (Notre Dame), Indiana Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,988	So they were trying to do reverse-lens macro photography of welding? That sounds pretty dangerous.

09-16-2013, 07:21 PM	#6
SoftwareArtifex Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 58	Probably it happened out-of-service. Are there any marks on the body or just on the glass?

09-16-2013, 07:32 PM	#7
patrick9 Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Murfreesboro Tennessee Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,458	A couple of the spots look like they might still have the metal from the splatter in them

09-16-2013, 09:28 PM	#8
bullwinkl New Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 3 Original Poster	@SoftwareArtifex No. there's nothing on the outside that I can see that looks like this, it's just the glass. I used a 50mm with a macro on it to take these pictures, these spots are very small. Here is a wider shot to give a better reference of the size of things I'm dealing with. Clearly the lens has the eos adapter I put on it but the actual outside of the lens body looks clean.

09-23-2013, 02:16 PM	#9
narual Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: South Bend (Notre Dame), Indiana Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,988	is it showing up in photos? if you take, say, a toothpick and gently go across the glass, is it catching on the spots? if there's no texture difference, maybe it's separation of the lens elements or some discoloring of the adhesive used in them. But if it's not showing up in photos, then you'll probably get your $20 worth.