Fungus, or other?

tim plank · 04-23-2012, 03:58 PM

This here is a picture through the eyepiece of my other K1000. What say you? Fungus, or prism crap-out? And how, if at all, would this get fixed? IIRC, this one needed a light seal anyway. And it's not the lens, the lens is clear.

Last edited by tim plank; 04-23-2012 at 04:23 PM.

adelorenzo · 04-23-2012, 04:31 PM

Demonic infestation?

average-guy · 04-23-2012, 05:10 PM

The fact that it's black and appears to be on the focus screen makes me think your mirror bumper foam turned to black goo and got splattered on the focus screen. If you have never inspected the mirror bumper foam just remove the lens and just behind the upper part of the mount will be a black thin foam strip running across the top of the mirror box in front of the focus screen. If you gently touch the foam it should spring back to shape, if it feels gooey or doesn't return to shape then it needs replaced. I'd post a pic of the mirror foam if I was in a position to do so.

**jatrax** · 04-23-2012, 08:41 PM

Not fungus. I agree it is probably part of the foam seal or some other junk stuck to the focusing screen.

vladimiroltean · 04-24-2012, 03:05 AM

I would say that is prism desilvering.

tim plank · 04-24-2012, 06:39 AM

Originally posted by average-guy

The fact that it's black and appears to be on the focus screen makes me think your mirror bumper foam turned to black goo and got splattered on the focus screen. If you have never inspected the mirror bumper foam just remove the lens and just behind the upper part of the mount will be a black thin foam strip running across the top of the mirror box in front of the focus screen. If you gently touch the foam it should spring back to shape, if it feels gooey or doesn't return to shape then it needs replaced. I'd post a pic of the mirror foam if I was in a position to do so.

Like this? I guess I just need to pull it out of the box and send it in for a good servicing. It's an otherwise fully functional body

average-guy · 04-25-2012, 03:38 PM

Yea, your mirror foam has turned to goo, as bad as it looks I'm surprised the mirror isn't sticking momentarily when it flings up. It's very difficult to clean a focusing screen with all the microgrooves that it has, whoever you send it to will probably want to replace it. Speaking of sending it off, Erik Hendrikson of pentaxs.com is a former Pentax employee and one of the best Pentax serviceman out there, and his prices are reasonable too. I've had him overhaul cameras for me and he does outstanding work.

Edit: I see your new, welcome to the forum. Don't be afraid to ask questions, almost everyone here is helpful in one way or another.

tim plank · 04-25-2012, 04:01 PM

Gotcha, thanks for the info! Was kinda figuring on sending it off to him next time I had some spare cash. Then I can run one K1000 color, and one B&W

04-23-2012, 03:58 PM	#1
tim plank Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 12	Fungus, or other? This here is a picture through the eyepiece of my other K1000. What say you? Fungus, or prism crap-out? And how, if at all, would this get fixed? IIRC, this one needed a light seal anyway. And it's not the lens, the lens is clear. Last edited by tim plank; 04-23-2012 at 04:23 PM.

04-23-2012, 05:10 PM	#3
average-guy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Idaho Posts: 102	The fact that it's black and appears to be on the focus screen makes me think your mirror bumper foam turned to black goo and got splattered on the focus screen. If you have never inspected the mirror bumper foam just remove the lens and just behind the upper part of the mount will be a black thin foam strip running across the top of the mirror box in front of the focus screen. If you gently touch the foam it should spring back to shape, if it feels gooey or doesn't return to shape then it needs replaced. I'd post a pic of the mirror foam if I was in a position to do so. Last edited by average-guy; 04-23-2012 at 05:18 PM.

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04-23-2012, 04:31 PM	#2
adelorenzo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Whitehorse, Yukon Posts: 171	Demonic infestation?

04-23-2012, 08:41 PM	#4
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Not fungus. I agree it is probably part of the foam seal or some other junk stuck to the focusing screen.

04-24-2012, 03:05 AM	#5
vladimiroltean Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Bucharest, Romania Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,465	I would say that is prism desilvering.

04-24-2012, 06:39 AM	#6
tim plank Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 12 Original Poster	Originally posted by average-guy The fact that it's black and appears to be on the focus screen makes me think your mirror bumper foam turned to black goo and got splattered on the focus screen. If you have never inspected the mirror bumper foam just remove the lens and just behind the upper part of the mount will be a black thin foam strip running across the top of the mirror box in front of the focus screen. If you gently touch the foam it should spring back to shape, if it feels gooey or doesn't return to shape then it needs replaced. I'd post a pic of the mirror foam if I was in a position to do so. Like this? I guess I just need to pull it out of the box and send it in for a good servicing. It's an otherwise fully functional body

04-25-2012, 03:38 PM	#7
average-guy Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Idaho Posts: 102	Yea, your mirror foam has turned to goo, as bad as it looks I'm surprised the mirror isn't sticking momentarily when it flings up. It's very difficult to clean a focusing screen with all the microgrooves that it has, whoever you send it to will probably want to replace it. Speaking of sending it off, Erik Hendrikson of pentaxs.com is a former Pentax employee and one of the best Pentax serviceman out there, and his prices are reasonable too. I've had him overhaul cameras for me and he does outstanding work. Edit: I see your new, welcome to the forum. Don't be afraid to ask questions, almost everyone here is helpful in one way or another.

04-25-2012, 04:01 PM	#8
tim plank Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 12 Original Poster	Gotcha, thanks for the info! Was kinda figuring on sending it off to him next time I had some spare cash. Then I can run one K1000 color, and one B&W