What would you do with a musty smelling lens?

<p>I bid on and won an auction for a nFD 50 f1.2 (non L) lens. It arrived in a musty smelling box with the same smell on the packaging material and lens. Functionally the lens is perfect. Cosmetically it's EX+. Internally I see no signs of fungus. Trying to decide if this lens is a keeper or should I send it back? Will the musty smell go away and/or could it damage the lens with fungus someday? Appreciate your comments, Mark</p>

<p>Put it in a bag with silica gel for a couple of months, if it worries you. Fungus is everywhere anyway. It will only thrive in the right environmental conditions. Many cameras have a musty smell. Sending it back makes no sense to me if it is in good condition. Should the owner have sprayed it with new lens scent?</p>

<p>As Robin says, or put it out in a sunny (not hot - you don't want oil to get on the diaphragm blades) spot with lots of air circulation for a few weeks. Smells dissipate over time.</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice. The lens is a keeper and I'll try the sunlight method while I look for bags of silica.</p>

<p>You can also wipe down the exterior metal with an fungicidal agent on a rag (never spray or pour anything on the lens itself).<br>

Fresh air will do the job on its own, especially with a little UV.</p>

<p>Charcoal could help take away the bad odor but it would take some time.......vinegar, you can also use to wipe the exterior of the lens.</p>

<p>Frebreeze spray some on a rag and wipe down the lens. I had a Gadget bag of stuff show up from eBay that had been Cat peed. I wiped down everything with frebreeze and all except a power winder that the urine had actually gotten into were saved.</p>

<p>I think I found a way to get rid of the odor. I used a tubular lens case with a snap down lid and sprayed some Ozium spray sanitizer into it. The Ozium has a very strong floral scent. I put the lens in the case for two days. Its gotten rid of most of the smell. Letting the lens air out now. BTW, I love the look of f/1.2.</p>

<p>The interior surfaces of old eveready-style fitted camera cases often become musty-smelling and can transfer the musty odor to whatever is stored inside, body or lens. Bellows material will also smell musty after several years; a couple of older folding cameras I've inspected gave off that musty smell as soon as I opened up and extended the bellows. Even after removing the camera/lens from the fitted case the musty smell can linger for a long time. If there's no visible fungus on the lens, let it air out for a while...the musty odor should go away.</p>