Lens Fungus Can be Beautiful

I am used to seeing the thread like fungus or spore clusters on lens surfaces that have been poorly stored in

hot humid climates. Lately, I found an old pair of binoculars in a cardboard box on my brother-in-law's open

front porch. I was amazed at the fungus that I saw on the front element. I never saw anything like that fungal

growth and was quite amazed at how beautiful it looked.<div></div>

<p>It sure is beautiful looking <em>at</em> it, but having to look <em>through</em> it might not be so beautiful. </p>

<p>Taking photographs through it could be interesting. A diaphragm of some sort might help to define the patterns in some lighting.</p>

<p>It's indeed beautiful! However, I wonder whether it might be separation of optical cement, rather than fungus.</p>

James, could you possibly post an image by lighting the front element from the rear end, and possibly with a polarizer?

<p>Beautiful! all the lens fungus I have seen up to now has always been horrible spots or a dull ring round the edge.</p>

<p>Algae?</p>

I didn't take the binoculars with me. No way that I would want to introduce something like that into my home. The patterns looked like silver, almost as if the patterns were reflections of silver objects d'art. They were on the back of the glass as far as I could tell. .

 

Come to think of it, the patterns were only about 1/16 inch below the front surface of the lens. Mayhap it could have been lens separation. It was on both front lenses of the binoculars.

I would tend to agree with Sarah. Looks like a separation of elements. Pretty indeed... (Too bad it has no "theological image" representation, because then Christies might auction it off. Just kidding:-). I have several binoculars I use for backyard astronomy.

My oldest is old two piece Zeiss style made in Japan in the late mid century that are fifty years plus old and have been beaten, bruised, and wet often. Given nourishment to plenty fungi as you can see. Still work for star watching so fungus gets over reaction in my view. I mean it is not like Ebola. I keep lenses with some fungus near other optics and I don't worry about migration. I give them lots of air and a sun bath from time to time. Yes, I would buy a decent used lens with small spots on them. I wonder if the new water resistant lenses like the Olympus HD and Pana X series will avoid the quote infection. Or maybe the new cement is tougher than Canada Balsam or whatever the adhesive is called.<div></div>

<p>Most fungal growth I've seen on lenses is filamentary and thread like. Sometimes it looks like spider webs. The only seperation between cemented elements I've seen is an uneven discoloration around the edges of the elements. That pattern kind of remints me of the way frost sometimes appears on my car windows in cold weather. Indeed, very pretty.</p>

The fern like fungus(?) on the lens above was very shiny silver in color, it almost looked like a reflection on the lens.

 

Below is an example of both thread like and cluster fungus that I had on one of my lenses. Interestingly, I had only shown this image two or three times in forums and yet I saw it appear on a web site in Micronesia by a company that sold desiccant storage cabinets.<div></div>

<p>Ferngus?</p>