of lenses and fungi

[zenit_zepplin]

Hello, <br>

What do you think/know for sure: will the fungus <u>really</u>

spread from one lens to another, or is it true that there's enough

spores in the air at any given time anyway, so that it's really not

relevant so long as one keeps one's equipment clean and dry? <br>

I've searched this and other sites but could not find anything other

than the generalized comments a la "fungus is ungood".

<br> Thanks.

[grahams]

Zenit

 

Fungus in one lens does not "contaminate" another lens - rather, if both are stored in similar conditions and if one lens developed fungus, then it is likely that the other will also.

[zenit_zepplin]

thanks, Graham!<br> What happened is that I bought a "new" lens that might be fungusy, so far I'm keeping it quarantined as my other lenses are clean and clear. Hence my concern is: is this bad apple going to spoil the rest or what? Obviously I'll store it separately, but (and I have not done it yet) what about mounting it on the camera, and then mouting a "clean" lens?...

[grahams]

The bad lens will not contaminate the good lens via the camera mounting.

 

Henry Scherer has the best explanation of lens fungus that I have read in a long time on his Contax Camera site here:

 

http://www.zeisscamera.com/ContaxIIa/Page4.html#lensfungus

 

One thing is certain - once a lens has fungus, it will only get worse unless it is professionally cleaned. As to the cost effectiveness of this, only you can decide. I have cleaned many prime lenses successfully, but I would not attempt to clean a modern (or even MF) zoom lens - I do not have the tools and instruments to set one up correctly.

[ron c sunshine coast,qld,a]

Thanks for the common sense Graham!

<BR>All too often i see someone claiming that lenses are 'contageous'.

<BR>ZZ said it best-there are spoors everywhere just waiting for the right(wrong) conditions.Some lenses may 'never' get fungus because they were assembled in near sterile conditions and are well sealed.

<br>Old sigma consumer lenses are NOT in that category,LOL

[zenit_zepplin]

Thanks again, Graham!<br>

I'm glad to see a straight answer too. Now, this Contax site is pretty informative, though it seems to be a (really) stretched out advertizement of Mr. Scherer's business.<br> As far as taking a lens apart, I've decided that till I reassemble the one that I tried to fix a couple of months ago and which is now packed into several baggies and boxes, I'm not gonna do that.

<br>A good weekend to all!