What does viewfinder decementing/fungus look like?

[david_chong2]

Saw a thread dealing with wanting an M3 & wht to look for-

www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=005rme

 

Have had an M3 (92xxxx) for 6 years & see ominous signs around edges

of VF- but don't know whether its the Canada balsam coming off or

fungus- or both- how does one tell? Camera's been used & when not

it's in a dehumidifier cabinet as I live in equatorial Malaysia where

there's more moisture than air in he air.

Thanks

David

[john_boyle3]

Not sure about the fungus but decementing starts with a series of small bubbles along the edge of the prism. I had this problem with my M4. It was repaired before any more serious problems developed.

[bob haight]

Fungus is very evident and you will know it when you see it. Looks like weblike growth. Particularly loves the 1.4s as the flavor is better. I think fungus is more of a problem in lenses than viewfinders, more atomosphere for growth in a lens than a viewfinder.

[roberto_watson_garc_a]

I have a decementing problem in a very early M3, in this case the problem is more evident in the rangefinder zone, what i see is a yellowish path half the size of the RF rectangle, and I barely can see any thing through it, the other half is wher I still can focus. Now I been recomended to avoid knoking or hard shake of the camera, because decementing grows.

[david_chong2]

Many thanks to everyone who's responded; its been helpful. I've decided the problem is decementing; its not causing any viewfinding problem just now but I guess the camera will have to go in for remedial work sooner rather than later.

David