11 replies to this topic

[DolphinOps]

Hey all, so as the title suggests I need a hand identifying if one of my lenses has a fungus problem. I recently was inspecting one of my lenses an AF-S Nikkor 50mm f1.8G and I noticed a small spot of something that appears to be between the rear element and the iris of the lens and I am concerned that it may be fungus inside my lens. Attached is the best image I was able to get of the spot, any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Merco_61]

Don't see anything. Photos should be web-sized and .jpg for the forum software to work.

[DolphinOps]

Don't see anything. Photos should be web-sized and .jpg for the forum software to work.

Sorry about that, Forgot that for most forums to work you have to use Imgur or something of the like but I think it worked this time.

 

[Ron]

Doesn't look like fungus to me. The fungus I've seen has more of a spidery pattern to it. Of course this could be the very start of fungus.

 

--Ron

[Merco_61]

It looks more like lint from a cleaning cloth or something like that.

[mikew]

Agree it doesn't look like fungus,in that position at that size i would carry on using it but keep an eyed on it.

[ScottinPollock]

Can you take a better picture; your lens is focused on the diaphragm and not the spec.

But it does seem to be a spec of something as it is casting quite a hard shadow. Fungus is usually much whispier.

[Marcus Rowland]

There's a possibility it's mould rather than fungus, that's more blobby, but it's pretty rare unless the lens has been left in really damp conditions. I've only ever seen it once. Fungus is generally thin black wisps like thin spider-web or branching like a fern if it's growing on the surface and attacking the coating. You can get small circular spots but they're not that opaque. It's pretty small and close to the edge so I doubt it's having much of an effect on the image at present.

 

One suggestion, give the lens a gentle shake and see if it moves - it might be something that has somehow got in, like a speck of silica gel or a bit of pollen, and move off the glass if shaken.

 

Whatever, at this stage it doesn't look too serious - just keep an eye on it, and hope it doesn't get worse.

[DolphinOps]

It looks more like lint from a cleaning cloth or something like that.

 That was my first thought but I'm about 95% sure that it isn't that because whatever it is, it's inside the lens not on the surface of the rear element.

 

There's a possibility it's mould rather than fungus, that's more blobby, but it's pretty rare unless the lens has been left in really damp conditions. I've only ever seen it once. Fungus is generally thin black wisps like thin spider-web or branching like a fern if it's growing on the surface and attacking the coating. You can get small circular spots but they're not that opaque. It's pretty small and close to the edge so I doubt it's having much of an effect on the image at present.

 

One suggestion, give the lens a gentle shake and see if it moves - it might be something that has somehow got in, like a speck of silica gel or a bit of pollen, and move off the glass if shaken.

 

Whatever, at this stage it doesn't look too serious - just keep an eye on it, and hope it doesn't get worse.

I tried the gentle shake several times and it wont move whatever it is.

 

Can you take a better picture; your lens is focused on the diaphragm and not the spec.

But it does seem to be a spec of something as it is casting quite a hard shadow. Fungus is usually much whispier.

I've even tried focusing manually but this is about as in focus as its gonna get 

[ScottinPollock]

Looks like a cookie crumb.

[Merco_61]

Small things like dust, lint, etc. can enter the lens through the opening for the stop-down lever.

[DolphinOps]

Small things like dust, lint, etc. can enter the lens through the opening for the stop-down lever.

It honestly could be a small piece of sand, prior to noticing the problem I was using the lens in both deserts and beaches.