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Archive 2006Question About Lens Fungus
p.1 #1Question About Lens Fungus
Although I've read many forums about this I still have a question: Can fungus from an infected lens get inside the camera and affect your other lenses?
Edited by Scott Sewell on Jan 09, 2006 at 05:28 PM GMT (Reason: Moved to appropriate forum.)
Edited by Scott Sewell on Jan 09, 2006 at 05:28 PM GMT (Reason: Moved to appropriate forum.)
Jan 08, 2006 at 06:19 PM
p.1 #2Question About Lens Fungus
fungus thrives in moist, still air. If your camera is getting a whiff of fresh air every now and then, you shouldn't have a worry. On the other hand, if your camera and lenses are stored in a damp/high humidity place for a long time together, then yes, most probably the fungus will thrive and spread and grow.
Jan 08, 2006 at 06:42 PM
p.1 #3Question About Lens Fungus
Thanks, nutek, for responding. I don't have an infected lens, but often I see lenses offered for sale "with just a little fungus," and wondered about the danger of buying one. I won't.
Jan 08, 2006 at 07:02 PM
p.1 #4Question About Lens Fungus
Do not buy a lens with known fungus. Even if it states alittle, it may get worse over time and there is danger of the spores spreading to other lenses. Mark
Jan 08, 2006 at 07:08 PM
p.1 #5Question About Lens Fungus
throw a dessicant pack that eats moisture in your storage bag and you won't have an issue.
Jan 08, 2006 at 07:16 PM
p.1 #6Question About Lens Fungus
muevelonyc wrote:
throw a dessicant pack that eats moisture in your storage bag and you won't have an issue.
it doesn't really work. For a dessicant pack/silica gel to work properly, the container holding ur equipment needs to be airtight or sealed. The best form of fungus prevention is to take ur camera out and shoot regularly
throw a dessicant pack that eats moisture in your storage bag and you won't have an issue.
it doesn't really work. For a dessicant pack/silica gel to work properly, the container holding ur equipment needs to be airtight or sealed. The best form of fungus prevention is to take ur camera out and shoot regularly
Jan 08, 2006 at 07:29 PM
p.1 #7Question About Lens Fungus
fungus will spread in a damp and especially warm and damp environment. Unlike with human beings, you can't just throw and anti-fungal cream at it:>)
Jan 08, 2006 at 08:22 PM
p.1 #8Question About Lens Fungus
mark1958 wrote:
Do not buy a lens with known fungus. Even if it states alittle, it may get worse over time and there is danger of the spores spreading to other lenses. Mark
You're assuming the fungus is living. There are ways to kill fungus. Unfortunately, certain kinds cannot be removed easily from glass.
Do not buy a lens with known fungus. Even if it states alittle, it may get worse over time and there is danger of the spores spreading to other lenses. Mark
You're assuming the fungus is living. There are ways to kill fungus. Unfortunately, certain kinds cannot be removed easily from glass.
Jan 08, 2006 at 09:18 PM
p.1 #9Question About Lens Fungus
I guess you can leave your lenses next to a hepa filter with UV/IR killing light if you're that paranoid about spores. Or in a silicon manfacturing clean room. 
Jan 09, 2006 at 05:14 PM
p.1 #10Question About Lens Fungus
well that's interesting. The hepa filter won't hurt a fungus infected lens, but the UV might kill it! Anyone know what happens if you irradiate a lens with strong UV? I know it really messes with plastic labware.
Jan 09, 2006 at 05:29 PM
p.1 #11Question About Lens Fungus
Living in a southern climate I know all too well about fungus having lost 2 lenses which developed some. 
Not sure about spreading to other lenses but I agree with the others that if you use your gear a lot it should not be a problem. I now keep my lenses in an airtight container and just bought a product (Zorb It) to put in the container that is supposed to keep the moisture out. This was written up in PopPhoto and if anyone is interested their website is www.zorb-it.com
Not sure about spreading to other lenses but I agree with the others that if you use your gear a lot it should not be a problem. I now keep my lenses in an airtight container and just bought a product (Zorb It) to put in the container that is supposed to keep the moisture out. This was written up in PopPhoto and if anyone is interested their website is www.zorb-it.comJan 09, 2006 at 11:10 PM
p.1 #12Question About Lens Fungus
I used to work in a lab environment where we hook up HD sensors to electron microscopes to live bacteria and virii. At the end of the day, we had to put most of the equipment into autoclave, and the ones that couldn't be put in there (like the HD cameras) had to be put in a UV box. Didn't seem to affect it much other than lighten the color of the body since that was plastic and metal.
Jan 10, 2006 at 08:26 AM
p.1 #13Question About Lens Fungus
Do certain lenses that are advertised as "weather sealed" (some Canon L lenses) offer additional protection from the mold/fungal infestation?
Jan 10, 2006 at 11:57 AM
p.1 #14Question About Lens Fungus
Someone posted about this a while ago
http://sorbentsystems.com/desiccants_dri-box_appl.html
I am tempted to buy one but would like to see more reviews
http://sorbentsystems.com/desiccants_dri-box_appl.html
I am tempted to buy one but would like to see more reviews
Jan 10, 2006 at 01:07 PM
p.1 #15Question About Lens Fungus
that's kinda cool. I could use one for my car's hatch which keeps fogging up when i have crap in the trunk.
Jan 11, 2006 at 10:00 AM
p.1 #16Question About Lens Fungus
I wouldn't touch any lenses with any amount of fungus even though it may not spread... It was a lot more of problem when I was in Japan because the humidity was a lot higher there than in the US...
Jan 11, 2006 at 09:27 PM
p.1 #17Question About Lens Fungus
Khiromu
...wouldn't touch any lenses with any amount of fungus even though it may not spread... It was a lot more of problem when I was in Japan because ...
Exactly, if I have any possibility of taking/using my glass in humid areas - even for a short stretch, I won't get anything with fungus.
It may not spread, but if it does - it is real fast. I remember reading somewhere the fungus is difficult to remove completely and destroys the delicate lens coatings. Even if you get it cleaned - I doubt you get back the coating as it was.
Tintin
...wouldn't touch any lenses with any amount of fungus even though it may not spread... It was a lot more of problem when I was in Japan because ...
Exactly, if I have any possibility of taking/using my glass in humid areas - even for a short stretch, I won't get anything with fungus.
It may not spread, but if it does - it is real fast. I remember reading somewhere the fungus is difficult to remove completely and destroys the delicate lens coatings. Even if you get it cleaned - I doubt you get back the coating as it was.
Tintin
Jan 11, 2006 at 11:43 PM