fungus inside my ex3's stock lens at DVinfo.net

Ramji Meena · January 28th, 2012, 09:16 AM

I keep my EX3 in a petrol carrying bag. My house is in Mumbai, just in front of sea.I thought the silicon gel is sufficient to protect it from humidity.Today, after a gap of one month I opened the bag to change the gel and shocked to see a small spot of fungus just inside the front element of the stock lens. Although it is near the center but doesn't seem to affect the image . I am worried as it may spread.Can it go away if I keep the lens in sunlight? What is the remedy can anyone through some light.

Olof Ekbergh · January 28th, 2012, 09:59 AM

I would send the lens and camera in to Sony/Fuji service center.

In most cases the front element is replaceable. They may also be able to clean it for you.

It is not a bad idea to have your camera cleaned professionally every year or so. In the days of tape I always had my cams serviced once a year. You may have problems inside the camera as well if the lens is effected.

I have some 40 year old Canon glass that has got mould on a few elements. I have taken them apart myself and carefully tried to clean them w/o much success I am afraid. The mould seems to absorb into the coatings on the glass and is very hard to remove w/o damaging the coating.

I hope this helps a little. Here in NE USA we don't have your heat/humidity problems. But I do store my gear in climate controlled rooms all year with even humidity and temp, just as my tape and film archives. When on location I use zip lock bags and silicone packs as much as possible, even heat packs in cold weather.

Pro gear does need maintenance and with rough use eventually needs replacing or repair. Lets not even talk about shooting in saltwater with blowing spray.

Ramji Meena · January 28th, 2012, 10:06 AM

Thank you Olof for the quick reply.We don't have a sony and fuji service center in India , I am planning to send it to Singapore.

Alastair Traill · January 28th, 2012, 03:33 PM

Hi Ramji,

In my experience the fungus actually damages the lens coating.

Do you dry your silica gel periodically? The moisture it absorbs has to be removed by heat in an oven every now and then.

Allan Black · January 28th, 2012, 05:22 PM

A retired National Geograhic photographer once told me you should let ALL your cam lens 'see daylight'
for a couple of hours at least once a month.

eg: leave them on a window ledge pointed at a warm sun.

Cheers.

Chris Soucy · January 28th, 2012, 08:35 PM

Hi, Ramji.................

A couple of questions:

1. Is the area where the camera bag is usually stored air conditioned in any way?

&

2. Does the bag containing the camera/ lens make any mention/ claim to being "vapour proof"?

CS

Ramji Meena · January 28th, 2012, 11:10 PM

Hi Chris,
The area is not air conditioned.Bag is just a Petrol Company's carrying bag.

Chris Soucy · January 29th, 2012, 01:30 AM

Ouch!

Can't really shed much light on the spot on your lens (no pun intended) but I do know that some of the lens coatings are based on Aluminium in various forms, which is, of course, terribly subceptible to salt air and humidity.

As for fixing it, there you have me, can't give an answer.

What to do in the future?

Use the bag by all means when you're out and about, but find yourself a large air tight container (or three, depending on gear) for when the gear is at home.

They must be ABSOLUTELY air tight, the bag you have is probably as porous to water vapour as a sieve, which means any silica gel inside is trying to dry the entire room, no gain in that.

As soon as you get home, park your gear in the airtight containers with fresh (or refreshed) silica gell and leave them there till either :a week has passed, in which case, change/ refresh the gell OR you wish to use them, whichever comes first.

Putting the container(s) in the sun won't do them a lot of harm unless you fry the gear, but keeping them (quite) warm whilst at rest in the sealed containers won't hurt, and will definately help.

Do make sure the containers are UV proof, else they'll simply self destruct.

You may just be able to kill whatever it is attacking your lens, you never know. Without water vapour, it's toast.

Best I can do for the moment.

Good luck.

CS

Luc De Wandel · January 31st, 2012, 06:36 AM

The good news is that objects on the front element of a lens may already be quite large before they will show up in the final image. Only with very wide angle lenses, this could be a problem.

January 28th, 2012, 09:16 AM	#1
Ramji Meena Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: MUMBAI INDIA Posts: 109	fungus inside my ex3's stock lens I keep my EX3 in a petrol carrying bag. My house is in Mumbai, just in front of sea.I thought the silicon gel is sufficient to protect it from humidity.Today, after a gap of one month I opened the bag to change the gel and shocked to see a small spot of fungus just inside the front element of the stock lens. Although it is near the center but doesn't seem to affect the image . I am worried as it may spread.Can it go away if I keep the lens in sunlight? What is the remedy can anyone through some light.

January 28th, 2012, 09:59 AM	#2
Olof Ekbergh Sponsor: Westside AV Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Mount Washington Valley, NH, USA Posts: 1,365	Re: fungus inside my ex3's stock lens I would send the lens and camera in to Sony/Fuji service center. In most cases the front element is replaceable. They may also be able to clean it for you. It is not a bad idea to have your camera cleaned professionally every year or so. In the days of tape I always had my cams serviced once a year. You may have problems inside the camera as well if the lens is effected. I have some 40 year old Canon glass that has got mould on a few elements. I have taken them apart myself and carefully tried to clean them w/o much success I am afraid. The mould seems to absorb into the coatings on the glass and is very hard to remove w/o damaging the coating. I hope this helps a little. Here in NE USA we don't have your heat/humidity problems. But I do store my gear in climate controlled rooms all year with even humidity and temp, just as my tape and film archives. When on location I use zip lock bags and silicone packs as much as possible, even heat packs in cold weather. Pro gear does need maintenance and with rough use eventually needs replacing or repair. Lets not even talk about shooting in saltwater with blowing spray. __________________ Olof Ekbergh • olof@WestsideAV.com Westside A V Studios • http://www.WestsideAVstore.com/

January 28th, 2012, 10:06 AM	#3
Ramji Meena Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: MUMBAI INDIA Posts: 109	Re: fungus inside my ex3's stock lens Thank you Olof for the quick reply.We don't have a sony and fuji service center in India , I am planning to send it to Singapore.

January 28th, 2012, 03:33 PM	#4
Alastair Traill Major Player Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Melbourne Australia Posts: 626	Re: fungus inside my ex3's stock lens Hi Ramji, In my experience the fungus actually damages the lens coating. Do you dry your silica gel periodically? The moisture it absorbs has to be removed by heat in an oven every now and then.

January 28th, 2012, 05:22 PM	#5
Allan Black Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Sydney. Posts: 2,937	Re: fungus inside my ex3's stock lens A retired National Geograhic photographer once told me you should let ALL your cam lens 'see daylight' for a couple of hours at least once a month. eg: leave them on a window ledge pointed at a warm sun. Cheers. __________________ Drink more tap water. On admission at Sydney hospitals more than 5% of day patients are de-hydrated.

January 28th, 2012, 08:35 PM	#6
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,691 Images: 18	Re: fungus inside my ex3's stock lens Hi, Ramji................. A couple of questions: 1. Is the area where the camera bag is usually stored air conditioned in any way? & 2. Does the bag containing the camera/ lens make any mention/ claim to being "vapour proof"? CS

January 28th, 2012, 11:10 PM	#7
Ramji Meena Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: MUMBAI INDIA Posts: 109	Re: fungus inside my ex3's stock lens Hi Chris, The area is not air conditioned.Bag is just a Petrol Company's carrying bag.

January 29th, 2012, 01:30 AM	#8
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,691 Images: 18	Re: fungus inside my ex3's stock lens Ouch! Can't really shed much light on the spot on your lens (no pun intended) but I do know that some of the lens coatings are based on Aluminium in various forms, which is, of course, terribly subceptible to salt air and humidity. As for fixing it, there you have me, can't give an answer. What to do in the future? Use the bag by all means when you're out and about, but find yourself a large air tight container (or three, depending on gear) for when the gear is at home. They must be ABSOLUTELY air tight, the bag you have is probably as porous to water vapour as a sieve, which means any silica gel inside is trying to dry the entire room, no gain in that. As soon as you get home, park your gear in the airtight containers with fresh (or refreshed) silica gell and leave them there till either :a week has passed, in which case, change/ refresh the gell OR you wish to use them, whichever comes first. Putting the container(s) in the sun won't do them a lot of harm unless you fry the gear, but keeping them (quite) warm whilst at rest in the sealed containers won't hurt, and will definately help. Do make sure the containers are UV proof, else they'll simply self destruct. You may just be able to kill whatever it is attacking your lens, you never know. Without water vapour, it's toast. Best I can do for the moment. Good luck. CS Last edited by Chris Soucy; January 29th, 2012 at 08:34 PM. Reason: Finger trouble fix

January 31st, 2012, 06:36 AM	#9
Luc De Wandel Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Knokke-Heist, Belgium Posts: 963	Re: fungus inside my ex3's stock lens The good news is that objects on the front element of a lens may already be quite large before they will show up in the final image. Only with very wide angle lenses, this could be a problem.