[Leica] What To Do With A Lens With Fungus?

[Jayanand Govindaraj]

If the fungus has not spread too much, the lens can be cleaned quite easily
by any technician. It can be arrested by leaving it out in the sun for a
week or so. The biggest ally of fungus is dank and dark spaces, and the
biggest enemy is sunlight. Another way of reducing the risk of
contamination of the front lens element, the usual place fungus takes hold
at first, is to use any unwanted filter on it while storing the lens. The
fungus will tend to grow on the filter first, which can be easily cleaned
with soap and water.

It is very common here in Chennai, with a hot and humid greenhouse climate.
Most of us store equipment in a humidity controlled storage cabinets
because of this reason. Otherwise, store equipment in a ziplock bag with
sufficient silica gel inside, and periodically heat and recharge the silica
gel.

I saw a nifty bit of equipment in B&H the other day, which makes using
silica gel quite convenient:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1377864-REG/ruggard_pdc_rd_portable_dry_case_renewable.html

Cheers
Jayanand

On Sat, Jun 19, 2021 at 8:22 AM Robert Baron via LUG <lug at leica-users.org>
wrote:

> My question involves an old Nikon lens but I tend to trust the answers I
> get from the LUG more than from other groups.  I have an old Nikon 20mm
> lens I sent to KEH for sale.  They sent it back with a note saying they had
> found some haze in it.  I then sent it to MPB and they responded:
>
> Unfortunately, due to your Nikon AF 20mm f/2.8D having fungus present
> within the optics we are sadly unable to purchase this item from you at
> this time. This can be seen whilst inspecting the lens’ optics with a
> torch. Moderate amounts of fungus can be detrimental to image quality, but
> can also spread to other equipment given enough time. We will return this
> item to your collection address on file.
>
> It can spread?  What should I do with it, toss it in the trash?
>
> --Bob
>
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