I just discovered that a tiny amount of fungus is growing inside my Canon 100mm Macro lens! I should have found it sooner, because I am quite familiar with this insidious problem. The growth in my lens was just located as I was editing this tutorial, when I decided to take my own advice and check all of my “glass”. I am well aware that I must get my lens into the shop as soon as possible. The fungus will never just go away on its own. Fortunately, I found the growth at a very early stage, so I’m pretty sure that the contamination can be removed. This terrible condition can happen to anyone’s lenses, even to an avid lens fanatic like me. I’m hoping that people will read this article and possibly find the problem before it can cause permanent damage to their own photography gear. This is serious stuff!
Lens fungus contamination is caused by a combination of moisture and dust (containing fungus spores) that can get inside your lens’s interior elements. Some dust gets inside every lens, especially if it’s a lens that isn’t fully “weather sealed” like the very expensive professional models. The dust specks are usually not a problem, by themselves. However, add a little moisture, and very bad things can happen!
This is one of the worst cases of lens fungus I have ever seen
When moisture gets inside your lens, either because of direct moisture exposure (like rain) or simply because of very high humidity in your local climate, fungus can begin to grow. Some lenses that I have examined, that came from very humid “tropical” areas like Hawaii and Florida, have had the worst cases of fungus growth that I have found. Not all of them, of course, but there is a noticeably higher percentage of lenses from these very damp areas that are affected. Very few lenses from arid climates suffer from this problem.
An unexpected situation can be created when a lens is exposed to extreme cold and then brought into a nice warm environment, like your own home sweet home. The normal ambient atmospheric moisture inside a cold lens can condense into liquid water droplets or “fog” on the chilled interior surfaces in the lens. This happens especially when the lens is allowed to warm up very quickly. The best way to control this is to leave the chilly lens in its closed protective case and allow it warm back up very slowly, whenever it has been brought inside after prolonged exposure to sub-freezing conditions.
Overall, one of the best ways to control moisture is to keep small packets of “Silica Gel” desiccant inside the case with each lens. (Most new lenses come with a Silica Gel packet inside the box. Keep it and use it!)
When moisture does find its way inside your lens, it provides a rich medium for the fungus spores that are often mixed in with dust particles (remember, the dust was probably already inside your lens). The fungus then begins to grow and it multiplies in a moist environment. If this problem is recognized quickly, a professional lens technician can clean it. However, if it is allowed to multiply over time, it causes permanent “etching” in the lens coatings. This condition is not usually reversible and it can permanently affect the image quality of the lens.
Fungus Behind the Front Lens Element – This problem was solved and the lens was saved
The preferable solution is always PREVENTION. However, if you find the signs of fungus when you look through your lens, have it inspected by a professional at as soon as possible. Hopefully, you can have it cleaned before the problem becomes much more serious. If left untreated, fungus will continue to grow and grow until the lens becomes unusable.
Please note that a single infected lens can be like the proverbial “bad apple”. Fungus can actually spread to all of the other lenses in your camera bag! Don’t let this happen to your gear. Inspect you lenses regularly and have the problem solved immediately if you find any sign of “hazing” or water spots inside your lenses.
It is very easy to inspect you SLR lens. Simply dismount the lens from the camera, remove both lens caps and any mounted filters. Be sure to inspect the lens very carefully from both ends. Look straight through the lens, directly into a bright light source. It could be a bright sky or a light bulb. You will probably see some specks of dust in there, that’s OK, it is quite normal and usually has no noticeable effect on the lenses optical performance. However, if you see “water spots” or any haziness, or worse, actual fungal growth, it’s time to isolate this lens from the rest of your gear and get it to a repair shop as quickly as possible.
This 50mm Macro Lens Couldn’t Be Repaired, It Was A Total Loss
In really bad cases, you might find actual fungus growing inside the lens. Fungus can look like tiny spider web patterns or odd white splotches on the glass elements inside the lens. At its worst, the fungus will have small filaments growing beyond the glass surfaces, like little “whiskers” (like the lens that is pictured at the top of this page). Obviously, this would have a serious negative effect on the lens’s performance, eventually causing very fuzzy images and major color shifts. The lens cannot be saved at this point.
Do yourself a huge favor …pull out your lenses and take a quick look inside each of them right away. Do this inspection procedure at least once every season. It takes so little time to do, but it could save you the cost of having to replace your precious lens (or lenses)!
Your lenses are probably just fine, but wouldn’t it be better to know for sure?
Let’s take care of the tools of our trade …they could make us or brake us, if we’re not careful.
Any reports about your own lens inspection findings, or any questions that you may have, can be left as comments to this journal. All comments and questions are welcomed.
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Please note that this tutorial is fully copyright protected work by Gene Walls (AKA ProfAudio)
© 2010 Gene Walls
All copyright and reproduction rights are retained by the author. None of this text and / or any of the photos may not be copied, reproduced or altered by any way without the express written permission of the author. This includes my images AND THE 100% ORIGINAL TEXT. An invisible copyright watermark is embedded to guarantee successful prosecution, in the event of any violation.
Jan Timmons
Excellent information, Gene. Would you consider adding a link to this and any other articles or tutorials of yours at our alphabetized Tutorials Library? Or, if you’re too busy, we could add the links for you, but we think it looks better if your avatar appears.
Thanks!
Gene Walls:
Sure, that would be fine. Just tell me what I would need to do to make that happen.
Gene
Fran E.
Once again Gene you’re giving us great info and how to take care properly of our equipment.
Gene Walls:
It’s my pleasure, Fran. I like to do my little part to help others when I can. This isn’t a a very entertaining subject, but it could be an important one to somebody. I just hope it might save a few RedBubblers some grief and disappointment one day.
Best regards,
Gene
Jan Timmons
Just add a link to this article in the Photographic Equipment forum. That way, we hope to lead more people to your informative article.
Gene Walls:
Thank you so much, Jan, that’s great! I really appreciate you effort to spread the word about this important, but often overlooked subject!
Kindest regards,
Gene
trish725
Gene Walls:
Thank you so much for featuring my journal / tutorial! Greatly appreciated!
Most gratefully,
Gene
Jan Timmons
I added the link for you, Gene (with your name as author, of course). It should lead those who don’t know you to your excellent information. Thank you. I knew nothing of this!
Gene Walls:
Thank you so much, Jan! Fungus isn’t exactly a “sexy” subject, but it is an important one. I do hope that people will read this article and inspect all of their glass, especially if it can save a few lenses from destruction. It’s surprising how many fine lenses are totally ruined by fungus contamination. Not too many photographers are aware of the problem …until it’s too late. By the time photos start to show visible signs of a being captured through a contaminated lens, the time to have the lens fixed has already passed …a long time ago.
All my best,
Gene
robpixaday
Congratulations! This has been featured by the Old Farts of Redbubble Group!
Gene Walls:
Thank you so much for featuring my tutorial, Robin! I’m thrilled to receive this kind honor!
Most gratefully,
Gene
Rick & Deb Larson
A great informative article, we know that we want to protect our gear from moisture but we never even thought of or heard of fungus appearing because of the combination of dust and moisture … so many thanks for sharing this with the redbubble community and getting the word out. Take Care ~ Rick & Deb ~ ☺ HUGE CONGRATS on your very well deserved feature!!
Gene Walls:
Thank you so kindly, Rick & Deb! The problem isn’t that common, but it definitely does happen (…as it has in my macro lens). It’s always better to check for fungus often, so it can be caught as early as possible.
All my best,
Gene
fotoflossy
Thanks for the info! I never would have thought of something like this happening. I’ll be sure to keep a closer look at all my equipment.
Gene Walls:
Thanks! I’m so glad you read my little tutorial!
Kindest regards,
Gene
kathy s gillen...
Excellent information, Gene
Gene Walls:
Thank you so much, Kathy!
All my best,
Gene
kathy s gillen...
If you don’t mind, would you please post this in the canon dslr forum ?
Gene Walls:
I would be very happy to do it, Kathy. What’s the best way for me to do that …with a “link” or just copy & paste the article?
Gene
Neil Bygrave (...
Great write up, really good info. many thanks
Gene Walls:
Thanks, Neil! I’m glad you found the info useful.
Best regards,
Gene
kathy s gillen...
Gene, I would think that doing a just copy & paste the article would be the best.. thank you so much.. you are the best
Gene Walls:
OK, Kathy …it is done. Just let me know if I put it in the wrong place or anything.
My best,
Gene
Rachel Stickney
Thanks for your very informative article, Gene. I hadn’t heard of lens fungus but I did already have several packets of silica gel in my camera bags for moisture control. I’ll inspect my lenses regularly.
Gene Walls:
Thanks a lot, Rachel! I’m so happy you found the information useful.
Kindest regards,
Gene
anandthe1
Thank you for this article..very very very informative and helpful..It will help me a lot especially after my little incident
My Sigma 70-300 got the fungus..I took it to a pro and luckily the damage isnt much. I use this lens every week and also keep Silica Gel in the lens bag.
I have a old Canon SLR with a 50mm attached. The 50mm is infected with fungus. This camera is inisde a bag. I had kept the 70-300 lens inside another bag right next to this bag. I am wondering if the fungus got into my Sigma thru this infected lens. Can this happen even thought they are kept inside two seperate bags.
Regards,
Andy
Gene Walls:
Thank you very much, Andy! I am extremely pleased to hear that the problem in your Sigma lens was found before the damage became too bad to be corrected.
That’s a really great question about fungus “cross contamination”. There are some who firmly believe that it can happen. However, after a little more research on this topic, I am more inclined to think that it is more likely that both lenses were exposed to the same kinds of conditions and were “infected” independently. I know I alluded to the possibility that fungus could spread from one lens to another when I wrote this article, but now I am not so sure that it can happen that way.
The “experts” are still split on this subject. The more I read, the more I am convinced that being exposed to similar moisture and atmospheric conditions caused both infections. First, you must ask yourself, where do I live and shoot? I have purchased hundreds of lenses from all over the world. I stopped buying lenses from more tropical locations, like Hawaii and Florida, when I saw an extremely high percentage of those lenses had fungus in them.
I’m sorry I can’t provide a definitive answer for you. The debate about this has not been resolved yet. I would simply continue to keep fresh silica gel packs in with each lens and inspect them often. To be safe, I would probably store the old Canon 50mm lenses in a different location …just in case.
Kindest regards,
Gene
Jan Siemucha
Great info, Gene !
Gene Walls:
Thanks, Jan!
Kindest wishes,
Gene
sticki
I just bought a Pentax K1000 with 3 lenses on ebay. They were in storage for a few years I believe up in Minnesota. I have inspected all three lenses and I fear that I may have found the beginning of fungus on the inside of the rear element of the 50mm. I just thought it was a bit of fluff at first, now I am worried. Neither of the other lens show any signs and yet they were all stored together in the same camera bag. Could it be possible for only one lens to be contaminated and the others spared? I will be sad because the 50mm is sharp and bright and takes wonderful photos. Thank you for the information.
Gene Walls:
Thank you for contacting me, Sticki. I’m very sorry to hear that your 50mm lens probably has fungus in the rear element. Yes, it is very possible for only one lens of the three is “infected”, even if they were stored in the same bag. The 50mm lens could have been used in damp conditions while the other lenses were still left in the bag.
My reply to Andy from above could shed some light on this situation. This is part of what I told Andy:
“That’s a really great question about fungus “cross contamination”. There are some who firmly believe that it can happen. However, after a little more research on this topic, I am more inclined to think that it is more likely that both lenses were exposed to the same kinds of conditions and were “infected” independently. I know I alluded to the possibility that fungus could spread from one lens to another when I wrote this article, but now I am not so sure that it can happen that way.”
It might be a good idea to take the lens to a trusted camera shop to let their technician inspect it. The tech will know if it is actually fungus or just some dust inside. They shop can also tell you if the lens can be saved by cleaning and how much it would cost.
There may be another solution, too. I know that there are lots of Pentax K1000 cameras with 50mm lenses that are sold at very reasonable prices on eBay. It is possible to buy a good 50mm lens for your camera for very little money, maybe less than it would cost to have an infected lens cleaned. However, when these lenses are sold separately, they sell for the highest price. If I was in your situation, I would buy another K1000 body with a fast 50mm lens included. It is actually cheaper to get both together than it is to buy just the lens itself. I have seen several K1000 cameras with super fast f/1.2 50mm lenses that recently sold for under $25 on eBay. Most buyers just want the lens and don’t consider buying the complete kit. It sounds crazy, but that’s the way it is.
I hope you will find a good solution for your problem.
Kindest regards,
Gene
sticki
Yes, I will take the lens to a camera shop to see if it is indeed fungus. I would hate to jeopardize my other more expensive camera equipment in any way. I have been keeping an eye on ebay waiting for the right camera w/lens at the right price but it seems that ebay is like a game of roulette! At those prices though its not a huge gamble I suppose. I love that I can use the old Pentax primes on my DSLR, it has renewed my keen interest in Photography! Thank you for your response, your invaluable information is so important to those of us who are less experienced!
regards, Nicki.
Gene Walls:
I’m happy to help whenever I can, Nicki. Good luck in finding the best way to solve the problem. You were very wise to carefully inspect your lenses.
Just as a precaution, you might want to store the questionable 50mm lens in a separate place, away from the other lenses that have not been affected.
Best wishes,
Gene
sedge808
Yikes. Thanks for the tip.
Gene Walls:
Thank you very much for reading my article. I truly hope your lenses will never be plagued by this problem.
Kindest regards,
Gene
sedge808
Your icon is superb.
Gene Walls:
Thank you very kindly. That shot was taken by Mark Van Scyoc, a good friend and excellent photographer.
Gene
merlin676
thanks a lot Gene – juat checked my camera lenses. No sign (luckily) I will look forwards to reading your other articles!!
Gene Walls:
Thank you! I’m really glad that you found all of your glass was in good shape.
Best regards,
Gene
kiranznet
Thanks a lot for your valuable information gene . . i happen to find a small mold inside my nikon 18-200 mm lens. It is found on the lens. Is it possible to get it cleaned as it tiny and haven’t affect any other elements of the lens . . ? Thanks in advance . . :-)
Gene Walls:
I strongly recommend that you get your lens to a Nikon service center as quickly as possible. Fungus doesn’t just go away on its own, it will multiply until the lens becomes useless. If the contamination has been caught early enough, the lens probably can be saved. Make sure you go to a reputable Nikon authorized facility. This is very important, only the best lens techs are able to resolve the problem permanently.
I hope you will be able to save your lens, before the fungus growth gets any more advanced.
Kindest regards,
Gene