What's the best way to clean haze and fungus?

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Well, I know this is an ancient topic and I hope this is not some sorta top profession secrets or anything.
I haven't got the chance to try them out but I was thinking about just plain denatured alcohol and maybe regular household dish cleaners. Not sure how these would work. Anyone has good experience with the two solvents? Should I soak the lens element or wipe it with lens tissue?
The reason I am doing it is because a few techs near me have increased their charges significantly (about doubled).

Thank you.
 
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Hydrogen peroxide is supposed to be good for removing/killing fungus. I've used vinegar without problems but others claim it can damage coatings. Windex seems to be the common cleaning agent, although I don't actually know what that is, being from the UK! If you soak elements, they must obviously be removed first! Avoid harsh solvents, alcohol is pretty safe (if you can get a decent quality grade).
 
sometimes you can reduce the fungus by opening up the lens and setting it in a window so the sun can shine through it.
 
John Hermanson, the Olympus guru, and longtime factory tech mentioned nose grease for fungus in a recent post in the slr section. (no joke)

John, who owns Camtech in Long Island, is the premier choice for CLA of OM cameras. He's done four for me over the past 10 years or so, and I've got another ready to go to him.
 
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any particular brand of nose grease? what viscosity and weight? does B&H sell this stuff?😉

newspaperguy said:
John Hermanson, the Olympus guru, and longtime factory tech mentioned nose grease for fungus in a recent post in the slr section. (no joke)

John, who owns Camtech in Long Island, is the premier choice for CLA of OM cameras. He's done four for me over the past 10 years or so, and I've got another ready to go to him.
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I successfully removed all the fungus from a 180 Zuiko I had using John's method. I found that if i just tried to clean with lens cleaner then nothing happened. So I rubbed my 1st finger and thumb on the sides of my nose and then pinched the element concerned and rubbed between fingure and thumb. Use as much pressure as is necessary to remove, then clean up with lens fluid. This method did not damage the coating at all.
 
Nose grease ? Why not ! I give it a try next time.

Does sound as weird as the Pond's Cold Cream story but, in fact, i tried this Pond's in several occasions on lens fungus and sometimes it does the trick !
 
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Just tried to clean up an old nikon 50/1.8 E lens that was a beater and no loss if I screwed up. Cleaned it in turn with household bleach, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. I am NOT recommending this just saying I tried it. The end result was that most of the fungus was gone but there was still some indication that it had been there. I believe that what I am now seeing is the etch marks left by the fungus on the various elements. I took a few quick shots with a D700 after cleaning and the lens seems to perform well enough. I am going to try the nose grease/ Ponds cream method also.

Bob
 
Everyone swears by Pond's Cold Creme. This seems to be the least intrusive way as well. People I know that used it said the fungus just wiped off. Not sure if it works for haze.
 
Just recently removed fungus and haze on two lenses, coated and uncoated with a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia. Melted the fungus off like butter and then rinsed it off with distilled water. Afterward, clean lens surface as usual.

If the fungus has etched the surface then your in another ball game.
 
There are several methods, some used by pros, some used by amateurs, some that are horrible mistakes. I've seen Ponds cold cream, vinegar, bleacn, ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, and several other things mentioned from time to time and I've tried several of them. The best solvent I have ever tried is a 50/50 mix of drugstore hydrogen peroxide and household ammonia. You use it straight for hard coated lenses and Leica recommends a solution dilluted to about 10% for their soft coated lenses. Used straight, it will literally dissolve the fungus away before your eyes. Dilluted, it takes a little longer, but it works. The best thing about it is that it not only works, but once you are done it cleans up easily (something that can not be said about cold cream).

Lens haze is generally outgassed oil and other fluids that have condensed on the lens. They absorb atmospheric pollutants and dry up, leaving a deposit of crud. Sometimes it is a result of water damage. Naptha or distilled water usually takes it right off, but you need to check the rest of the camera out for things like rusty springs, seperating bellows and etcetera.
 
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Thank you so much guys. This is a great thread so far.
I think I m going to try from the simplest first (nose grease 😀). I do have household ammonia and bleach ready, so worst comes to worst, I am ready to go.
 
FallisPhoto said:
The best thing about it is that it not only works, but once you are done it cleans up easily (something that can not be said about cold cream).
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Good point Charles. It takes an extra effort to remove the Cold Cream.

Another minus is the fact that my wife starts to look suspicious at me now that i borrowed her Pond's several times. I think she doesn't believe my fungus-story
 
You can buy the bulk stuff here:

http://www.iamlost.com/features/foamdown/

Our company employs thousands of third world country citizens for the harvesting of nose grease. Currently, a full tube of 'FOAM DOWN' contains the nose grease of at least 6000 applied noses.
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Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz in their book "Medium and Large Format Photography", mention Opti-Clean as a "pretty miraculous product." Manufactured in the US but not available for photo use there.

Roger -- if you see this -- is this carried in large photo supply stores in Europe?

To the Italians among us -- same question directed to Italy -- know whether this is available there?

Thanks.

Giorgio
 
I found the Opti-clean on amazon. maybe I will give it a try. It seems like even in the US, the opti-clean is very hard to locate. The price is a bit higher than regular contacts cleaners.
 
Try shaving cream. I did. It worked pretty well. It is cheap. It is readily available. Put the shaving cream on. Rub it around gently. Let it sit on the lens for a while, then rub it off with lens paper.

Good luck.
 
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