is this fungus?

[dyao]

hi all,

caught an ad for a m-rokkor 40mm (cle version I think) and the ad was in another language. as best as I can tell, it says that some "coating" has been lost from the rear of the lens. it's ambiguous as to whether or not this refers to the multicoating on the lens or the paint. here are some pics of the rear element the seller sent me. the price is about $320. for what it's worth, I live in an area known for its extreme humidity. thanks for the advice

 

[jonmanjiro]

Hard to tell for sure from these photos, but it sure looks like fungus...

 

[Beemermark]

Whatever it is it doesn't look good and $320 isn't that good of a price for a lens that needs at least a good cleaning.

 

[begona]

looks like some alien trace 😀 whatever that is ,cleaning is needed

 

[Frontman]

It looks like fungus, but it may still be a serviceable lens. Fungus can etch the glass in a lens, leaving permanent marks, but some lenses are more resistant to etching than others. If you are lucky, you might be able to remove it with a simple cleaning (though disassembling the lens to get inside is not that simple).

If the lens has a guarantee, I would probably return it. Fungus is generally a fatal defect, and the cost to properly remove it (polishing and re-coating) is often more expensive than simply buying a clean lens to begin with.

 

[sig]

refection of the lamps in the ceiling?

 

[chrishayton]

Same thinking

 

[dyao]

well here's a picture of the front element the seller gave to me (in the same lighting conditions), and you can see it seems much smoother than the back element.

anyway guess I'll wait for a better copy to turn up. thanks guys

 

[Mackinaw]

Actually the lens looks OK to me. I agree with the other guys, the circles you see in the pictures are light reflections.

Jim B.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Actually the lens looks OK to me. I agree with the other guys, the circles you see in the pictures are light reflections.

Jim B.

Its not the light reflections he is talking about, there is a fungus on that lens. I would not buy it

 

[jonmanjiro]

Haze and best, fungus at worst. I'd send it back.

 

[Frontman]

Who would confuse light fixture reflections with lens fungus? Nothing is visible from the photo of the front of the lens, but the photo of the back of the lens shows that it has haze/fungus/crud of some type. Maybe it can be cleaned, maybe not, but for that price one should easily be able to find a clean Rokkor lens. Return it if you can.

 

[dyao]

Thanks for the advice guys, I've decided not to purchase the lens..