Fungus between glued lens elements. Is it possible?

[Joao]

Opinions wanted:
A Zuiko zoom came to my hands recently and there was a fungus spot easily visible. It was not on the lens surface, as I had thought, so I asked a repairman to try to clean it. He said he had disassembled the lens but the fungus was inside a group of glued elements, so it was not possible to remove it.
I agree that it is not advisable to separate glued lens elements, but is it possible that a fungus can get there and grow ?? It is the first time I hear such a thing - and I admit that he just didn't bother to do the job (I have to add that he didn't charge me anything...) .
I would like to hear some more knowledgeable opinions on this.
Thank you in advance for your input
Regards
Joao

 

[sevo]

It is possible, but very unlikely in a lens that is not entirely covered in fungus. Perhaps the cleanable fungus had already been removed by some past owner.

There also are fungus-like decomposition issues affecting lens cements in special situations like large temperature changes or if the lens had been incompletely cured.

While it is theoretically possible to separate and re-cement the group, that will probably be way above the price of a clean Olympus zoom, and could be pointless if it is indeed fungus and it has damaged the lens surface.

 

[Stuart John]

Could be separation of the elements.

 

[ath]

Opinions wanted:
inside a group of glued elements,

This might be a sub assembly which is glued together instead of screwed and thus not separable. But might consist of single elements vs. e.g. a cemented pair.

 

[Joao]

Thank you for your answers; I didn't thought about the element separation possibility..
Regards
Joao

 

[taylan]

I have lens with fungus inside the elements and I searched how to separate the elements but I couldn't find anything.

 

[kuzano]

AnssersHERE

AnssersHERE

http://www.focalpointlens.com/fp_services.html

I recently recieved back a Mamiya Press /Polaroid red dot 75mm lens that had three surfaces cleaned and recemented on a three element Biogon formula group. Separation was the problem.. cleaned and re-cemented.

Excellent work, recollimated and mounted back in the mount. Front and rear cell system in a Seiko shutter.

I was happy to get it done. I've learned a lot in many years of screwing around with used gear at used prices. Sooner or later you figure out that if the final value is in the lens or camera, you just anty up and pay to get one good piece of equipment.... AND, you don't sell it until you finally decide you are not going to use it again.

In retrospect, I could have purchased another used lens for just a bit more....

BUT, I would have had yet another used lens, possibly prone to the same problem.

Focal Point was very friendly, very forthcoming with a quote and very reasonable on repair, pack for ship and return.

Focal Point lens repair. (John... I think)