Fungus OMungus

[Chucknova]

I have an Olympus OM 85f2 lens with considerable fungus (mildew?) and what I think might be lubricant on some/one of the elements. Is there any hope for it? Otherwise, it's a terrific soft focus portrait lens! Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Range-rover]

Sometimes you can be lucking and get it cleaned out, it depends how bad it is
Olympus lenses are pretty easy to open up and clean it out I've done a few 50's
and wide angles and their pretty clean now but I have a knack for that if not
take it to a good repair person to check.

Range

 

[wes loder]

fungus in lens

fungus in lens

There may not be much hope. First thing, get the lens into a dry environment. Place it in direct sunlight. That might kill the fungus. After that, disassembly and cleaning might help, but fungus tends to get into the coatings, so cleaning it off will take the coatings with it.
A professional repair shop might be able to help. WES

 

[02Pilot]

I have had what seemed almost miraculous results cleaning fungus from lenses with moisturizing hand cream. Put some on a q-tip, apply generously, allow to sit 5-10 minutes, remove with clean q-tips, then clean lens as normal. It won't fix things if the glass has been etched, but it's lifted the fungus cleanly every time I've tried it.

 

[rick oleson]

It depends how long it's been there. The factory OM techs used cold cream to remove it (though I can't say this ever worked miracles for me). If the fungus has not eaten into the glass & coatings, it comes off reasonably easily, but as 02Pilot says, once you've got grooves in the glass they aren't coming out.

 

[Frontman]

Probably fungus and/or haze. It's not hard to get out if you have a few tools. I have better luck getting into OM lenses from the back. You can usually remove the black sheet metal collar that circles the rear element of the lens by removing three small slotted screws. Once this is out of the way, you can remove the rear element group with a spanner or rubber stopper. Sometimes only the the collar which holds on the rear element comes out. If so, remove it and the rear element, and use your tool or stopper on the threaded end which the collar threaded onto. Make sure that the rear element is facing the right way when you put the lens back together.

The fungus and haze should come off easily using a cotton swab and lens cleaning fluid. It is rare that fungus etches/damages Olympus glass. Stubborn fungus or haze can be removed with a touch of toothpaste.

Be careful to blow out any dust as you put it back together.