lens debris

[ekphrasis]

I have been on the hunt for a fuji gw camera. I got one but the shutter had super high mileage, and many forum members told me to be concerned, so I returned it. I then picked up another, which the seller described as completely mint, with absolutely clear glass.

When I got it I immediately noticed a bright discoloration spot on the inner element. It appears rather dusty inside of the lens, which I know is not necessarily bad, but there also seems to be a region with more than dust that is visible from the inside and the outside. I took a few pictures--I wanted other forum members opinion. I'm a little miffed because I paid extra for the advertised condition. Does this look like fungus or some other debris?

 

[KoNickon]

It looks from the (out of focus) hole on the lens name ring right below the red arrow that it has been opened up before. So, yes, I'd say the lens is therefore not "mint." As for the mark on the interior lens surface that you're pointing out, it could be nothing more than a failure by whoever worked on the lens to clean that surface thoroughly. Or (less likely) it's a coating flaw. My own opinion is that, though it looks bad and would be annoying, it's not going to harm picture quality, and I doubt it will get worse either.

 

[ekphrasis]

that is interesting about the lens being opened. what about the small hole on the outer ring indicates that? I don't know anything about opening lenses--I'm just curious about how to look for these things.

I know that any discussion about possible degradation of IQ will quickly fall into subjective territory. I am mostly curious about what constitutes a normal amount of dust in this type of lens, and how you can tell if there is some damage to the coating. Viewed from the outside, held at the right angle, the bright splotch definitely looks like a problem with coating, but from the inside (as pictured) it seems to be related to a pattern of debris in near the perimeter.

It looks from the (out of focus) hole on the lens name ring right below the red arrow that it has been opened up before. So, yes, I'd say the lens is therefore not "mint." As for the mark on the interior lens surface that you're pointing out, it could be nothing more than a failure by whoever worked on the lens to clean that surface thoroughly. Or (less likely) it's a coating flaw. My own opinion is that, though it looks bad and would be annoying, it's not going to harm picture quality, and I doubt it will get worse either.

 

[ekphrasis]

btw, here is another image. it isn't the best, but you can clearly see the amount of debris inside. the outer surface of the lens was wiped just before taking this picture.

 

[KoNickon]

That second picture tells a more sobering story -- that looks like potential fungus. Maybe some of it is dust, but it does look more serious than that. The first picture seems to show something different.

As for what I was seeing in the first picture, it appears (and again, I'm looking at something that's out of focus) like there is a scratch extending from the hole in the lens name ring. That's a sign that somebody used a pin spanner and it slipped out of the hole.