Zuiko woes

[dacookieman]

I love my OM1 and wanted a compact 50mm on my camera, but... I've had it! For the last 2 evilbay auctions i've tried to get a olympus zuiko 50mm f1.8 and both came to me with some form of fungus, either on the rear element or a spot on within the elements!

I can't seem to find one that is clean from them, and returning them is not viable as the cost of shipping em back to the seller costs about 2/3 of the cost of what i paid for the lens, hardly worth it if you do the math.

Sorry, i needed to rant, I just love how compact, small, and silent the OM is, just rather peeved with my bad luck.

 

[Merkin]

try ordering from a company like keh, where you have a fair (on occasion, absolutely dirt cheap) price and a return policy.

 

[Paul T.]

Those Zuikos tend to be so cheap it's worth getting them from a bricks'n'mortar retailer or (better still) a member here. Good luck.

 

[dacookieman]

True. I've never thought of KEH.com, hm, thanks for the advice, will try them out soon. I heard their ratings are pretty conservative.

 

[helen.HH]

I would do business w/ someone here @RFF
or ADORAMA
or KEH

or send it to:
CAMTECH Photo...specializing in OM's
OR
ESSEX Cameras ....
to be properly Cleaned & Properly Finessed...😀

 

[Keith]

I have a spare 50mm 1.8 ... I actually have two of them and don't use either as I use a 1.4 most of the time so PM me if you're interested. I won't be able to get back to you until tomorrow night my time about 24 hours from now though!

I'll check them both carefuly before then to make sure at least one is OK ... if so it's yours for the cost of the post from OZ! 🙂

 

[dacookieman]

Hi Keith,

Nice to hear from you. Its a very generous offer, i will send you PM🙂 thanks again.

 

[Trius]

Also, if shopping on line it's worth looking for the latest "made in Japan" (miJ) version. I may be remembering incorrectly, but I think some of the early OM series Zuikos were more prone to fungus. Besides, the miJ is regarded as the best non-macro Zuiko 50, other than perhaps the 50/1.2.

I have an old silver nose F.Zuiko 50/1.8 that has pretty heavy fungus. At some point I'll probably clean it up, as it will make a nice soft, low contrast lens. With a 1.4 telextender it might be a cool short portrait lens.

Finally, take the infested lenses and set them in bright sun for a few days. That might clear up some or all of the problem.

 

[nobbylon]

One of my 50 1.8's had fungus quite bad on the rear element and I couldn't see any differences in the pics from the clean one! Try them, you'd be surprised how much it takes to make a difference to IQ

 

[BillBingham2]

Mr. Cookie,

Just for giggle, you might try taking one apart to learn how to and then try the second one for real.

B2 (;->

 

[Trius]

Mr. Cookie,

Just for giggle, you might try taking one apart to learn how to and then try the second one for real.

B2 (;->

Just do it in a 9x12 or similar baking dish, with a towel on the bottom. Watch for bouncing screws, zipping springs, document steps in order and mark or photograph positions of parts before removal.

 

[BillBingham2]

Take digital pictures at each step too!

B2 (;->

 

[BillBingham2]

Use a pencil to mark the glass as to the orientation, perhaps a flair or some such marker.

B2 (;->

 

[Trius]

Pencil ... Brilliant! I hadn't thought of that.

 

[Chris101]

I have put fungussied optics in the sun (binoculars) which killed off the fungus, which in turn, shrinks it considerably to the point that it is almost invisible. Consider that your portrait lens, as it will focus cleanly, but may (depending on the amount of webbing in the lens) tend to smooth out surfaces such as skin.

 

[John Hermanson]

IF fungus is going to form, it often forms on the surfaces that face the diaphragm mechanism. This can usually be cleaned off by rubbing the glass surface with something like lubriderm skin cream or facial oil (!). Rub finger across bridge of nose or cheek, rub into glass, clean with denatured alcohol. This is official Nikon technique I learned many years ago from Japanese techs. John

 

[George S.]

If looking for something, one should ALWAYS ask here at RFF first. More often than not you'll get an offer like Keith's. I've already given away my excess 50 mms. Ebay should be a last resort. There's a lot of people there who know full well that their item is junk and you won't bother to return it for a refund since the price of return postage is cost prohibitive. The one good thing though, is you haven't been overpaying for the ones you already bought...

 

[Trius]

On John's advice several years ago I bought some Pond's cold cream to clean up a lens or two. I have yet to use it. 🙄 Even if cleaned the glass may be etched if the infestation was bad. That's how you get Zuiko glow!

 

[dacookieman]

Thanks so much for everyone's advice, I really appreciate your input🙂 I don't think I am competent enough to actually disassemble the lens, clean it and put it back again, I would normally leave that to the experts.

However, I have taken Keith's generous offer for his 50mm, and its all good now😀 I am a happy man!

And Evilbay, now that I realise, should ALWAYS be the last resort. I've had it!

 

[Keith]

I'm quite happy to see the back of one of these lenses and see it go to good home where it will actually get some use ... two of the OM's I now use regularly came with 50mm 1.8's on them and to be honest the lens has never excited me ... I like speed! 😛

The f1.4 is 'the' 50mm lens on an OM in my opinion ... quite compact and f1.4 is plenty fast enough generally ... of course my f1.2 is my favourite and it truly does make the OM viewfinder magnificently bright ...but that's for special occasions! 😀