18-135mm Lens Fungus HELP!!!

[harindugamlath]

Hi I'm from Sri Lanka.(please don't mind my English) :-[
Some kind of a fungus has started to grow under the front element of my 18-135 lens.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/79575858@N05/7295434526/#

I sent it to canon and got amazed. Asked them If they could clean the glass.First they said NO.Then said they can give it a try but cannot be sure to clean it. And said if it needs further repair they will need to ship it to singapore and it will cost around 200$.
It is unbelievable how they will repair other expensive gear.I don't understand.

They asked for a week for inspection but I said no.
I keep my camera in a airtight container full of silica gel.Only guess is that temperature
is too low inside it.

Here's my question Now I have decided to take apart the front element and try to clean it.
also found this article describing about it.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1167610

Will it cause misalignment?
Please can anyone suggest a good solution to use?
I thought I would use ammonia and hydrogen peroxide mixture but cannot find exact concentrations? Any Help will be welcome! Thanks.

 

[Lamna nasus]

Hi,

Firstly I would point out attempting to dissemble the lens will instantly void any Canon warranty (if you still have one on that lens) and that any advice on internet forums may be helpful but equally may be misleading or indeed wholly incorrect and that such advice carries no indemnity against any loss whatsoever for the reader.. that said you may find this discussion thread concerning fungus on Canon lenses of interest -
http://www.flickr.com/groups/canonfd/discuss/72157629473717503/

 

[harindugamlath]

Thanks Lamna nasus. Still reading it.My warranty is over on the lens and I'm looking forward to disassemble it. Can anyone tell what is best to clean it with ?

 

[TotoEC]

Same thing happened to my 35-70 lens long time ago. This was during the FD mount days. Fungus grows where the temperature is wet and humid. I didn’t have any choice but to have it cleaned and calibrated. Attempting to disassemble it yourself is a guarantee for misalignment and you can’t blame it on someone else but yourself. Besides there's the lens coating to contend with.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

1. You need the right tools. Do not use phillips screwdrivers or ou will damage the screw heads, and possibly make it impossible for anyone to remove them. Cameras and lenses use a JIS type screwdriver http://www.micro-tools.com/store/C-NIWA/JIS-Type-S-Screwdrivers.aspx

2. You need to know how to get it apart, some are simple, some are not

3. you are assuming its behind the front lens, but it might be further inside. The front element may need to be replaced if the glass is etched severely from the fungus. Fungus can sometimes be cleaned at a early stage, but can also etch the glass.

Good luck, if you do not now work on lenses, you might want to practice on a junk one. I converted quite a few broken lenses into scrap learning to work on them.

 

[harindugamlath]

Thanks for the response.Tools aren't a problem.Right now there is no affect on image quality i can see. I need to know If it causes misalignment is there a way to kill the fungus and to be guaranteed that it will never grow.I'm not so sure about keeping it in the sun and it is very cloudy these days. If there is no option but to open it,I will be ok if I destroy it. I kind of want to open it. what should I use to clean the glass?

 

[BillyBean]

Simple household vinegar works quite well. Though UV light (sunlight) works too. Try leaving it out in the sun for a few days, maybe you won't have to disassemble it.

But this fungus looks a bit odd. Normally, fungus grows outward from the dust that accumulates at the very edge of the lens, not in the centre portion, as appears to be the case here. Are you sure it's not an oil spot?

 

[harindugamlath]

Yes I'm Pretty sure it is not a oil spot.In fact it has grown bigger than when I first noticed it. It looks odd due to the exposure I think.I don't have a macrn close inspection it it like a small spider web
It is forming a circle around it.I think it is eating the lens coating.
Thanks have you done this? I mean cleaning fungus from lens element?

 

[harindugamlath]

Thanks for everyone who replied. I took it apart and cleaned it. It DID NOT cause any misalignment. I used isopropyl alcohol and little bit of vinegar.Lucky for me the fungus hasn't caused any damage to the lens coating. Bye.

 

[paul13walnut5]

The UV advice was good as a maintainence procedure. Remove any UV filters and let some sunlight soak into your lens now and then. It may kill any nasties before they get a hold. A particular problem for zooms in humid environments. I would consider also letting some UV soak into your camera body. Fungus is notorious contagious.

 

[harindugamlath]

Hi paul13walnut5 I already Cleaned it. Right now I'm making a box just like a dry cabinet.To keep the gear warm and dry. Thanks for the suggestion.I could get a uv light to light up the inside.