Fungus in cameras and lenses. What is it and how to avoid.
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- čas přidán 4. 07. 2024
- Fungus decimates the value of equipment, whether it be Hasselblad, Nikon, Canon, Leica, Sony, Fuji, Bronica, Mamiya, Olympus etc. All users of film and digital cameras and lenses MUST store equipment appropriately.
This video explains how to spot it and how to avoid;
0:00 Introduction
0:34 What is fungus
1:45 How to spot fungus
4:18 How to avoid fungus
Jonathan Harris - Worldwide Camera Exchange Ltd
If you live in the tropical region like myself, investing in dry cabinet is the best option IMO. It's a bit pricey but if you have an expensive gear that you want to protect, it's the most hassle-free way.
Yes, agree 100%
Which dry cabinet?
@@GurmeetSingh-fr8uo I have the electronic one, the most hassle-free option.
You can also make it out of air-sealed box and a bunch of silica gel. But you have to maintain the silica gel, because one it gets saturated, it's not sucking up moisture anymore.
@@paceyombex I saw a video where it shows that you could put the silica gel in the oven for a couple of minutes and it can be used again. Although, I am not sure if it really works.
@@OnilMarteNavarroza It will, but then again, more hassle. Drybox is set-and-forget.
This is definitely a channel I can trust. Subscribed!
Thank you
Can't thank you enough for this video
For the past year I was sure that storing gear in a dark closed environment was the best way so I had everything in my camera bag in the closet. After watching this I went ahead and ordered a dry cabinet, specifically the ruggard 50L.
Glad it was useful - thanks
Hey Jonathan, Thanks for your update. I, perhaps like many, take the silica gel packets for granted when used with each of my prized lens. I will aerate each lens weekly so to speak and replace silica gels regularly to ensure they are current. I will now take my storage practice to another level. Thanks again.
Happy to help
Great video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Thank you - my pleasure.
Thank you for this informative video I bought my first camera sony a6400 and I live in a tropical country. This helps me understand how to take care of my equipment.
Glad it was useful. Enjoy your Sony!
Thanks for an excellent fungus video.
Glad it was helpful!
Hi Jonathan nice video... If you do have to store in a cupboard alway have a bowl of dry white rice nearby..
Speaking of enclosed spaces a friend runs a vintage camera shop some miles from me... his mantra is never store or display lenses with filters attached.
Otherwise you are creating a perfect nursery for propergatinng a fungus garden!!
Thanks for your comments - always appreciated
Thanks for the informative video. Instead of silica gel sachets, I use one or two room dehumidifiers and place them in the cupboard with the lenses. Then I just replace the dehumidifiers when needed instead of having to dry out the silica gels. I make sure the cupboard has daylight and airflow going through it and away from strong moisture and humidity. A hygrometer/thermometer is placed in there as well to check on this.
Thanks for commenting.
Hi Jonathan, great videos lad.
Thank you for this.
My Sigma 35mm 1.4 has a very gery small fungus i teckon which less than 1mm. Im kinda upset and trying to clean it but there is no camera repair shop nearby me. I asked my friend and he recommend me to expose the lens to Sun. What do you think of this method? How long should i expose my lens to sun? Thank you!
Having it professionally cleaned is the only sensible option. Exposing it to sunlight may or may not kill the fungus - you won't know until it either spreads or doesn't. Personally I wouldn't take the risk with an expensive lens. I know this isn't what you want to read. Sorry!
I store my lenses in see through plastic boxes. I have also added a few of those large de-humidifiers that you can buy for about 80p each in the UK, into each box. I change them a lot less that if I used gel sachets.
That should work really well!
This is so helpful. Thank you.
Thanks
Thanks for sharing informative content! Do you happen to have a video about what to look when you buy an used lens?
Secondhand camera lenses. Checks to make buying Nikon Canon Sony Fuji Leica Hasselblad Bronica etc
czcams.com/video/2vIM5YScewY/video.html
Really amazing useful information, thank you.
Thanks - glad it was useful
Great advice. Unfortunately, I learned the hard way after a camera lens and a rifle scope lens were permanently damaged by fungus eating the lens coating. The fungus was just on the outside but even after careful cleaning small patches of the coating are gone.
It’s horrible stuff. Hope the equipment was still usable? Coatings (in camera lenses) don't make a huge difference: czcams.com/video/Z2Nhbf5btv4/video.html
Bit late to the party, but if you mix a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water, disassemble the lens and let the glass sit for ten minuts before patting dry with tissue, you can then use lens tissue and good quality lens/glasses cleaner to remove residue. Wipe round the lens housing with isopropyl alcohol and reassmble. I have used this method on a serious case of fungas, and it's not reappeared as of yet. Didn't damage the coating either.
Thanks for commenting
Great advice, mate! Perfect real-life example of where not to store lenses! Have you been peeking in our wardrobes? 😊
Glad it was useful!
Thank You very very much. I was under the impression to keep in air tight spaces. Storing in light do you remove the lens & back covers on the lenses or leave them on the lens? I have a nice collection, some vintage. Upon your reply I will store my lens in an area where a fan runs & natural light comes thru a window. This is my home studio & is also an A/C Cooled place. I reside in Florida where humidity can be an issue for sure. Thanks a million for the info & excellent Video!!!
Storage and in an airtight container will work well but only if the atmosphere within is dry. So you’ll need to use silica gel and regularly dry it out. As I say in the video, the issue is made worse if storage is humid, dark and/or airless. Take away any (preferable all) of these factors and you’ll reduce the chance of any problems.
Hello! Very informative video. Do you think my modern lenses (canon ef 70-200 f4 and Sony FE 70-200 f4 e mount) can get fungus? I’m ver afraid for them
Unfortunately, yes. I have seen fungus in modern lenses that have been stored badly. However, I was told by a close contact at Canon that fungus would be less of an issue with modern coatings - but I suppose only time will tell for sure.
That was helpful, thank you.
Thanks - appreciated
Thank you for your help, straight to the point 😊
Hope it’s useful.
It was useful, I will not attempt to clean my cameras and lenses, I will find a professional guy.
Yes, always the best way.
Thx for the advices!!!
Glad it was useful
Very useful video, thank you
Thanks - appreciated
I recenlty managed to get my hands on a Hasselblad 712 hard case in very good condition. According to a Hasselblad catalogue I own, the 712 case is "damp and dust proof, ideal for tropical climates". Now, I live in Sweden so it's not exactly tropical here, but I've been storing my Hasselblad 503cx in there ever since I got the case some weeks ago. Would you still recommend me to store the camera on a shelf rather than in the case? Thank you so much in advance!
Great case but it’ll keep the damp in as well as it keeps it out! If moisture is inside when you close it you’ll create a damp microclimate which spores will love. Best thing to do is use silica gel to keep it dry inside. Remember to dry out or replenish regularly.
Thank you so much for the quick reply! I'll order some silica gel right away and store my camera in open air when I'm home :-)
Never really thought about this… but I just switched from Nikon to Sony and all the GM lenses… bought a ThermoPro and was surprised how humid it gets in apartment… so I now - consciously - store my gear downstairs where it’s cooler and less humid… or I’ll take it upstairs and leave the de-humidifier on all night (utility cost is far less than $10K of lenses!)
Always better to be safe than sorry!
Hello Jonathan, every time I buy lenses I place them under UV light for some time both front and rear. We really don't know where they have been store or if they have been clean before the buyer gets them.
Thanks for commenting - it's always appreciated.
I keep a lot of my lenses in OpTech neoprene pouches. Is this okay since they are not airtight? At least I can keep the immediate dust off of my lenses this way, and dust is a good friend of fungus. Also, they sit on an Ikea shelf with glass doors, but it's not an airtight shelf. Is this okay? Thanks for the nice video 🙂
That all sounds good. Maybe take the lenses out of their cases if you’re not using them for a while (the cabinet will be relatively dust free). Thanks for commenting.
Thanks for the video, Jonathan! Very informative. Looks like my prized lens, a Fujinon 56mm f/1.2 is starting to grow some fungus on one of the inner glass elements. After watching your video, I starting thinking about how I might be able to arrest further growth. I could bring it to Fuji to have them clean it, but I don't think I have a Fuji service center nearby. So I was thinking the first thing I should do is expose the lens to UV light. I've adapted a UV "Phonesoap" device to accommodate my lens so I can expose it to concentrated UV-C light (as opposed to leaving it under the sun). Do you think the UV-C lamp of the PhoneSoap device is good enough to kill the fungus to prevent further growth? Thanks!
Yes, exposure to uv light will eventually kill the fungus. But I don’t know which wavelengths within the UV spectrum are most effective. The device you’re using may not be as good as sunlight. My advice is to get the lens properly cleaned.
@@WorldwideCameraExchange Thanks, Jonathan!
Always happy to help
Fungus on my lens looks more like a crack … but thank god!
I was totally unaware about this, After watching this video it's now OBVIOUS why my lens has fungus growing
Glad it was helpful!
HOLY!!! I went to so many camera gear repairs and most said you cannot fix at all. thank you for this. Some of my Nikon lenses has taken the hit. even though i stored it in a large box with silica gel, it seems the lenses were long gone :( Gonna invest in a dry cabinet because i live in a tropical country
A dry cabinet is your best and really only option if you live in a humid country.
Hello Jonathan, to avoid fungus is it better to take of the lens caps while storing? Great vid by the way!!! Best regards.
It’s a question that’s fiercely debated. Some say yes, others no (because dust on the glass might the increase the chance of fungus forming). The most important thing is to reduce humidity and increase airflow.
Thank you for this video! I’ve just bought my first DSLR and went to purchase a lens and saw “fungus:some” and had no idea what that meant. Question, the caps that go on either side of the lenses, do those too create the perfect dark environment for fungus?
Fungus becomes an issue in dark/damp/airless environments. If you store your lenses in a dry and well ventilated area then the caps shouldn’t cause any issue.
Thanks a lot. It was very informative. Sadly my Sony cam has the same spec of fungus like in 2:15 after I used it on a rainy day
It might be worth having it cleaned?
Hey! Thanks for this, so is storing my lenses in a pelican case with 3 large reusable silica gels in it a goose idea? I normally take my camera out almost every other day
Make sure you dry out the silica gel frequently and you should be fine. If you’re regularly using the equipment the risk of fungus-related issues will be reduced.
Bamboo Charcoal air purifying bags work nicely! Store it with your gear and 'dry' the bags in sunlight for a few hours once a month. Reusable and cost effective!
Thanks for your input. Always very welcome.
Thanks
Welcome
Didn't even know about this until now that I'm looking for old Film lenses on ebay.
It's something everybody should know about. Storage is so important to prevent the fungus from developing in the first place.
When you talk about storing lenses in open air and exposed to sun, will the UV exposure still work if they have their lens caps on?
Don’t leave lenses in direct sunlight. Leave them exposed to UV light (so not locked in a dark cupboard year in year out). Personally I leave lens caps sitting loosely on the top of the lens. Enough to let light in but keep most dust off.
Use indicating silica gel, as it changes colour. Then inspect and if changing colour place in microwave for 1.5 minutes, blow with hot hairdryer (repeat if required). Dusty environments are not recommended as they contain the fungal spores. Also add organic matter and fungus. 300g of silica to 25L volume is technically enough to drop the humidity to prevent fungal growth. Personally I use a hiking dry bag 20L with 300g silica and check after each use of the camera kit, before storage. Typically refresh silica after every 20 bag openings.
Thank you for your input - always appreciated.
Yes, a correctly designed/maintained/monitored dry space is best. Especially if you can incorporate a filtered air system.
Ultimately. the measures you take will be driven by your local environment. Those living in humid areas/countries will need to manage more proactively.
Wherever you live, awareness and good day to day discipline are the best first steps.
@@WorldwideCameraExchange As a general rule I have my legacy lenses stripped and serviced every 10 years. As legacy lenses are not sealed, so dust does penetrate over time. The cost is minimal if no issues and keeps them in A1 condition.
Careful there, I'd bring up a few points.
- Indicating silica is great so you know you're replacing it for a fresh one (air could have gotten in and you wouldn't know that otherwise), but it does not correspond when it no longer works. Depending on the type, it usually changes color when it takes up 10% of its weight, but it will keep taking in moisture usually up to 30-40% of its weight.
- Drying them in microwave is the worst way since you can't control the temperature there. If the temperature gets too high, the indicating silica will release toxic and corrosive fumes. Some indicating types are worse than others. I also heard that too high drying temperatures degrade the silica. And since we're preventing fungus here, I wouldn't get my silica contaminated in food environments, and vice-versa.
- 300g of silica for 25L is way too much. The general rule is 2g per liter. Sure you can do a little more, especially if you need to remove excess moisture, but 6 times that is bit too much. Too dry environment isn't good here either. Firstly you will rapidly degrade glues and rubber and secondly, there's a type of fungus that loves overly dry environments. So it doesn't help this case either.
Also a clarification as I misunderstood your comment. Since the 300g is used for temporary drying out the moisture during use, then that makes sense. I imagined you'd then use that for storage as well xD
How do I dry the crystal bags in the oven? Regards, Jas.
Follow instructions supplied by supplier/manufacturers. Most will change colour when dry.
Useful video. Thanks. But the first thing I think is WHY AREN"T ALL LENS CAPS TRANSPARENT? It's actually v difficult to find such things. The other thing I notice is that my two lenses with bad fungus both had UV filters on that I was advised to buy to 'protect' the lens. Now I wonder if the main effect was to 'protect' the fungus from UV?! In any case I will change my storage habits from now on...
UV light won’t be enough to prevent in isolation. You must make sure the storage area is dry / well ventilated too.
So if its all over the lens it really doesn't make sense trying to have it cleaned? Where i live i cant find someone to open the lense, so I was thinking to send it to England with my sister to see if it can be done...but if the whole lens is already messed up it just doesn't make sense???
Probably only worthwhile if the lens is valuable.
I just went on a hike in the rainforest to do a shoot, 2 weeks later I now started seeing one spot showing inside the lens
Fungus loves humidity. I’d recommend getting the lens looked at immediately. Hopefully will be an easy fix if it isn’t too established. Good luck.
Should you store camera lens in Peli case or camera bag ok ?
You can as long as you use silica gel (and regularly change it) to keep the case interior dry.
If a UV Filteris on a lens should it be removed during storage along with end caps???
If I was storing for a long period I would remove the filter. Otherwise, no.
Are Ruggard dry cabinet effective?
Yes, dry cabinets are perfect, particularly in more humid countries.
Would sealable plastic food-type bags give protection against fungus, please?
I assume you are using them with silica gel? Remember to dry it out regularly.
I have zeiss batis 85 mm and affected by fungus , kindly suggest how to repair ??
You should contact your local Zeiss authorised repairer. If the fungus is slight it should be cleanable.
Thanks! I immediately put my lenses on a shelf near a window to get a breeze and sunlight without their caps, lol
Glad it was useful!
@@WorldwideCameraExchange absolutely!
Should I store my lenses without caps or is that overkill?
Personally I wouldn’t. If your storage is good and you monitor it shouldn’t be necessary.
When storing my camera on an open shelf, would it be helpful to remove the lens cap as well so light can enter the lens?
Personally I would leave the caps on. You should be fine if there's plenty of ventilation and light (assuming you don't live in a very humid area).
@@WorldwideCameraExchange comment makes no sense; the lens need to be open to kill of the fungus
Yes, a lens will need to be stripped and cleaned thoroughly if fungus has established itself inside. However, following the steps I outline will reduce the chances of this happening.
Can you use black light if so how much min or hours you should use it safely thnk u 🙏
If you store correctly you shouldn't need to.
@@WorldwideCameraExchange another would it be over kill or safe to put Double sided tape on the back of your lens cap and camera body cap to catch any stray dust ?
Overkill! Just use a blower brush to clean the glass and inside of the caps before putting the lens away.
I was thinking of buying a 2nd hand lense. Its damaged with fugus. Think ill give it a wide berth now.
Very wise!
Hey can you tell what fungus looks like starting out , if I sent you a picture could you tell ?
Any doubts then get a repairer to check it out.
@@WorldwideCameraExchange cheers
Hi.
If they are in a box (30-50L) and a fan is running in it every few hours, with the right silica gel?
Yes, that should work well but remember to check regularly and refresh the silica gel / desiccant.
ideally your fan needs a filter to remove dust & fungal spores. So 5um dust filter. That way clean air flow. Probably only need 1 air change an hour or less.
@@julesfisher3551 isn't it good if the box is hermetically sealed?
@@simszolcs There are two options. 1. hermetically sealed box with RH indicator, so showing circa 40% RH. This is what I use, i.e. use a hiking wetbag. Option 2. minimal filtered air flow with silica to keep RH to about 40%. Personally when I am in HK with crazy high RH, I keep my kit in sealed wetbag (18L bag and 300g silica). Saves me many times when taking photos of yachting events. Where as when in Edinburgh, with ambient RH of 55%, I keep my kit in glass shelved cabinet. In the days of legacy lenses the coating were more resistant to fungi. My camera specialist in Edinburgh (services my lenses), only found fungus in lenses that hat returned from the tropics. Now they find fungus in lenses from S England! So the bottom line is your ambient RH drives your storage approach.
@@julesfisher3551 I want to circulate air in a hermetically sealed box (using a powerbank but without fresh air intake) with silica gel to achieve 35-45% RH. The purpose of the air circulation is to allow air movement in the drum and not to cause the air to stand still. Could this be a good solution?
My lens have fungus and im new to photography, i really dont know what to do to remove it
Contact a local repair company.
If the fungus is minor it may be possible to clean. Good luck!
Recently got a Nikon 50 mm lens... lots of fungus. I think I'm going to learn how to disassemble the lens so I can clean it. It's useless as is so if I tear it up... nothing lost.
It’s worth a go but far more difficult than most people expect. Also the fungus may be in between sealed lens groups. If it’s in good condition it might be worth asking a Nikon repairer to quote to clean.
The electrical dry box/cabinet isn't that bad, too.
Yes! Thanks for commenting.
can this fungus can be removed in the camera canon powershot (the lens is built in)
I doubt it will be financially viable. Depends how much you are willing to spend on your Canon camera.
did you get it removed? i’m having the same problem with my sony cybershot :(
I recently bought a vintage camera and i noticed there is a line/fungus inside i used the lens for like a month or 2 now.. can the lens with fungus spread accross my camera sensor/body?
Yes. You should get it professionally cleaned.
@@WorldwideCameraExchange ah okay thanks, should i get my camera also check or just the lens? I checked my camera sensor and it seems fine
Just the lens. And in the meantime keep it away from your other equipment!
@@WorldwideCameraExchange thank you so much, more powerr to your channel
Or, better yet! Buy a specialized dry cabinet. I got a decent 50L one for 229€. It might seem a bit steep for a glorified "pointless" fridge, but it beats having to send all your cameras/lenses for repair and spending double or triple the value of a cabinet.
Yes, agree 100%. Especially if you live in a particularly humid region. Appreciate your input - thanks.
I wish I learned this early. Have to get 3 of my lens cleaned now. FML.
In 45 years of photography, having owned 100 lenses, never once have I seen fungus, and I didn’t go out of my way to store lenses in a dry cabinet or well-lit place. I think the fungus fear is overrated
Thanks for commenting
It likely depends on where you live.
@silekiernanphotography yes, absolutely. Correct storage in more humid climates is far more important.
@@WorldwideCameraExchange I belive fungus is often the result of improper lens care. i.e. people not drying lenses after shooting in rain. I've lived in Dallas, New York, and Seattle -- not exactly non-humid climates. I've recently started keeping some lenses in a de-humidity cabinet because watching too many CZcams videos has made me paranoid about fungus, even though I've never seen it on my lenses. And some of my lenses date back to the 1950s.
Yes, absolutely, it’s all about how you look after the equipment. Follow the guidance in the video and hopefully you’ll never have an issue. In humid climates a dry cabinet is probably a good idea.
Still keep the lens caps on?
If you’re storing in a place that is dry it’ll make no difference. If there’s some humidity leaving the cap off may inhibit the development of fungus. Although don’t forget UV light is the key and much of this will be filtered out by your windows!
Lance ko fungus saaf karne ke liye kaun sa chemical use karte hain Naam bataiye
Ammonia is usually used to kill the spores. I would recommend discussing with your repairer.
With slight fungus present on the lens, the image quality is only affected nominally, so it is not 'disastrous'
Thank you for your comment. You're right, the image quality won't be affected, but the fungal spores can and will spread. The problem will get worse and move to other equipment in close proximity. That is a disaster!
I ruined a pair of nice 20x60 binos this way. I was ignorant of this fungus. A very painful lesson for me.
Sadly it’s a common problem.
You can regenerate sílica gel by heating it in a oven
Yes you can but it does need to be down frequently. Thanks for commenting, always appreciated.
I was about to get a bag to protect my lenses from fungus...lol
If you do store your equipment in a bag make sure you use sachets of silica gel and, importantly, dry them out frequently.
Yes just blot it out with a healing tool
Rice may help.
Thanks for your input.
Filaments.
Thanks, yes.
Make sure you obtain good quality silica gel . I bought some and it ' evaporated with the sealed case and entered the lenses destroying them All threads etc useless. Beware Chinese damn silica gel !
Thanks for commenting
Great vid, I’m currently in college so i don’t have all the money in the world to buy a dry cabinet. Is it ok to place my camera and lenses on a desk in my bedroom (my bedroom does not have a bath, btw) ? Thanks.
Probably not a problem unless you live in a humid country. Make sure you don’t let them get dusty.
@@WorldwideCameraExchange thank you!