TP: Protect your Lenses from Fungus

I've always used a skylight filter on all my lenses, (I get nervous if I ever even handle a lens without one on) and have never had fungus- and the northern part of the UK is a fairly damp place. I'm reminded by this to check my long-unused old lenses though, and will fish them out and stick them in sunlight (if I can find any) as a precaution- so thanks for the reminder.

I store my not-in-use gear in wicker crates with wicker lids (rather than sealed plastic crates) so that the air can circulate. Id sooner have things dusty than fusty.

I also work a lot out of doors in the winter. I keep things as dry as possible when outdoors, use a home-made waterproof cover on my bag which I chuck in the car boot when I set off back, with the (hopefully dry) bag itself in the car, to keep the equipment as dry as possible. I don't take the kit out of the bag until I get home, as I'm wary of the effects of sudden temperature/humidity changes. Even if it has just been dank and hasn't rained, I get all my gear out when I return home and leave it out for 24 hours or so in my (very dry) house. I'm also careful not to leave damp bits concealed -particularly in zoom lenses - they all get opened up, including the focus rings.

A decent skylight honestly doesn't cut out a significant amount of light, and can help the image, as has been mentioned above. I used to have to take mine off in low light when I used the cheap ones, but with good ones you really don't need to. The best I've found are Heliopan supercoated. They are expensive, but even the most ouch-making larger sizes are cheaper than all but a mediocre second-hand lens. I've had one filter chipped by cast-up grit on the racetrack, which was annoying- but better that than a lens, particularly when some of mine are no longer available new in any form.

I dropped a manual camera years ago, it landed on the filter front edge, denting a polariser and cracking the glass on the edge of it. I was cross about the filter, but at least the lens, my pet 50mm, was left unscathed.

condon wrote: Excuse an ignorant. How does it look, lensfungus?

Xavier had some nice example pictures here of fungus on an MD 50/1.7...

I do have UV filter on my lenses. I doubt that UV filter keeps fungus away and I also doubt that having the filter increases the chances of catching fungus.

Yes, I have, a Taxxxx lens which is less than 10 years, which was infected by fungus. Even with professional help could not save the lens. I have since bought a dry cabinet and kept all my lens in it.

Well I have about 8 little packets of silica gel in my camera bag, and no fungus here yet, and I do not have any filters. Then again I live in a dryish climate here, but they did spend about 5 months in Singapore which is not :D

Edited by Suc33d - 26 November 2007 at 08:17

Once fungus takes hold internally - Is the lens pretty much a bin job or can they be repaired/cleaned?

Luckily where I reside, the humidity levels are fairly well non existent for the majority of the year.

Yup - you could even use one of those tumble-drier things - I bet they don't have any warnings either.

Might make the lens look a bit battered but then I suppose you could claim for that.

( Not sure a lens with any metal component put in a microwave would be a good idea - might produce some interesting shots though )