Repair of Old Canon Lens

[spursburger]

Hi Guys,

My brother passed on a EOS500N with Canon 28-80 and 70-300 Lens. They are almost 8 years old and were never stored in a dry box. I could see some mould on the 70-300. The 28-80 is slightly better. Heard from some people that there is no point repairing old lens. Is this true?

Would you advise me to save the lens? Is there any place where i can bring these lens to recondition them?

Please help me coz i feel it is such a waste to throw them away.

Thanks!
Spursburger

 

[tOGGY]

Mouldy lens do not work. The coating tends to be eaten away. If the lens are cheap, there is no point keeping or saving them.

Fungus can spread. Get rid of the lens.

For camera, get it serviced quickly. Viewfinder glass can get mouldy, but can be cleaned or changed.

Buy a dry cabi - cheap investment even for a P & S cam.

 

[spursburger]

thanks toggy....

sigh... what a waste...

 

[Feinwerkbau]

With all due respect, I beg to differ.

It al depends on the extent of the growth.

If the lens looks like Spiderman's hang-out, still no need to throw - can use as 'natural' soft-focus lens mah! Serious.

Also, if you use the lens reasonably, i.e., use effective lens hoods, don;t shoot into bright lights, you may be able to get fairly decent shots.

If the fungal growth isn;t deeply etched into the glass, it can be cleaned AND you CAN stop all growth simply by getting the lens X-Rayed at high gamma settings. Ask friend in medical line to help. Gamma radiation kills fungal spores.

Since you already have the equipment, why not get them examined and decide if it's worth cleaning/reconditioning and using since you only mentioned "some mould" on the 70-300 and that the 28-80 seemed slightly better?

At least no harm finding out then if you still want to throw away, can throw to me? I can use!

 

[spursburger]

thanks fein...

there is a place at sunshine plaza that does repairs right? Can i go there foe expert opinion and repair if there's a chance to save it ?

Do you know how much does it cost to do so?

 

[Feinwerkbau]

Let me be honest - I have not stepped into a camera repair store in over 10 years ... or more! The last lens I had that had fungus I did myself. A lot of plastic bodied Canon EF lenses are fairly modular, and relatively easy to open up. And if the fungus presents itself on the outer facing side of a group, it's as easy as wiping a filter. No, I wasn;t gung-ho enough to start taking apart the individual lens groups! :bsmilie:

I think a lot of members here could recommend a good repair store - they seem to be mostly around the Peninsula area. Or, you could pay a little more and get Canon Singapore to do it. Again, I have no idea what it costs to get a lens cleaned these days. Back in my time, it was around $30 - $35.

All the best!

p.s. Use the search function. Try different key words like 'camera' 'clean lens' 'lens cleaning' etc...You get the idea. I'm sure it has been discussed before.

 

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

i wldnt try opening up the lens myself. reason is that u may not get perfect alignment after u put it back. it may end up front or back focusing.

repairs now at TCW are around $50 for a cheap lens. costs more for higheer end L's etc.

 

[ricohflex]

there is a website somewhere that says you do not know that some pros shoot photos (that someone pays them for) with scratched, slight fungied, chipped lenses. though it feels good to have mint lenses.

 

[JediForce4ever]

one question..if I put a fungus infested lens into the drybox, will the fungus spread to the other lenses??

 

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

yes. fungus has spores. spores can float. and it can thus land on other lenses

 

[Canew]

Or, you could pay a little more and get Canon Singapore to do it. Again, I have no idea what it costs to get a lens cleaned these days. Back in my time, it was around $30 - $35.

The last time I asked CANON (2 years back) was $80 (w/o GST) per lens cleaning.

 

[spursburger]

Hey Guys,

Thanks very much... I will get the lens cleaned up tomorrow at TCW. Though they may not be in perfect condition, I shall keep it still. Feels good to see a cabinet full of lens. ;p My only worries are the mould may still be around after the cleaning.... then my other lens will be at risk.....:bheart:

 

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

er...u gotta consider whether its worth it

1) the fungus may have eroded the coating. even if it is removed, u may get spots or flare or other weird artifacts.

2) if the cost of cleaning is $50 and above, i don think its worth cleaning. it's a decent lens no doubt, but cheap. for $70-$80 u can get a new one with no fungus nothing. clean only if its $30 and below...but even then think carefully.

3) as u said, fungi spores may still remain. it can affect other lenses in ur dry cabi

 

[spursburger]

heart pain leh... if i throw them away :cry:

 

[JediForce4ever]

heart pain leh... if i throw them away :cry:

but lens with fungus....unless you want a soft focus lens....

 

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

heart pain leh... if i throw them away :cry:

nothing to be hurt about. just throw and forget. look on the bright side. at least you're not throwing away thousand buck lenses. save the filters, throw the lenses. get another lens within ur budget. don't spend unnecessary money.

 

[Feinwerkbau]

I mentioned before - GAMMA Radiation (X-Ray) will KILL all remaining fungal spores. Get a friend who works in the medical line, a vet clinic or a lab to help.

Throw away ahh??? Realli want to throw away then throw to me leh! Hehehe...!:bsmilie:

 

[spursburger]

Hi Fein,

So does that means i should get the lens cleaned up and then go for the gamma radiation?

 

[sulhan]

Hiee...

Some lens....although they have AR (anti reflection) coating...they can however still perform to a certain extent.....if the AR coating is totally removed.

I have an old lens that was give to me by a fellow CSer some time back - because its coating was etched off by fungus and there were fungus on that particular element.

My solution was to take the lens apart and totally remove the AR coating with the fungus too on that particular element. Hence only glass surface left.

Put it back together again and the lens works wonders. Better than throwing it away.....
Just need tobe careful to avoid flaring by using hood....


rgds,
sulhan

 

[EOS10D]

gamma also affect plastic
it makes them brittle
Canon lens has a lot of plastic


,,,,,,,,,,best is get rid of cheap lens
rescue expensive lens