luke Posted August 3, 2016 Share #1 Posted August 3, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi Guys, Long time lurking first time posting! I was hoping to get a quick opinion from those members who have more experience than I do. This Summicron 50 is circa 1979 and I've owned it since 2008. I've never had any problems with the lens but I did notice this build up on the edge of one of the elements of the lens. Am I correct in thinking that this is fungus in the lens? I'd of course like to take action to hold any further progression if this is indeed the case! Kind Regards Luke Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here… Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! Quote Link to post Share on other sites Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members! ' data-webShareUrl='https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/263157-leica-summicron-fungus/?do=findComment&comment=3090205'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted August 3, 2016 Posted August 3, 2016 Hi luke, Take a look here Leica Summicron Fungus. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
pgk Posted August 3, 2016 Share #2 Posted August 3, 2016 Possibly. Could also be balsam separation. Difficult to say. Probably worth getting a reputable repairer to take a look. Fungus can be stopped/cleaned unless the glass is etched - this isn't a certainty - and then keeping it dry should stop recurrence. Balsam separation might be trickier and less economic as it might be a tricky repair. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdlaing Posted August 3, 2016 Share #3 Posted August 3, 2016 I think balsam was phased out way before 1979 in favor of other better adhesives. I would lean toward fungus. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted August 3, 2016 Share #4 Posted August 3, 2016 Maybe. I have a v.4 35mm Summicron which had the two rear elements separated due to an impact which had sheared them apart - balsam I assume. They have been re-cemented using a 'modern adhesive' (UV cured). Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted August 3, 2016 Share #5 Posted August 3, 2016 It looks more like a modest, and negligible fault in the black paint. Schneider Optics is famous for the problem. It has no effect whatsoever on the image. (It is not balsam separation. For certain.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kilmister Posted August 3, 2016 Share #6 Posted August 3, 2016 @Luke: Welcome to the forum. If you are near a dealer ask them. If not then there are so few it is a pain to ask advice. The lens is old. Anything could have happened in that time. Does it affect your photos? If not then enjoy the lens. If it does then send it in for CLA (clean, lubrication, adjustment). Leica glass has a value, however old it is. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted August 4, 2016 Share #7 Posted August 4, 2016 Advertisement (gone after registration) (It is not balsam separation. For certain.) To me it almost looks like a stress pattern - most lines are directional away from the edge which make me wonder about stress or impact stress on the adhesive? Doesn't look at all like schneideritis (I have a SA with a trace of this). Fungus is not usually in straight lines in my experience - more a random web of intersecting threads. It could also be very minor abrasion and scratching from a previous dismantling. In essence such marks are not going to affect image quality visibly but if any steps are needed to stop it getting worse then they should be taken. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ecar Posted August 4, 2016 Share #8 Posted August 4, 2016 Doesn't look like separation to me. Unusual pattern, but I'd say early stages of fungus. Definitely worth a look by an expert - whatever it is, it won't get better, unfortunately. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted August 4, 2016 Share #9 Posted August 4, 2016 It doesn't look like fungus to me either but if you're worried that it might be then the first (free of charge) step is to take the lens off the camera, open the aperture right up and place the lens in sunlight for a few hours (making sure that it can't focus on anything flammable), which should kill any live fungus that tend to enjoy dark, humid environments. Pete. 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted August 5, 2016 Share #10 Posted August 5, 2016 I would do as Pete suggests and just carry on using the lens, but check in a month or two to see if there's any change. At the edge of the lens like that it's not going to have any effect on IQ. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted August 5, 2016 Share #11 Posted August 5, 2016 Looking at your pix again I do wonder if this is actually some very fine scratching as a result of abrasion when the lens has been dismantled at some time in the past? It is after all 37 years old and may well have been serviced at some point and such things do happen. I don't think that it will affect image quality visibly at all though so I'd simply live with it and just check it every so often to see if it gets any worse just in case we are all wrong and it is fungus, but I very much count that it is. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
luke Posted August 5, 2016 Author Share #12 Posted August 5, 2016 (edited) Thank you for the replies. At the moment it's very minor and not causing any problems so I'm not too worried about it -- but of course I'd like to prevent any progression in case it gets worse. I'm going over to Manchester tomorrow, so I'll pop it in to a dealer while I'm in the city to see what they have to say. I'll make sure to report back the findings. One more thing. I misspoke when I said 1979, I actually meant 1970, just in case anyone notices! Edited August 5, 2016 by luke Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susie Posted August 5, 2016 Share #13 Posted August 5, 2016 (It is not balsam separation. For certain.) Bearing in mind he worked for Leitz, in his book on the Leica M, Osterloh states that they started to use Absorban in the mid-sixties to cement the elements together. I have some old (19th century) lenses with some separation and it looks very different to this. Susie 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgk Posted August 5, 2016 Share #14 Posted August 5, 2016 I have a 35mm Summicron v.4 from the 70s with balsam separation - total that is, the rear doublet had parted. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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