yura Posted July 2, 2019 Share #1 Posted July 2, 2019 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hello all recently bought a used Leica M summilux 35 ASPH pre FLE a very good price actually, and quite good overall condition some days after found a fungus inside. it is very hard to find it. it is don't even seen with a flashlight. only with a hard sunlight directly and a special angle needed. i din't know what to do. it is very small (fungus) and out of area which may be seen on a photos. I mean i can set the lens under UV lamp and this is it. BUT IT IS A FUNGUS and I am afraid that it will grow and eat the coatings. please advice what to do? it is a quite expensive lens and i love it and I want to own this lens for a looong time. I want it in a good condition. so I an thinking now about who different sides: 1) leave the fungus inside, but kill it with UV (its body very small and hard to notice and not affect the photos) - but afraid about its spores and growing with time 2) send lens to CLA, but i've readed that wide angle lenses may lost their characteristics after CLA? loose sharpness etc. Official Leica Workshop refuse to take it, so it is possible only in third party workshops. In my country there are no Leica specialists. please see the attached photo. what can you do on my place? thank you for any advice. 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! 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/298876-summilux-35-asph-pre-fle-fungus/?do=findComment&comment=3770250'>More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted July 2, 2019 Posted July 2, 2019 Hi yura, Take a look here Summilux 35 asph pre FLE Fungus?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
jaapv Posted July 2, 2019 Share #2 Posted July 2, 2019 Just have it cleaned. "Losing characteristics" is complete baloney. Send it abroad to for instance DAG (USA) or Will van Manen (NL) or one of the other trusted Leica workshops. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
me111 Posted July 2, 2019 Share #3 Posted July 2, 2019 Are you sure it's fungus? I may be wrong but what I see in your picture looks like a scratch. All lens fungus I've seen has branches like a tree. If it is fungus, however, I would follow jaapv's suggestion. Just have it cleaned (maybe by DAG; Don is an excellent repairer) and be happy with fungus-free lens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yura Posted July 2, 2019 Author Share #4 Posted July 2, 2019 2 hours ago, me111 said: Are you sure it's fungus? I may be wrong but what I see in your picture looks like a scratch. All lens fungus I've seen has branches like a tree. If it is fungus, however, I would follow jaapv's suggestion. Just have it cleaned (maybe by DAG; Don is an excellent repairer) and be happy with fungus-free lens. thank you very much for your reply. i am not sure it is fungus, but sure that this is not scratch. it is in the middle of the lens.. probably 3th of 4th lend from rear one so it can't be a scratch inside. thank you. i have already send it for CLA. will post the results here, may be someone find it useful Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted July 2, 2019 Share #5 Posted July 2, 2019 If you're concerned about fungal spores after you've had your lens returned then just leave the lens wide open in sunlight for an hour every couple of months, which is less expensive and more effective than using a UV lamp. Make sure that there's nothing that can catch fire behind the lens though in case the lens focuses the rays. I simply leave mine sitting on a ceramic tile on the windowsill in the sunlight. Also make sure that the lens doesn't get hot or the grease might start to warm up and migrate. It doesn't look like fungus to me either but it's difficult to be certain from the picture. Pete. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pico Posted July 2, 2019 Share #6 Posted July 2, 2019 It looks like a micro oil drop. You can test yourself if it will hurt imaging but it is likely already off to Leica. We pay dearly for obsession. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yura Posted July 3, 2019 Author Share #7 Posted July 3, 2019 Advertisement (gone after registration) thank you. no, it doesn't hurts the image at all on any aperture it has some kind of "tail" from the circular spot.. like it is fungus growing..trying to do more pictures, but only with an iPhone. anyway i have already sent the lens to workshop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yura Posted July 3, 2019 Author Share #8 Posted July 3, 2019 here are more photos https://drive.google.com/open?id=1pLD8ZcFyBGuccg1UOfwHR-JGBc7OjVw0 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exodies Posted July 3, 2019 Share #9 Posted July 3, 2019 The fungi I have seen pictures of appear to branch and explore in all directions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maarten Posted July 3, 2019 Share #10 Posted July 3, 2019 When this is fungus I will stop eating mushrooms! I opt for an oil droplet and not really something to worry about. Just like you I would prefer to have it removed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
yura Posted July 3, 2019 Author Share #11 Posted July 3, 2019 thank you very much for your answers. anyway lens needed to be maintained because of a little loose of a lens group. in workshop they will see under UV light is this a fungus or not.. thank you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
farnz Posted July 3, 2019 Share #12 Posted July 3, 2019 Eat it with fava beans and a nice Chianti ... F-F-F-F-F-F. Pete. 😎 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
labyrinth Posted July 13, 2020 Share #13 Posted July 13, 2020 Hi Yura, sorry to resurrect this old thread but did you fix it? How did it end? Was it fungi? How much was an overhaul? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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