Used Lens Help (Page 2): I would be afraid that the fungus could migrate to other equipment it came in contact with.

sueyeisert Loc: New Jersey

I would be afraid that the fungus could migrate to other equipment it came in contact with.

jelecroy Loc: Huntsville, AL

My experience with fungus in lenses is that:
a. the presence of fungus indicates that the lens was in a moist atmosphere for a long time
b. Fungus is almost always accompanied by significant internal corrosion, which makes disassembly challenging, and likely affects focus drive, iris, etc.
c. Fungus on coated lens surfaces doesn't clean off without removing the coating. If it was a single element affected, you could replace the element. More than one affected element and it seems like a loser.
I bought a Tokina 11-18 f2.8 for an ultra wide, and like it a great deal.

jeryh Loc: Oxfordshire UK

Don't touch it- you are asking for a lot of expense, and even when done, I feel you will be disappointed !

schuchmn

I wouldn't worry about dust, but I would worry about fungus. There's a reason that lens is so cheap.

I have the Tokina 12-24 and I'm happy with it.

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

I own a Tokina 11-16mm, great lens, and fast at a constant f/2.8. Built like a tank too, very very happy with it!

doduce Loc: Holly Springs NC

If it sounds too good to be true ...........

saichiez Loc: Beautiful Central Oregon

Caper1 wrote:

Hello everyone . My question is this I am thinking of purchasing a used Nikon 12/24 F4 zoom . The asking price is 220.00 because it has dust and fungus issues but apparently does not affect images. It cost around 100.00 to have the lens cleaned . That makes the invesement 320.00 for this lens . I shoot Nikon a Nikon D300 and have no experience with wide lenses . Would this lens be worth getting cleaned up? I am looking for opinions . Thanks Very Much .

Fungus, as indicated by the word "fungus", is a living creature that feeds on the coatings on the lens optics. So, it depends on how advanced the fungus is.

And, like toe nail fungus, it travels from lens to lens given the opportunity. I would not put a lens with fungus in the same bag along with my other lenses. Have it cleaned first.

Optical characteristics indicate that fungus, haze or marks on a front element do not often affect image quality, if not too advanced or large. Rear element defects are more likely to affect image quality.

Don't let your good lenses shower in the same stall that has previously been used by a fungus ridden lens.

:XD:

Seriously, don't expose your good lenses to a lens with fungus.

saichiez Loc: Beautiful Central Oregon

Back again because I wanted to post this separately.

I have used this company to repair/re-cement lenses:

http://www.focalpointlens.com/fp_intro.html

A good lens repair where disassembly is included is better done by a company that has a Lens Collimation Bench, to get it back together right. Focal Point uses proper techniques and proper lens collimation. Not cheap, but responsive and quick turnaround in the cases I presented to them. Easy to work with.

Go to their services tab on the home page and scroll down to read the section on fungus and haze.

Bottom line, to have fungus, the lens has not been properly cared for or stored.

saxkiwi Loc: New Zealand

Caper1 wrote:

Hello everyone . My question is this I am thinking of purchasing a used Nikon 12/24 F4 zoom . The asking price is 220.00 because it has dust and fungus issues but apparently does not affect images. It cost around 100.00 to have the lens cleaned . That makes the invesement 320.00 for this lens . I shoot Nikon a Nikon D300 and have no experience with wide lenses . Would this lens be worth getting cleaned up? I am looking for opinions . Thanks Very Much .

If I was you Id buy the lens. the fungus and dust issues can be cleaned. If in the end it doesn't work out its not a great deal that you've lost and you can always get your money back buy selling it again.

amehta Loc: Boston

The Tokina 11-16mm F/2.8 ATX Pro DX II may be the best option ($560 new at Adorama, $485 used at KEH).

amehta Loc: Boston

saxkiwi wrote:

If I was you Id buy the lens. the fungus and dust issues can be cleaned. If in the end it doesn't work out its not a great deal that you've lost and you can always get your money back buy selling it again.

Remind me to never buy anything from you. :-(

saxkiwi Loc: New Zealand

amehta wrote:

Remind me to never buy anything from you. :-(

I have a Nikon 70-200 2.8 lens for sale, its had a dip in a swamp and had lots of fungus and mud cleaned from inside. $20 interested? :-)

autofocus Loc: North Central Connecticut

saxkiwi wrote:

I have a Nikon 70-200 2.8 lens for sale, its had a dip in a swamp and had lots of fungus and mud cleaned from inside. $20 interested? :-)

makes a good paper weight ;-)