Got an L series lens, FOR $190!!!!! But wait...

Hey everyone!

I just paid $190 for an L series 24-70 F2.8 Canon lens...but it has some fungus....

I am wondering if you guys think this is repairable by me, if it's serviceable for cheap (I'm talking $200 MAX) or if this lens should just be used till its dying day?

I'm wondering if sticking it in the sun is a fix or not (have heard it is, also heard it'll damage it), how I can prevent further growth and what you guys think of the lens, is it good quality and sharp?

Here's some images

He says that it focuses fine, gets a little stuck in the 35mm range when AFing, and that the fungus appears to be in the second section of glass (Second away from the sensor)...

28-70 sorry

I think it's time to stick a fork in it.

I could be wrong, as I'm not a fungi specialist... but couldn't/wouldn't there be potential spores released into the camera body? After all, this is a zoom lens that extends, so air will travel in/out. Couldn't you be pumping some spores into the body and then the body may potentially develop mold issues later, too?

Just wondering...

jwcdds wrote in post #16497175
Couldn't you be pumping some spores into the body and then the body may potentially develop mold issues later, too?

That's my understanding as well, and any advice that I've read on the subject says if you find fungus in a piece of gear, Get it away from all your other gear!!

It'd be new to my gear list. Any suggestions to fixing it? Will it destroy my gear quickly or will it take years? I will likely ALWAYS store the lens OFF camera

You can kill the fungus easily. Wrap the lens in tin foil (seriously), leaving the front and rear elements open. Set the lens on a window sill that is exposed to direct sunlight for about a week,If, like me, you live in Florida, it may only take a couple of days. UV will fill the fungus. It won't remove it, but it will keep it from spreading or being a problem for your other gear.

What you may see is a loss of contrast, and/or sharpness. You won't see shadows of the fungus in your images.

It's my understanding that the minimum repair would be about $200-400, but that's only hearsay. Can you tell how many elements are affected? If it's just the front element or two, I personally would be tempted to open her up and try to clean it myself.

I've seen a lot worse condition lenses then that.

That's why I jumped on the darn thing so quickly...I was kicking myself cuz I asked how much before I left for an hour...6 minutes after asking how much, he offered $100....I was away for an hour and the thing was up to $170 before I got back -.-...shoulda swiped it at $100 (This is on facebook)...oh well, it's an L that AF's and looks good in his test shots for $190 yah know? :P

I wouldn't mind a little less contrast/sharpness, it's an L...it's 100 times better than my 50mm 1.8 Mk I most likely and it's an incredible lens.

If sticking it in the sun will prevent the lens from ruining the rest of my gear, then I'm TOTALLY fine with that :P I can't afford to lose my Precious t3i (Cheap but it's all I have). He is confident that it's only the second to last element and that it's only one element. I've been looking at opening it, but I wanna see if the lens shows any defects first...if not, then I'll just put it in the sun (in WI so it'll take a week or two) and leave it be, if it's giving me some NASTY effects then I'll clean it (maybe :P).

my roommate actually bought a an old MF 70's 50mm 1.8 lens from me and it had fungus and a light haze and the image quality was INCREDIBLE! Focusing was a little difficult but there was EASILY noticeable fungus on the lens and it still was TAC sharp

Here's an image he said that he shot a few weeks ago with it...He didn't say it, but the guys on the post were thinking that the green in her wedding dress at the base is fungus. I seriously hardly see anything here for a beginner photographer spending $190 on an L lol

WHat green?

Your fungus plagued L lens is 100% times better than your perfectly fine 50 1.8? I'm pretty sure with out fungus your 50 1.8 should be sharper lol

The 28-70 is a great lens, but it has a known issue, and that is, that it can get hazy, and that haze cannot be removed, nor repaired.

But its a great lens until then.

Hydrogen peroxide,Lighter fluid, ammonia, and vinegar can be used for cleaning.
Since I have a lot of manual lenses, I have to double check on purchase for fungus. I've cleaned a few, but the main concern is spreading it to your camera and then all of your
gear. Lucky I have a guy now who doesn't charge much and is a genius with older lenses.

$190 is a good deal for someone who can pull it apart and clean it for under $5.00
If you are paying $200-300 for a proper cleaning, it might be a different story.

I believe the 28-70 lacks a gasket to keep the moisture out.

At the base of her dress there's a bit of a mold looking mark...I didn't see it in any of his other example pictures though so that might have been the dress :P.

Is it hard to say when the lens will really go bad? I would be happy if it lasted me more than a few years...I always keep my lenses in a bag or out in the open in my house...never in the basement or a closet or anything...I could store it in a cold closet if that will help but I don't know really...

NemethR, how does it get that Haze? I'm guessing this lens will be much better than my kit lens at least :P...I feel like the Optics of an L lens should be better than my 50mm 1.8 which doesn't happen to be as sharp as any of the L's I've used and there is a major jump from my 50 1.8 to a 30mm 1.4 siggy that I used, the difference was a comparison I couldn't have seen coming :P I'm hoping this lens is similar

NemethR, in the test shot, does it look like this lens has that haze?

Eddie, Do you have a step by step process that you could suggest? I'm a bit hesitant to take the lens apart just because it could become a $190 paper weight :P. If this lens has the fungus etched into the glass I'm pretty much stuck with it the way it is. If I can clean it for less than $50 then I am all for it...I am pretty comfortable with taking apart electronics as I've completely taken apart my laptop and put it back together fine and I work at IT where I do this often so I am fairly comfortable...I don't have a lot of tools like a rocket blower thingy or a suction to get the lenses out but I am sure I can improvise...

I would recommend....

Do not take the lens apart yourself. Chances are you'll never get it back together right, so will have a $190 paperweight. The 28-70/2.8L is a very nice lens, well worth spending a little to save, if possible. With a quick search on eBay, I found good copies selling for $650 to $750. Heck, even a broken, "parts" lens sold for $400 (AF running, but sticking). So if you can get it back in shape for $300 or less, you'll still be way ahead.

Find a local, experienced repair tech, ask them to look at it and give you a quote if they think it can be cleaned. If the fungus is inside a sealed group, it probably can't be cleaned. If the fungus is on the outer surface of one of the groups, it likely can be cleaned. The sooner the better, both to prevent fungus spreading to other gear and because some funguses can etch and permanently ruin glass.

UV light can be used to stop and kill many forms of fungus, but it's hard to get into every nook and cranny inside a lens, and it does nothing about actually cleaning the lens.

Vinegar, Tea Tree Oil, peroxide, amonia, naptha, and isopropyl alcohol are all things that can kill help remove fungus. However they have to be used carefully, because it's possible to cause element separation or damage other parts inside the lens, if not done right. Also, if cleaning is successful during reassembly the lens will need to be adjusted so that elements are properly centered, etc. Correct lubrication will need to be applied, too. There likely aren't any parts needing replacement, so the only charge would be for labor... and an experienced tech might be able to do it in a two or three hours.

I have no idea where you live, but most places there are independent repairers, though what they charge for labor might vary quite a bit (it's relatively pricey here in the San Francisco Bay Area, because of the high cost of living). You might want to contact some established, local pro photographers to find out if they can recommend a local repairer.

It's been out of production probably 10 years or more, so I doubt Canon services the 28-70 any longer. They would not just clean anyway, but would want to replace any parts effected by the fungus... if they even have the necessary part(s) in stock.... which adds to the cost.