Fungus?

So I was looking at my Takumar SMC 55mm f/1.8 and noticed there were a bunch of hair like fibers inside. Like a spiderweb. I'm going to assume this is fungus.

so... can the fungus spread outside the lens? i don't really care about saving the lens since i got it for free but i just dont want it to start spreading to my other gear or around the house or on me.

the barrel feels a little loose to (it jiggles) so i'm just worried that there's enough play to allow the fungus to escape out.

i've heard that if you have fungus on/in a lens, then you want to keep that lens in quarantine. Don't put it w/ your other lenses. So I'm guessing, based on that, that it could very well spread.

Note: I'm no biologist

My understanding is that the spores are pretty much everywhere. Certain conditions (high humidity for a sufficient amount of time) is needed for growth, and the coating of certain lens elements, particularly as used in my older lenses, is an ideal "food" for the fungus.

Me, personally, I wouldn't be too concerned about it spreading. But I would be worried about damaging the lens coatings badly, and so I would disassemble the lens and clean the fungus out. Have done it with one lens before but nothing like the one you're talking about, so I'm not sure how hard it would be.

was this lens out in the rain? i wouldn't worry it spreading, it requires the right conditions to grow (moisture, warmth, etc).

A good thing is to keep them seperate but spores are everywhere anyway, its more a matter of not leaving it in a dark, damp/humid condition. Better thing would be to open and clean, theres got to be tutorials somwhere

Link to another forum, but, here's a guide

http://forum.mflenses.​com …paint-removal-t24042.html

That lens is so old the fungus is probably dead, long dead, by now...

Maybe, maybe not. Fungus can grow any time, especially if it's damp or humid and the lens is packed away in a case. The bigger issue is if the fungus etched the glass, at which point there is a chance it will affect IQ.

i got it second hand so i have no clue how long its been there. it was free too so i cant complain to anyone. i heard putting it in direct sunlight can kill the fungus but i have no clue. i have it in an old black pack in my closet. its not damp or humid (rarely ever is in sf) so i'm not worried too much atm. just wanted to hear some opinions. thanks guys!