How to Remove Fungus from a Camera Lens FAST & EASY

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[@MathieuStern]

Join the Weird lenses lovers community Here : facebook.com/groups/169819133710809/

[@peacekeepermoe]

Joined. And thanks for sharing :)

[@MrEdwinHubble]

Jst a tip for putting lens back to the mount: before you get it out, place a mark on it with a sharpie, then mark the case too. This will help you to determine the original ANGLE of the lens(matters when it comes to image corrected lenses) But the most important part: It is not advised to just pop back the lens. It may get damaged/chipped by the falling. Instead, hold it like a waiter holds a plate, with your fingers on the front of the lens and turn the assembly upside down, elevate the lens inside the assembly from below. This ensures that the lens won't get stuck in the mount and you don't have to use pressure on it. Also it is best to not rub the lens with bare hands. Instead pour water and some soap in a small container and let the lens sit in it for two days. All the fungus will be gone. Calcified containments will get loose and fall off. This is less harsh for the coating than the acidic treatment. Hope this helps in future lens cleaning.

[@onzkicg]

MrEdwinHubble what solution is there in the water soak?

[@martyzielinski2469]

What illegal substance have you been smoking, Edwinhubble? Any lens that can be substantively changed by rotating individual lens elements isn’t much good to begin with.

[@unbroken1010]

​@@martyzielinski2469says who? You? You seem like a pothead too

[@warpspeed9850]

If i may add...a good cleaning of the element's seating position and tightening ring is advised before re-inserting the lens. They are contaminated too and fungus will re-appear soon.

[@amp08021]

Fungus will only grow in moist, warm, and dark conditions. Everything has fungus, but it doesn't grow on most stuff

[@megavideopowermegavideopow8657]

@@amp08021 like a yeast infection

[@shau8873]

@@amp08021 youve described the conditions of the inside element

[@jcrnda]

@@amp08021 If your lenses have been in an environment that had high humidity and low temperatures (below dew point on any given day) for extended period of time your legacy lenses may easily develop fungi. They are hardly sealed properly. Humidity + condensation create ideal conditions for that.

[@notdonaldst]

Fungus spores go everywhere. If they are on the lens then the entire tube should be cleaned before reassembly. It’s just like a loaf of bread: once you can see the mold you can be sure that the spores are spread all over the loaf and you should just throw the whole thing out.

[@MathieuStern]

Follow me on Instagram @mathieustern instagram.com/mathieustern/

[@giannaras2010]

but don't the dishwasher soap destroy the len's coating?

[@muffemod]

not if it's a good quality coating

[@MathieuStern]

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[@eastsidesoulja213]

I was growing some button mushrooms in my lenses....🙃

[@Mamuharami]

What does it called the things to remove the lense that's I saw? I need to get it but I'm not sure what is that

[@dctimagery]

@@Mamuharami Its a camera spanner wrench.

[@SUQUITO93]

JAJAJAJJA

[@asaschlobohm]

ahhh you must be a botanist!

[@marilourafon8786]

Me too

[@jb678901]

Some other hints: 1) Store lenses UPRIGHT and away from excessive heat. This keeps the lubrication from melting into the aperture blades. 2) Buy a bag of Silica white crystal CAT Litter. It's CHEAP DESICCANT!!!!! Place it in nylon stockings or orphan socks and tie them off in a knot. Place them in the containers with your lenses...stored upright:-) Recharge the desiccant every year by drying at low temp in the oven or in hot sunlight.

[@johnny2143]

Next video: How to remove big chungus from your memory

[@renataadiebramadhan1847]

😭😭😂😂

[@nickreid5939]

Lol

[@deaddog5344]

Same way.

[@beavis1474]

Be careful with distilled vinegar! Especially with old lenses. I tried on mine and it etched away surface together with coating! Lens element is now of milk color. Use only non acidic sollutions (like kitchen mold killer), they kill and remove mold as well and you dont risk the glass being damaged. Use vinegar only if you deal with coating resistant to it!

[@a.giordano134]

Any suggestions where to buy the kitchen mold killer you're talking about ?

[@beavis1474]

@Ioannis The Greek Yes, removing completely coating, use (but delicately!!!) the metal polishing paste, if glass is old (softer ones) be very careful to not to scratch it, use wet cotton bud and be patient, metal polishing paste will remove any coatings (those are metals).

[@beavis1474]

@@a.giordano134 Buy any bleach based black mould killers, also it is good to use 12% oxydated water but bleached mold killer is very good.

[@a.giordano134]

@@beavis1474 Thank you for the reply. Can you recommend any brand in particular ? I am planning to clean my lens which has fungus anytime this week so I just wanted to make sure I am putting the correct one. TIA !

[@beavis1474]

@@a.giordano134 Moldex should od the job, getting bleach and oxydated water is also good idea. Remember to clean also the lens well. If coating is well affected i would just remove it.

[@kartik7922]

Thank you for the video, i thought earlier it might be a really small crack but now i think its just fungus and relieved that it can be repaired.

[@Aerospaceman]

I'm a noob, only had a Kodak Instamatic and now a Nikon D3200. I'm going to learn photography as a hobby. Your video was nicely presented and easy to follow. Glad for KZbin videos.

[@zoki86kv]

realy nice video Mathieu,bravo.

[@kf4744]

I bought a FD 50mm 1.8 a few weeks ago from a thrift store. First time I ever bought an old manual lens and I had no idea how to test the aperture (these stay open until you actually take a photo and only close on the body). So I just bought it. It was only $20 with a AR-1 Program. When I got home and started looking more into it i realized that my aperture blades were stuck. I read online you can first try to pour isopropyl down into the camera and move the blades alot and eventually it'll work... Which it did. However some isopropyl went between the lens elements and was stuck. It wasn't evaporating for at least 3 days, was just pooled up on the lenses (both front and rear elements were like this). So I decided to take it apart, only $20 and I figured if it doesn't work I can just sell the camera body and make my money back anyway. It took awhile to figure out how to dismantle the elements, especially the rear... Took a few days to figure out how to even get to it. But once I got to them it was easy as pie to clean up. Just a bit of isopropyl few puffs of air made sure it was nice and dry dust free. I also took apart the focusing mechanism. Now THAT was difficult to put back together. But I tested it last week and everything is working fine. I have a bit of dust in the front element but nothing you that'll affect image quality.

[@bireadyptyltd910]

Electrical switch cleaner is best for getting oil off the blades.

[@JunpengChen]

You should use 99% IPA instead 75% one

[@arunashamal]

Are you sure the the blades were stuck, because on FD there is a pin that needed to be engaged for the aperture ring to work, if not it won't work

[@TheJ_G]

arunashamal I always buy FD lenses from people that claim the aperture blades are stuck. They’re always at “for parts” prices online and you’d be surprised how many of them aren’t actually stuck, the pin just wasn’t engaged.

[@chemcgoldrick9027]

FD 1.8 is a great lens, it’s one of my primary lenses. However I believe there is a pin or something that will allow the blades to move. On my Canon AE-1 there’s a little toggle switch that allows the blades to move without needing to take a photo.

[@augustineapdrai]

Love this tutorial. Thanks.

[@joshhyyym]

Great tip. Just did one of mine, can't wait to get out and shoot it now it's all clean. I just hope that the weather holds up.

[@swiftangel88]

Most of the time the fungus spores don't pose any real issues when taking a photo in terms of picture result but if you live in a humid environment, better try and get rid of it to prevent it from spreading. Sometimes the fungus spores will actually etch itself into the glass leaving fine scaring.

[@howardbull9001]

Very interesting video. I would be careful of using washing up liquid because it's abrasive (full of salts) and paper towels are also abrasive. I would use a proper lens cleaning solution and a new microfiber cloth.

[@evdl3101]

I have heard that some hand soaps are bad for coatings of lenses of glasses. I feel that they are less delicate than the coating in lenses. Also I have once ruined by glasses by drying them with a paper towel. I do not have a feeling that this is a good advice instructional video.

[@mercsport]

Your vid' is pretty much the way I do it except I rinse off with sprayed distilled water and drench with isopropyl-alcohol let to drain itself off vertically onto, say, a kitchen tissue (without recourse to lens tissues) which should leave no trace of fluid or residue. I also recall a maxim from my days as an astro mirror maker that if a glass can take and hold a breath upon its surface - i.e. fog it - it isn't clean. Which is an ideal that is difficult to achieve but can be done. I've enjoyed the few I've watched of your videos, and your imaginative new uses for beautiful old lenses. Particularly the 136 yr old brass lens vid' you shot, which I watched today - spectacular. Well done!

[@rogerb5615]

An excellent tip, Bruce Mills, about breath fog as a test for a truly clean lens element. Thanks.

[@jb678901]

Some fungi will etch coatings after awhile, so a cleaning will not reverse the damage. Also, you should be more sensitive to damage on the rear elements of the lens. Sometimes, edge fungus damage or even spots on the front glass will have little to no effect on image quality. However, the minute you move further back toward the other lens elements the more impact even minor damage can have on image quality. IMO. If I know a lens only has damage to one element but the rest is VVG or better, I might opt to find a second twin in really bad shape at a very low cost...just to replace that one bad element. I did this once while looking for a front element on a Vivitar 28mm.

[@S3l3ct1ve]

Yep, even scratches on front element do not effect image quality that much compared to the damage to the rear elements.

[@1RJ2]

I happen to get a minolta 58mm 1.4 with a really bad rear element, until I find a twin im gonna have to stick with the loss in image quality

[@pedrokozlakowski6440]

awesome. thanks for sharing !

[@mnpd3]

Depends on how advanced the fungus has progressed. Long-term fungus can be removed, but I've found that it actually eats into and scars the coating/glass, leaving permanent tracings where the fungus was.

[@ohjajohh]

Exactly this. I'm trying to clean up a 40+ year old Pentacon 50mm lens, but it looks like the damage is permanent. I tried everything from soaking it in vinegar, soap, alcohol, windex, lens cleaner but it can't get it clean.

[@morganfayel9329]

@@ohjajohh I do not know whe are you from, but you can try with the drops removal liquiq, these remove almost everything ( car windshields drops remover). However caution, because It is some kind of acid... Use gloves and vapors mask.

[@manob7]

@@morganfayel9329 I suspect car windshield drops (calcium carbonate) remover is nothing but dilute acetic acid (i.e. vinegar). There may be other soapy surfactant ingredients to add to the effectiveness. I clean my shower glass with a mixture of vinegar and dawn dish liquid (washing up liquid for folks in the UK), diluted down. Works well.

[@johncordey2769]

Great video....another tip....use cold cream and q--tip using gentle circular motions...this really works without scratching the surface on the coated side of the lens.

[@thesophallc]

Thank you - nice video!

[@_H_2023]

I don't use a paper towel I just put it under a hair dryer and this works well as it gets rid of any last bits of moisture on the lens.

[@danncorbit3623]

That is an interesting idea.

[@davidpresnell1734]

Yes!! I also carefully put a little candle wax on the screw threads to damp seal the inside and protect the iris from damp and dust. I've recovered several lenses this way! I'm experimenting with silicone grease now which lasts much longer. The rear lens needs to be removed also and the barrel vacuumed out from both ends!

[@rutrem09]

forget it... the lens "breath" , by zooming or focusing...the air enters over the heilcoid, or front or back ... its far better to keep it in a bag with silca begs, to desicate the air inside, to prevent mod and fungus forming

[@vaskoobscura_]

Thanks for this video.

[@ZequiHouseRD]

Nice, easy and fast!

[@GantsilyoBaguio]

Thank you!

[@Skinny_Karlos]

I watched your video to see if it was possible to self remove the fungus I have on a 55-200 lens. You taught me a lot. Thanks Mathieu.

[@danncorbit3623]

Personally, I never bother with a commodity lens like a {in your case Canon} 55-200 IS or a 50mm STM, I just buy another one. They are pretty cheap on eBay. But really unique or expensive lenses will get me to spoil a whole day if necessary. What is a couple hours of your time worth? For instance, you may have to put a lens in the freezer and then use a heat gun to expand a part to get the thing disassembled. I usually budget an hour but it can turn into an all day project once in a great while. But some people just like the challenge, so the time does not matter if it's just to try to accomplish the job.

[@edsonfcordeaca4958]

I love your videos and approach mr Stern

[@EricHavard]

OK my friend, its been a while sense I had the true pleasure of hearing you speak the kings good English with your wonderful French accent... too long! I was looking into getting a Nikon 105 that has some fungus and saw your video and felt assured of accurate information at you channel!! Love the photos and videos from the Instagram feed but still feel the need to hear you speaking to us again....thanks!!

[@jcon654]

thank you!

[@PhonegraphyTech]

wow amazing tips

[@accorsistudios]

helpful... thanks

[@christopheguidemann6005]

Thank you :)

[@cyclophezurdo3883]

Thanks for sharing it

[@vytautaskrutkis8855]

For fungus removal I use hand cream also called "cold cream". It`s amazing. There is no risk involved by using this method, since there are dangerous acids that might eat into the lens or coating, nor do you have to "scrape" the fungus with it. After the treatment I use luke-warm water to get it off. The final stage is isopropil alcohol to remove any grease and other residue and then I use distilled water for the final clean up. I use ether Q-tips or microfiber lens cloths. Do not use paper towels.

[@jackmatthews9390]

See if your cold cream contains sorbic acid... That would be the ticket.

[@Anonymous-it5jw]

Any particular brand of cold cream? Any particular active ingredients to look for, in addition to the sorbic acid mentioned by Jack Matthews?

[@DarthVader1977]

since there aren't* dangerous acids

[@DarthVader1977]

Isopropyl*

[@brushhaidinger2506]

​@@DarthVader1977*isopropanol

[@PhilipHarperGraphicDesign]

This is golden knowledge. Where'd you get the lens wrench from?

[@rogerb5615]

MICRO-TOOLS online. Ship camera and jewellers tools worldwide. Only top quality. Used them for years.

[@SauliusJukn]

Hi, Mathieu! So if i have a takumar 85 f1.8 i can do the same? i mean, what lenses are "fixable" for a person who never tried it before? do all of them open the way you show in the video? or some lenses are easier to open than others? thanks for your time

[@peoplez129]

Not sure if this would damage the coatings, but using a table spoon of food grade citric acid to soak it in is probably better then vinegar. That stuff cleans anything. People can use it to clean contact lenses, so I don't see why it would be a problem for camera glass. And before replacing the lens, I'd make sure to clean the inside of the body and right before putting in the lens, I would hold it upside down and use an electric air blower to blow out as much dust as possible, same with the lens itself, and then replace the lens while the body is still upside down. I would never dry it with any kind of paper. Fibers will always come loose and can take a while to get off even with a several passes of a microfiber clothe.

[@cecilsharps]

i have a helios version of that from 1963. one of my favorites. Paired with a 66-67 step ring so i can put a hood on it. the only negatives are the weight and tripod mount aligns at 8:00 when mounted on my k3.

[@XCELERATIONRULES]

What is that first tool called? Great video..thanks!

[@philippe21R]

This is cool! I live in a tropical country and I have this problem on several lenses. My problem is to disassemble the lens: where do you find proper tools like the on you use on the video? I looks so easy...

[@onzkicg]

philippe reichert ebay or AliExpress I got mine from there. Lens spanner

[@chatolars]

Brilliant ! Thanks for sharing. Is it important to keep track of which side of the lens goes in front and/or back...when reassembling?

[@manob7]

I have a few comments about using white vinegar (dilute acetic acid) per my recent experience. I have noticed that one rear element (rearmost of four) in a Minolta Hi-Matic E (Rokkor-QF 40mm F1.7) I was trying to harvest and re-mount in M42 is probably made of plastic or other material (other than glass), it lost material in vinegar (less than 10 minutes) that looked like white powder. At the same time I was soaking the Front-most element (glass) of that same lens, and the coating formed some type of salt with vinegar added and became a bit opaque, which I now have to polish using micromesh paper and lapidary diamond paste. Just be aware and warned that this happens. Using Alcohol (about 90% concetration), Acetone and 3% Hydrogen Peroxide does not have this same problem, for now I have stayed away from using common Ammonia (cleaning type). Some people use 50/50 mixture of ammonia with peroxide.

[@kungcecilia9081]

great tks...

[@EduardoLeivaMatta]

Hi, Would you recommend using silicone spray? (for lens)

[@carpinpedia]

Hi, what is the name of the tool you use on this video?

[@MBJanus]

What is the tool you used to remove the lenses ? I have a Distagon with an huge flare and it seems have something on the lenses. As it is made for an Hasselblad and is a 40mm f4, it would cost a lot to give it for cleaning. Thx for the vidéo. Cordially, Milos

[@samsen201]

The best way to deal with fungus is to PREVENT their colonization. Its moisture that predispose their growth. I live in South California and not a single local lens, even if 100 years old, has fungus as we don't have moisture or humidity. On the other hand invariable I see these fungi colonies on almost every old lens that comes from a humid location, say India or some European countries. So my best advise is to avoid moisture/humidity. Try to pack / store you lens along with dehumidifier package (Silica Gel Desiccants) and don't store you lenses directly when coming from a wet environment, prior to a full dry up. If you have the opportunity of exposing your lens to UV light, every now and then, that is another good solution especially for those living in susceptible environment to stop further growth of small microscopic fungus colony, before they become visible to eye.

[@reinaldokevin]

One question. Will they spread onto another lens if you use the same lens cleaning kit (like lenspen) on a lens with fungus?

[@onzkicg]

2 of my fav lens now have fungus grr.. living in Hong Kong, room humidity is 70-80% most of the time. They grow so quick, I don’t remember seeing it 6months ago. Now it’s there ;( Sure White vinegar is ok? I hope so, I don’t like the smell of Amonia as seen on other tutorials.

[@Bytesmiths]

I agree with the prevention part! I once had a lens that got totally destroyed by fungus, because I used it skiing, and kept it in the damp pack between ski outings. Yuk. Now living in the Pacific Northwest, I was determined not to let that happen again. I bought an Ikea "Billy" bookcase, with the optional glass shelves and glass doors. I got four halogen under-cabinet lights, mounted two on the top and two on the middle shelf, and removed the glass covers that say, "WARNING! USE COVER GLASS FOR UV PROTECTION!" It is important to use the HALOGEN bulbs, NOT LEDs. And whenever I buy something that has packets of silica gel in them, I sprinkle them around on the various shelves. I put sticky-backed foam weather sealing where the doors contacted the book case, EXCEPT along the top, so warm, humid air, warmed by the halogen lights, could convect out the top. End result: after a lot of use in humid environments (skiing, ice climbing, shooting waterfalls, etc.), I have no fungus or haze after nearly thirty years. (Of course, I make sure lenses go back in the cabinet with the lights on after being exposed to humidity.) There are expensive, ready-made solutions like this, but if you're handy, you can save a bundle by rolling your own. Also worth adding… if you're tempted to buy a "bargain" fungus'd lens, keep in mind that if it has fungus, it was probably improperly stored, and may have other problems lurking, like metal corrosion.

[@ralfjansen9118]

Reinaldo Kevin Maybe... But fungus seed is basically everywhere in the air so a cleaning pad makes no big difference any more. One dirty lens in a humid cabinet could infect all

[@markharris5771]

Sam Sen I live in the UK where we have a tiny bit of moisture occasionally! I keep all my lenses in a drawer and throw any those little packets of crystals you get with electrical equipment in. I also put them in my camera drawer, my speedlights drawer and with my electrical leads.

[@josephlow1102]

Its easy as demonstrated if the fungus is on the first lens element - if the entire optical assembly is infested - then it becomes a problem - thanks for this tip

[@lloyd76oswald]

You can also send me your lenses for safekeeping in sunny dry Arizona.

[@vinceyreay]

Where the atmospheric moisture content is substantially higher :-/

[@marcd7332]

Vince Roberts It’s a joke

[@WickBeavers]

No longer- AZ cities are polluted, grimy and sweltering.

[@charlescarabott7692]

@@WickBeavers all cities are like that. But it must be clean in the desert.

[@HelamanGile]

Lol

[@winvsdroid]

Does that lens wrench work for all lenses or only this particular lens?

[@patriciazupo]

i loved it

[@danncorbit3623]

I use hydrogen peroxide followed by Ronson lighter fluid. I use brand new microfiber cloths for the first washing with hydrogen peroxide and then I use two q-tips with the Ronson lighter fluid and then use the dry ends to get the lens fully clean. Then I inspect it carefully with light at different angles and repeat if needed. I have not tried soap and vinegar. Those might be interesting middle steps if the lens is badly covered. Sometimes the fungus has etched the coatings so you can't get it perfect (I have seen people polish with diamond dust, but I an not sure that this does not do more harm than good). Besides the lens vise, I also have the set of rubber lens cups, precision tweezers and precision screwdrivers. You may also need acetone if someone has cemented the edge of the lens or the lens rings with shellac. Before I start, I always kill the fungus with UV. If the lens is small enough you can use a cell phone UV sterilizer. If it is big, you have to modify the sterilizer or make your own. The Angry Photographer has good videos on lens cleaning, and I have seen others that are also good.

[@rogerb5615]

Two comments: Hydrogen peroxide and ammonia mixed 1:1 will remove very stubborn fungus (but be sure to ventilate your work area as the stink is pretty bad). Place a rubber or plastic dish mat in your sink before handling a lens element, because one day you WILL drop the element and it WILL get chipped when it hits the metal drain.

Yeap, hydrogen peroxide is the best solution to remove fungus. Moreover, cleaning the lens above a slnk is a good way to kill it if it falls, especially with soap.

[@brushhaidinger2506]

That is called basic piranha and is extremely dangerous for people unaware of what chemicals can do. There are seldom any cases where such harsh cleaning is needed.

[@kckreationz7258]

I have a few manual lenses and love them. Awesome for taking images with character but would my lens with fungus possibly infect my other lenses .. I keep them stored below 40% humidity all the time in a dry box

[@mohis4299]

It may affects the other good lenses. Similarly do not place notes/currency (unless it is very new) to avoid contamination.

[@ubacow7109]

Isnt dishwater soap too harsh and may affect the coating on the lens?

[@HaveAGoodHeart]

How about the coating ? Will it be destroyed? Or coating is always on front lens element only?

[@maxmutze9793]

Servus. Ich habe mir ein günstiges Objekt 2,0 24mm gekauft mit leichtem Fungus Befall. Nach anschauen dieses Filmes habe ich mich an die Demontage und Reinigung der Frontlinse getraut. Hat super geklappt. Vielen Dank für die Tips. Gruß, Marcus

[@juanarnoldobenitezromero8289]

hi mathieu i have a cuestion ¿mamiya lenses are good lenses? i am froom Mexico and i want to buy mamiya sekor 135mm 2.8, 28mm 2.8 and 50mm 1.7

[@paolomesseca8679]

Halo i appreciate very much your old lenses review: could the fungus of an old Summar 50mm EXTEND to a DIGITAL SENSOR? I thank you in advance if you manage to answer.

[@bryceworld]

Nice, thanks for that! Is that the 'standard' way to open a lens? I know there will be exceptions of course, but it might be useful to get that tool? Where did you get it?

[@77TickTockTime]

It's a lens wrench or lens spanner... Amazon has plenty and it is the most common method to opening lenses.

[@dadude4960]

i have about 50 lenses in my collection atm and only 3 of them can be opened this way. so no. it's not the standard.

[@Dutch3DMaster]

@@dadude4960 I have 5 Canon lenses from which the front-glas element all opens up that way, and some on the back sort of do so as well (but it's more of a ring with indents instead of pinholes, and they can be a little more finnicky because trying to get them unscrewed can be scary because missing the indent is easier and you are much much closer to the lens element. Funny enough being carefull has made me cause more damage at one lens because when losing grip I was bound to "retract" the tool quicker and as a result damage the thread on the frontglass-ring quicker than I would've actually liked.

[@Anonymous-it5jw]

If you slip while using an adjustable metal spanner wrench (I have 2 different sets of them), the resulting scratch across the surface of the lens will make you much more careful the next time. Until you have done this a few times, try using the hollow soft-rubber tapered cylinders, which grab the edges of the rings that hold the lenses in place. Amazon, among others, has a selection to choose from. With these rings, the pressure on the retaining rings is even all the way around, and it is much more difficult to inadvertently ruin a lens, while unscrewing the retaining rings.

[@morphiskyo]

does this works with new lens also ? :D , if yes i might consider to clean it myself

[@submeitsfreebruh]

I have fungus on my astromical telescope lense. Hope this would work.

[@burrencrawler]

Is there anything that can be smeared inside the lens barrel between the elements that fungus does not like, and would not affect the glass? some cream lightly wiped or something? To prevent it, in case one lives in one of these humid countries, and of course after keeping it in a dry place, with dehumidifiers, etc?

[@AbulaSyllabus]

Copper is antibacterial and used in cell incubators to prevent contamination. How you'd apply the copper layer, though... Another thing is UV light, prevents from the outside using light which the lens is made to withstand, so...

[@shyrokovdenys]

Hi Mathieu. Do you also clean inside the lens or only the glass?

[@MathieuStern]

it can help, but it's optional if your not sure to have the right tools

[@msbrownbeast]

Are all camera lens workable in the sense that the glass elements can be removed for cleaning? What about modern day point and shoot cameras?

[@andonsosolarnoid1259]

I'm not certain if you want to rub camea lenses, with anything including your hands. This is especially true of internal lenses that are protected. It's better not to touch a camera lens and to soak it instead for at least a few mins. One solution I found that works is equal parts of hydrogen peroxide and ammonia. If fungus isn't removed the first attempt soak again for up to 20 mins. Once the fungus is gone then you want to rinse the lens with water without touching or rubbing the lens sides. Once the solution has been rinsed off, use a lens spoofer to blow away all the water droplets. With the water gone, use a clean microfiber cloth to lightly wipe the lens. Then inspect the lens under a bright light. Check from both sides and with different angles of light to be sure that all the fungus is gone and you have no dust or smudges on the glass. If it looks good, set it aside on a clean soft microfiber cloth and cover it up to prevent any dust from settling onto it. Repeat the cleaning process on any remaining elements.

[@Dinthurt]

Nice video, But I would not have washed that lens element with slippy washing up liquid over a ceramic sink, One slip and you have a chipped lens element, ?

[@amrit6923]

this happened to me (woops!)

[@ErwinRoossien]

I just threw in a rubber anti slip mat for the bath in the sink first before started washing.

[@deaddog5344]

I can tell your from Pittsburgh when using the word "slippy"

[@stefanmayer444]

Fill the sink up with water. If it slips, the water will dampen the fall.

[@TimCurry04]

I own a Sigma 18-35 f1.8 ($800) and a Sigma 50-100 1.8 ($1200)... both have developed fungus behind the 1st element after photographing an event where it rained for hrs. I sure hope this works!

[@rumjar1986]

I've got an older tokina lense and it's got some issues, I can't find any lens removal holes to remove the front lens... you wouldn't by any chance be familiar with them and know how to get the lenses out?

[@tutangol]

I recommend before wash and apply vinegar to remove the calcareous residues, to kill the fungus with UV rays. Exposing to direct sun 2 or 3 hours (at noon) or into a UV machine. After that wash and apply vinegar to reove the calcaerous residues! Some fungust is impossible to remove from optics if before dont kill it with UV!

[@fidymarotia5166]

Hi Mathieu ! Thanks for this tutorial. It's really helpful for all my vintage lenses. But I have some trouble to do the same with my newer lenses like my Zeiss Batis 85 mm, I can't fid a way to remove the front of my lens. Do you have any solution for that. Thanks for all.

[@MathieuStern]

Happy to help! watch the latest video on my channel, It's about all the tools for lens cleaning

[@fidymarotia5166]

@@MathieuStern Thanks for your answer. I tried to use the pad, but it doesn't unscreew. I finally find that The Make up front lens on Zeiss Batis is just a pop-up thick make up Ring. Have a nice day

[@AngelaMcPhoto]

Do you suggest the same technique for cleaning dust off vintage lenses? I have a couple of ebay finds that are showing up dust at higher apertures

[@MathieuStern]

It should work exactly the same if the dust is on the front or back lens, wear some gloves and try to not put any more dust, hairs or textil particule while you do it.

[@dallatorretdu]

Usually, dust can be removed by using a simple blower. For my [limited] experience, dust was always at the diaphragm level, thus removing the rear group assembly will be faster. Just remove the mount and unscrew the assembly, most lenses should have the aperture right there.

[@vilsonfarias]

How can I know the results if you don't zoom on the lens after the cleanup?

[@gblatt8472]

Wouldn't the dishwasher soap be bad for the lens coatings?

[@HibikiKano]

I'm always struggling a bit with what chemicals I can use on lenses that wont damage the vintage lens coatings. (I did try to ask canon but they just ignored me xD)

[@HibikiKano]

@@serena-yu thanks. Probably the best idea really. Metal dissociation in H2O2 is quite low. Also less complicated then the hot IPA setup someone suggested to me.

[@vincentoconnor5640]

That fungus do be vibin tho

[@anitamaguire8613]

Well I just cleaned my very expensive lens with a micro fiber cloth but there was a peace of sand stuck to it sooo any ways to remove light circles of scratches

[@singeristngtaiwan]

Where can i buy the tools?

[@jesmenups]

It's secure this trick?

[@GEL_TV]

Hi good day can i ask about the tools you use to open the lens,. thanks😊

[@russellsprout2223]

You can, but you probably won't get an answer. 😮

[@remorafilms]

If said Lens* had any form of optical coating on it ,would this process remove that? Great vid by the way :)

[@remorafilms]

thankyou for the advice :)

[@robertsportouch5143]

Oui, super, mais j'ai eu le cas de champipis ayant creusé le revêtement et laissant des gravures sur le verre après nettoyage.

[@Pravinspace]

Hello, Thank you for this wonderful video. However I have a question. Will there be marks where the fungus used to be? The reason is because i bought a great used lens online. I see just two spots that looks like fungus to me but the seller says he cleaned it and those are just the marks where the fungus used to be. I am afraid to use that lens now.

[@Anonymous-it5jw]

Don't be.

[@rafaelattal]

Are you sure the vinager and the soap are not destroy the chemical antiUV and anti LensFlare treatment of the lenses?

[@staddfour9165]

How can i clean 18-55mm canon kitlens? how to remove lens?

[@julie-anneweller895]

Where do I buy the silver metal tool for opening up to remove lense in canon 700D eos

[@hypersphereengineering6015]

eBay. Lens Wrench

[@laurentoutang8273]

Comment s appelle l'outil qui permet de démonter ton objectif? Combien coûte t-il?

[@RestorationAustralia]

Cool, I clean them in a similar way, but the last thing I do, clean them with a sensor cleaning solution and a brand new swab.😊

[@bigbirderbob3710]

Couple issues before you open your lens and do this procedure. 1. If your lens has perfect infinity focus, you will ruin focus at infinity unless you return the front element to the exact position (good luck with that). 2. If the element you are cleaning is a canadian balsam cemented lens you risk balsam separation if your water is hot enough. 3. It is more difficult to clean these elements than what is shown. Depending on the naitive lens coating, you will probably end up with some sort of dust on the lens. This fungus around the rim probably did nothing to the image quality but provided a good example. To kill (not remove) the fungus, leave it in the sun for a day (make sure it doesn't rain) or bake in oven for 20 minutes at 150 - 200°(F) (no more! see #2 above).

[@wubbadubnub]

I do want to make the point that for lenses that are very severely coated in fungus, more than likely even under perfect focus the image will be unusably soft.

[@vasu06mobile]

Use Ethanol and paper wipes or gillete shaving gel apply first and clean with wipes

[@MartinSage]

Where you buy that tool????

[@siddharthsharma240]

Thanks you for this video. I have a Helios-44m 58MM F 2 old lense, I hope this trick will work. Fingers crossed.

[@JPerry-jw9ik]

Did it work?

[@siddharthsharma240]

@@JPerry-jw9ik I fucked up the lense but it worked, and I sold it to someone who never paid me my money.

[@JPerry-jw9ik]

@@siddharthsharma240 I have a Helios 44m-3 that's supposed to be arriving next week. Sounds like you got hit hard, sorry to hear that. Was it the vinegar? I have a cheap lens I bought that's got fungus on the lens... Hopefully I don't muck it up! :-(

[@siddharthsharma240]

@@JPerry-jw9ik I bought it very old. . .I would recommend you to go to an expert for any kind of repair or service. Enjoy your photography

[@JPerry-jw9ik]

@@siddharthsharma240 thank you for the advice. Best of luck, good day to you. :-)

[@cs-rj8ru]

What's legendary about the Cyclop 85mm Lens? Long ago I purchased a Night Vision Monocular with this lens at a show for $15...Does it have some special build or quality?

[@MathieuStern]

it s very similar to the helios 40 that cost 300$

[@EvelcyclopS]

So... basically you take it apart, clean It then put it back together ?

[@heitormeirelles1607]

does this damage multi coated lenses?

[@jdastro]

How can I remove a stubborn retaining rig? The retaining ring on my Tiffen Megaplus 2x has no slots and doesn't want to come out. Its two lenses really need a cleaning.

[@dhrubajyotisingha9186]

How could I open the lens....I mean what is the name of the element ? which one you use to open the lens