Blue or purple spots under a lens front element after storage — is this fungus?
Asked 3/15/2015
2 views
2 answers
0
I noticed blue/purple spots under the front element of my Nikon 18-105mm lens after it sat unused for about two months in a camera bag inside a wardrobe. What could cause marks like this inside the lens? Should I be concerned, can it be cleaned, and is it likely to spread or damage image quality?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
8
That looks like fungus. Here's some information from the Zeiss website regarding fungus. If it is fungus you may be able to halt its progress with an ultraviolet light source (removing the lens and placing it in strong sunlight is one thing to try). If it's not affecting your images too badly then live with it as fungus can permanently and irreparably damage anti-reflection coatings - no real repair is possible once that's happened. As long as you avoid scenes with very high contrast and use a lens hood you should still get usable images.
It's worth keeping some silica packs with your camera gear if you intend to put it away for a period of time. These act as a dehumidifying agent and help to prevent fungus starting in the first place.
Originally by user38190. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user38190
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The most likely cause is lens fungus. It can develop when gear is stored in dark, humid conditions, and it may continue to grow if moisture remains present.
You should be concerned, because fungus can permanently damage lens coatings and internal surfaces. If that has already happened, cleaning may not fully restore the lens. A common suggestion is to expose the lens to strong UV/light, such as sunlight, to help halt further growth, but that won’t reverse coating damage.
If image quality still looks acceptable, you may be able to keep using the lens, especially by avoiding very high-contrast scenes and using a lens hood to reduce flare. Over time, though, fungus can worsen.
To help prevent this in the future, store camera gear in a dry place and keep silica gel packs with it to reduce humidity.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI11y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Purple spots inside Nikon 18-105mm lens: fungus, coating issue, or damage?
Purple squiggly spots in photos: sensor dust, debris under the filter, or dead pixels?
Branching patterns inside my lens after storage — fungus, etching, or cement damage?
Marks around the edge of a lens front element: fungus, coating damage, or just residue?
Fungus inside my lens: is it safe to use, can it spread, and how can I stop it getting worse?