Why does nobody warn you about Yashica lens fungus that looks like haze?

I just finished cleaning a 50mm f/1.4 for a customer in Denver and I swear half the time people bring in lenses with fungus they think is just haze from age. Last month I had three lenses in a row where the owner thought it was just fogging but under a UV light you can clearly see the spiderweb pattern. The thing is fungus etches the coating permanently if you let it sit too long past 6 months. I always check with a cheap UV flashlight now before I quote any cleaning job. Has anyone else had to explain the difference to clients over and over?

2 comments

2 Comments

wadecooper1mo ago

Grab yourself a little $5 UV light on Amazon and shine it on every lens that comes through the door, it saves so much back and forth. I keep a photo of the spiderweb pattern under UV on my phone to show people side by side with actual haze. Most don't realize that by the time you see it in normal light the fungus has already started eating the coating.

zarab241mo ago

I mean is it REALLY that serious though? Unless you're selling the lens as "like new" to some collector, that tiny bit of fungus under UV light probably isn't gonna show in 99% of real world photos.