 Wayne Turk |
Dust Inside Lens Every once in a while I see lens for sale on e-bay that the seller says that the lens has an amount of dust behind the len. First how does dust get inside these lens, and once it does get in there how much does this degrade the lens. Should a buyer totally avoid these lens, or not. I also see lens listed with fungus or oil on the blades. Thanks
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robert G. Fately |
Hey, Wayne, The dust that usually gets inside a sealed lens is not dust from the atmosphere, but rather particulate from the diaphragm or the lubrication for the mechanism that got loose and landed on a piece of glas inside. SOme lenses have been more prone than others to this. As for optical impact, it's usually very little - it can take quite a bit to cause light refraction (think about how well you can see with a big greasy fingerprint on your eyeglasses). One thing to consider, however, is the possiblity that the mechanical components of the lens are suffering a lot of wear and tear - so for that reason you might want to be cautious about buying a used lens with internal dust. Of course, if a lens was disassembled (for repair, say) then it's possible dust can get in that way. Blade oil is another occassional problem with diaphragm blades. And I've heard of fungus growing inside lenses as well, though this usually requires a lot of storage time in dark places to happen.
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Mark Feldstein |
Howdy Wayne. To add just a bit to what Bob already said, a lens can be serviced with a clean, lube and adjustment, (CLA), but depending on the lens, the cost of the service may outweigh the price you pay for the lens. Graphite and other lubricants can become loose particulate matter inside and dust may penetrate the outer elements by getting in alongside the edges of the lens and just working their way in. A lens with mold or mildew, living things essentially, growing either inside or on the outside of elements can be a real problem and in many instances may trash the lens. Heating, cleaning, etc., is usually of little help at that point because among other things, the mold attacks the coatings of the optics which can lead to internal reflections, glare, flare, etc., and usually can't be remedied by disassembly and cleaning. While you can get some great deals on e-bay, it's always "buyer beware". In my view, unless you really know what you're looking to buy and the appropriate price range for it, AND know what questions to ask about, especially in terms of an item's condition, then I'd buy from a reputable dealer like KEH.com, bit the bullet and pay a few bucks extra knowing you can return it for a full refund. The other problem, of course, is knowing whether your seller knows what to be looking for in order to tell you. (ohhhhhhhhhhhh mannnnn, I'm getting pret-ty nervous).
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BetterPhoto Member |
Hi Wayne; Just figgered I'd stick my nose in for a few quick thoughts. As for ebay, I recently purchased four lenses, all from ebay. All were marked in good condition. When I received them, two were new in the box, and the other two were used in excellent condition. I guess I was lucky. Have a great night and keep shooting,
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Craig m. Zacarelli |
A ZOOM LENS IS LIKE A VACCUME, evry time you zoom, it sucks air from the outside.. and tiny dust partcals can get in. Its best to keep your lenses covered when not in use and clean them after each use.. same goes for the camera body its self. Keep it in the case when not in use and keep it dusted and dry and clean. Craig-
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Wayne Turk |
I would like to thank each of you for responding to my question. Everyone here at BetterPhoto.com has been very, very helpful when it comes to answering all of our photo questions that we have. All you people are just GREAT. Thanks Again P.S. I took Mark F. advise and just purchased a like new,used AF lens for my Nikon from KEH Camera Sales. I could not beleave what a nice lens it was when I unpacked it. Those people over there are the best.
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Mark Feldstein |
My pleasure, Wayne. You're quite welcome. And now take that lens out for a test drive, make sure everything is working well and assuming it is, use it in the best of health. ;>) Mark
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BetterPhoto Member |
Hey Wayne, remember to find out how it handles before taking it around a 90 degree bend at 110mph. Have fun on the test drive.
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Marius Liebenberg |
I have a Canon 70-200 f2.8 L USM that is only about 3 months old and have noticed some dust specs in the inside. Being the 'L' quality and the price, would you think this is a warranty issue due to the sealing of the lens or is it normal for these range of lenses to also get dust inside? I have heard that the IS version of my lens is weather sealed, would that keep dust out or am I seeing dust that was already inside the lens?
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