Daniel Valente , Nov 20, 2009; 08:52 a.m.
Hello I just purchased a used summicron 50mm type III rigid from a seller on RFF. He said that there were cleaning marks he couldn't remove on the front element but that it didn't effect the pics. I got the lens today and to my untrained eye it looks more like the startings of a fungus. I don't want to infect my other lenses. What should I do?
1) Do you think that this is a fungus or is it element separation/markings in the coating - it is on the front side of the front element group.
2) Should I send this in to DAG or Sherry to have it looked at/ CLA'd / Repaired
3) Is it worth just trying to send back to the seller - I did get a good price because of the marks and even if the repair plus CLA was 100-125, I would still be under what I would have paid for a lens in similar condition at KEH.
Thanks in advance!
Dan
mark vail , Nov 20, 2009; 09:24 a.m.
Is it on the underside (inaccessible) side of the glass? If so, I vote fungus.
Robin Smith 
, Nov 20, 2009; 10:19 a.m.
Fungus is composed of little fibrils (mycelia). It is difficult to tell from the picture, you need a set of pics with different orientation to the light. Personally, I think it is not really reasonable to return it, given that you knew about it in advance. Can you see them when you look through the lens as opposed to looking at the lens' surface?
Gus Lazzari 
, Nov 20, 2009; 01:50 p.m.
Cleaning marks are abrasions to the coatings. These days, expect more than $125 to polish and re-coat a single front element. (That's glass only, no tear down CLA fees)
Now, unless my monitor is totally off, I'm seeing purple glowing artifacts in your image Dan. Looks like Homer Simpson sneezed something radioactive on to your lens... (lol)
Bill Blackwell 
, Nov 20, 2009; 06:08 p.m.
This most likely would not have a significant impact on your images as long as it doesn't get any worse.
I would agree with Gus. It looks like an aberration in the lens coatings on the surface of the element (but not cleaning marks - this looks like something else). I had something like this happen to my 75mm Summicron (inside on at least two elements); it was repaired by Leica under warranty.
Personally I would have it cleaned, polished, and recoated - for two reasons: 1) It could get worse, and 2) should you ever want to part with it, conditions such as this (even if it doesn't get any worse) make a lens far too difficult to sell.
Rob F. 
, Nov 20, 2009; 07:48 p.m.
Some of those marks look like they are on the metal, not the glass. I never saw purple cleaning marks. Does the lens really look like that, or did something go wrong in the photography? Unless they really are cleaning marks, I would send it back. There is little point in pouring repair money into a lens this defective. It's not that hard to find a good Summicron.
Daniel Valente , Nov 20, 2009; 10:45 p.m.
Ha - the purple color is in the bad chromatic aberrations in my only other camera that shoots macro (an old 2 mpix casio bad bad bad) They are actually more of a white color. I talked to the seller an he agreed to take it back when I saw that KEH.com has one in ex condition for 599.99 - agreeing with rob, it doesn't seem that hard to find a good condition used summicron. Fortunately the seller was understanding.
