Test Your Lens!

[shridere]

I purchased a used Mamiya 35mm AF lens for my 645AFDIII about 18 months ago and failed to test lens as well as I should have when it arrived. While zooming in 100% on an image recently I noticed what looked like a small focus smear in the center 20% area of the lens. I sent the lens to Capture Integration who sent it to Mamiya/Phase One service in Japan. Prognosis is that there is fungus growth on one of the lens elements. Since I keep all my equipment in environmentally good/dry conditions and since no other lenses have issues I can only guess the lens had this issue when I purchased it. A word of caution for all to test new and used equipment rigorously when you take possession.

 

[Paul2660]

I purchased a used Mamiya 35mm AF lens for my 645AFDIII about 18 months ago and failed to test lens as well as I should have when it arrived. While zooming in 100% on an image recently I noticed what looked like a small focus smear in the center 20% area of the lens. I sent the lens to Capture Integration who sent it to Mamiya/Phase One service in Japan. Prognosis is that there is fungus growth on one of the lens elements. Since I keep all my equipment in environmentally good/dry conditions and since no other lenses have issues I can only guess the lens had this issue when I purchased it. A word of caution for all to test new and used equipment rigorously when you take possession.

Sorry to hear this, I hope that they can clean it, remove the fungus. But the process is more involved that I used to realize. The lens needs to be basically sterilized to keep the fungus from coming back.

Paul C

 

[shridere]

Thanks Paul for your advise.

Just to be clear I did not purchase the lens from Capture Integration. Brad at CI has been great facilitating the repair of another lens that I had dropped and the evaluation of this lens which I will not have repaired. Just not worth it for me. I have purchased a 50mm shift lens and you can be sure I will be testing this lens when it arrives this week.