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Fees for fungus removal on FD 300mm f/4L?

W

willpix

Guest
I live in the tropics and have several Canon FD lenses (both breech lock and bayonet) that have picked up fungus growth due to improper storage since I phased them out in the early 90s. Now that I'm doing more than occasional shooting with the Panasonic Lumix G1, as an adjunct to my EOS system, I'd love to resurrect my breech lock FD 300mm f/4L, a lens that always rendered extremely sharp and crisp results, which I would like to use with a Rayqual FD to Micro 4/3 adapter. A cursory visual inspection of the lens indicates there are splotches of fungus spread over many of the elements. And of course, pictures taken with this lens on the G1 show a softness and veiling of detail and a diminution of the rich blacks this optic once yielded. Maybe not so bad if one were using this as a portrait lens, but far from satisfactory for general shooting.

Decades ago, Canon USA did fungus removal on several FD wide angles after I returned from a stay of many months in Bali and Java, where humidity-free storage of my lenses was impossible. The service at that time was reasonably priced and very effective, but I know Canon USA abandoned FD lens repairs years ago, and, given today's labor costs, I would expect to incur rather stiff lens cleaning fees from whichever repair outfit handles the task of restoring my 300mm to its former glory.

Questions: a) Does anyone have recent experience with a competent US lens repair service that might undertake disassembly of this lens and removal of the fungus? b) while I realize the optical complexity of my 300mm means a difficult and costly repair, can you provide me with some approximate repair fees to give me an idea of what my minimum expenses will be for such work?

Perhaps I'm expecting too much and the lens may be beyond salvaging, but I'd be willing to send the lens off for a reasonable cleaning estimate. Thanks in advance for any comments or recommendations.
 

Erik Five

Member
John Van Stelten at Focal point charges 290$. I think he always can kill the fungus, but its the stuff it leaves behind that he has to remove. If he cant remove more than 75% he does it for free. It cost more if he has to polish and recoat.
 
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