dust inside my lens (w/pic)

[gummibear]

Well, I got this lens used and I'm a total noobie, so I used my best judgement. the lenses on the front and rear of the lens look good, and i've been using this lens for a while. I cleaned it and then I held it up to the light and saw what looked like dust or something - inside the lens. I don't remember seeing anything visible in any of my photos, maybe some loss of sharpness. Can I clean this??? I found this and some other links, but isn't this pretty risky?

Oh, duh, my lens is a Canon zoom lens ef 35-105 f/3.5-4.5

Also, if not cleaned, will it affect my photos? Man, this looks nasty. Seems while I was researching I read something about condensation w/dust? I don't know, this just looks bad, to me anyways.
Forgive the crappy pic was the best I could do with my point N shoot.

Any advice or input/help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Big Mike]

95% of the time, dust inside the lens won't show up in your photos. So taking it apart to clean it, usually isn't recommended because of the chance of not getting it back together properly. It's usually recommended to send a lens into a service centre when it needs that kind of service, but that's going to cost you...so again, if it's not showing up in the images, it's probably not worth it.

I can't view the video, so I can't judge how bad it is.

 

[gummibear]

ok, well the video isn't mine, it's just a you tube video showing how to carefully take apart and clean a lens. The photo is my lens, can you see it? It was hard to get a good photo with that camera, anyways, i don't think I'll be taking it apart, at least not for now. has anyone had this before? I guess, before I got it, the lens was just sitting around letting dust seep in . . . I dunno? It is an older lens, but Probably because its not showing up in my photos I won't worry about it. Although my photos aren't as sharp as I'd expect them to be, Although that could be caused to something that I'm doing. When you have a pro clean it, is that something you have to send off for or go to some sort of local shop?
Thanks.

 

[Big Mike]

I couldn't see the photo (my local firewall blocks Flickr) but I just checked it out with a proxy. Yikes, that doesn't look good. It looks like more than dust...maybe sediment left from the lens being wet...and yes, that could be the result of condensation...but I'd think that it would take a whole lot of condensation to cause that.

So I guess it's up to you to decide if you want to try cleaning it yourself or send it in. I'd contact your closest Canon service centre and send them the pic and ask for a quote on cleaning the lens. It may not be too much, but it may not be worth it to you.

I have this lens, and it's a decent lens...but it's certainly not a world beater. It might be an option to just cut your losses and put your efforts into getting a better lens.

 

[gummibear]

eh, yeah, I went and looked at a few lenses today. I would like to get the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, but it's a little on the expensive side (for me).I'd like to get a fast standard portrait lens, I think that I will contact Canon, but I may just cut my losses. I might get another lens then decide whether or not I will open that one up. Thanks for all your input.

 

[KmH]

Well, I got this lens used and I'm a total noobie, so I used my best judgement. the lenses on the front and rear of the lens look good, and i've been using this lens for a while. I cleaned it and then I held it up to the light and saw what looked like dust or something - inside the lens. I don't remember seeing anything visible in any of my photos, maybe some loss of sharpness. Can I clean this??? I found this and some other links, but isn't this pretty risky?
Also, if not cleaned, will it affect my photos? Man, this looks nasty. Seems while I was researching I read something about condensation w/dust? I don't know, this just looks bad, to me anyways.
Forgive the crappy pic was the best I could do with my point N shoot.

Any advice or input/help is greatly appreciated.

Whatever that is in your lens, it doesn't look like dust to me.

On all Nikon lens mount flanges, there is a lever you can use to open the aperture as far as it will go. All Nikon lenses close the aperture to it's smallest opening when the lens is not mounted on a camera.

Do Canon lenses do that too, and have an aperture lever you can manually manipulate to open the aperture all the way?

 

[gummibear]

I'm not fully sure That I understand what you are talking about, but I think not. Atleast not on this lens.

 

[KmH]

I'm not fully sure That I understand what you are talking about, but I think not. Atleast not on this lens.

I went to Wikipedia and looked at a photo of an EF mount. Yep, no aperture lever on a Canon EF or EF-S lens.

 

[gummibear]

ok didn't think so. Wikipedia is a good tool, lol, I've been using for alot of stuff lately.

 

[djacobox372]

That isn't dust--looks more like fungus.

There's no doubt you'll lose a lot of contrast with that sort of issue.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

eh, yeah, I went and looked at a few lenses today. I would like to get the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8, but it's a little on the expensive side (for me).

Well, if you can swing it, that is a very nice lens!
Try looking for it in the used market at KEH.Com or adorama.com or eBay.
KEH and adorama have great return and satisfaction policies, eBay, well, you know how that goes.

 

[digital flower]

I would try and get the new lens but would also take your old one to a professional place and see if its worthwhile to get cleaned up. Watch out for bench charges (it is $50 at the place I use).

Its different but I had a Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED lens that my wife put a huge scratch in the front element that was sitting on my desk as a paperweight for about 2 years. I finally took it to the repair shop and they replaced the front element for $60. I had been putting it off because I thought it would be much more (if they could fix it at all). Part was in stock and they said they checked out all the specs. One day.

I am glad it is in my bag again. Not a super lens but the focal length is good and it is pretty sharp under the right conditions.

 

[gummibear]

djacobox372 : Yeah, I thought after reading on alot of auction websites they stated that their lens was a "fungus free lens" I thought that is what could've been what was wrong with mine. And on one of my last photo posts I was told that I lacked alot of contrast, which that could've been one of the culprits.

Bitter Jewler : I never heard of KEH.com but I have looked at ebay, I will have to try KEH and Adorama are they auction sites too? I will check into that, thanks!

digital flower: What place do you use? Is it just a walk-in kinda thing? I'm glad that you got your lens fixed and in useable condition again.

Thanks all for your comments! It's greatly appreciated!

 

[KmH]

No they are not auction sites.

KEH.com sells used photography gear. www.keh.com

Adorama.com and B&H Photo Video are large retail photography, video, audio stores in NYC that have great reputations for their online stores, and customer service. Both have used gear departments also online.

www.adorama.com
www.bhphotovideo.com

I don't like the look and function of Adoramas web site, so I buy most of my new and used gear from B&H.

 

[digital flower]

The place I use is called Phototech and I walk in because I live close to Manhattan but they also do repairs by mail. They have done numerous repairs for me and I always feel they did a good fairly priced job.