Fungus? Grease?

[molested_cow]

What are these??????????????

I have done a bunch of test shots. All aperture against blur grey background, and all aperture against a concentrated light source (look right into a flash light) and I don't see anything in the images.

I went stupid and bought this lens on ebay for quite cheap thinking I got a good deal. I have to say, it looks and feels brand new until I look into the glass. If this isn't something that I need to worry about, I will just keep it and take it as lesson learnt.

 

[Dao]

I bought a used lens on ebay before that had fungus on the front element and it look complete different. Those fungus looked like a tree branches.

 

[molested_cow]

I didn't think those are fungus either. I don't know if grease will get onto the glass or just the diaphragms. Can't find any info on grease on glass on the internet.

 

[Josh66]

It looks like some sort of oil residue to me. Maybe some lube from inside the lens somewhere...?
(It is on the inside, right?)

 

[molested_cow]

Yes it inside the lens. The rest of the glass is spotless.

 

[EPPhoto]

Well, hey if you can't see anything in your images, then what's the problem? You're all good!

 

[Judobreaker]

Yea that definitely looks like lube residue.
It's harmless for the glass so as long as nothing happens with your photos there shouldn't be a problem I guess. ^^

 

[Garbz]

Yes looks like some grease leaked in. If it's not showing up in pictures then ignore it. Fungus however should be treated even if it's invisible as it spreads and etches the coatings on glass.

 

[molested_cow]

Ok, just want to make sure that it's not something that I need to resolve.

 

[Mike_E]

It might be lens separation, how old is the lens?

 

[molested_cow]

The original receipt or warranty says Dec 2006 ( I have to check again), so this is a relatively new lens.

 

[Dao]

If it is grease spots, I wonder how that happened.

(BTW, the ebay seller I mentioned who sold me the fungus lens accept the return and refund all money included the return shipping)

 

[tirediron]

That may be lubrication residue from the aperture blades, but what it looks more like to me is a doublet beginning to separate.

 

[KmH]

Yep, and Mike_E! ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑ ↑

 

[molested_cow]

So I am getting burnt.

I sent the lens back to the seller. He then said that's not the same lens that he sold me, accusing me of trying to cheat him.

He said the serial numbers don't match. First of all, there is no mention of serial number on his auction page, nor did it show up in his photos. So he cannot claim that to be true.
The fact is, no one can claim who's right at this time. I can only try to prove my intention by showing that after I have shipped the lens back to him, I made another purchase of the same lens with another seller. So it shows that I am serious about getting the lens and I am not just doing it for the sake of cheating.

If this goes to ebay, do you think ebay is going to be on my side?