Is this fungus?

[XLR8R]

Just got a Minolta XE-5 off Ebay today. When I removed the lens, this is what I saw on the mirror. I'm new to collecting and shooting vintage cameras so this is new to me. Is this just water damage? Is this fungus? What's the worse case scenario? I want to try and clean it but I'm afraid I would make it worse. But if left unchecked, is this going to be a problem?

I'm trying to shoot a roll right now and get it developed to see if it effects the photos. But I'm more concerned about what it will do in the future if left unchecked. Thank you guys.

 

[Derrel]

It Looks like fungus to me. Since it is on the mirror, it should not affect your photos but I would think that your viewfinder image might be affected somewhat. The reflex mirror in a single lens reflex is very easily scratched, but possibly you could use something to Eliminate some of the fungus. I have never seen a reflex mirror in such a bad condition

 

[Space Face]

As Derrel says it certainly looks like fungus. It seems quite severe and I'd be concerned it'd have spread to other areas within the body housing, which is worthy of further investigation.

 

[zombiesniper]

As stated above it does appear to be a possible fungal growth.

This is something that you will want to investigate further fungus or not. As the mirror flipps up and down it will eventually shed some of whatever this is inside the body of the camera and on the back of the lens. If it is a fungus then you will begin seeing growth in other areas as well if left unchecked.

For cleaning I would use a mild water/detergent mix (dry cleaning will only increase the likelyhood of spreading it) and a soft cloth or Q-tip. Wipe from the inner portion of the mirror out in order to affect the smallest area possible.

Personally I would probably dissasemble the camrea as much as I am comfortable and try to clean as much as possible to try and ensure all of it was gone.

 

[Soocom1]

That may HAVE fungus, but its water damage. if you look at the screws holding the mirror in place they are corroded and possibly had a sharpie used to cover the rust.

it wont affect anything, but you may want to consider a replacement mirror. the real issue is the corrosion on the mirror frame.

 

[webestang64]

That is bad. Good luck with your clean. And don't buy from that EBay seller again.

 

[cgw]

Send it back quick. Whether fungus(doubtful)or a desilvering mirror, it's a junker. Friends keep turning up with crap cameras off eBay this year. Dogs like this seem to be driving up prices and deepening the scarcity of EX+ or better bodies.

 

[XLR8R]

It Looks like fungus to me. Since it is on the mirror, it should not affect your photos but I would think that your viewfinder image might be affected somewhat. The reflex mirror in a single lens reflex is very easily scratched, but possibly you could use something to Eliminate some of the fungus. I have never seen a reflex mirror in such a bad condition

The viewfinder looks good. Don't see anything wrong when I look through it. Still trying to decide if it's a keeper or not. lol Thanks for the reply mate

 

[XLR8R]

As stated above it does appear to be a possible fungal growth.

This is something that you will want to investigate further fungus or not. As the mirror flipps up and down it will eventually shed some of whatever this is inside the body of the camera and on the back of the lens. If it is a fungus then you will begin seeing growth in other areas as well if left unchecked.

For cleaning I would use a mild water/detergent mix (dry cleaning will only increase the likelyhood of spreading it) and a soft cloth or Q-tip. Wipe from the inner portion of the mirror out in order to affect the smallest area possible.

Personally I would probably dissasemble the camrea as much as I am comfortable and try to clean as much as possible to try and ensure all of it was gone.

Gotcha. I think I'll have to get adventurous and try my luck. Thank you for taking the time to respond. Appreciate the input.

 

[XLR8R]

Check the lens that was on the camera. Look through it while shining a light from the other end. That could be where this came from.

I've gently cleaned lots of mirrors with q-tips, tissue, and artists brushes and never had any damage. Whatever liquid you use, just limit it to a small area until you see the results. Other possible cleaners are white vinegar, rubbing alcohol and ammonia.

The growth may have eaten into the mirror surface in which case it will leave a discolored area but you should clean it all up to prevent it from spreading.

BTW, I love the XE-5. It's "related" to the Leica R3 and has a lovely smooth operation.

Thanks mate for the tips on how to clean it. I was thinking of taking it to a camera repair shop or even just getting another one for parts and having the mirror replaced. But I don't know if camera repair shops even know how to (I could be wrong) as it's an old camera. Maybe I'm just underestimating them.

 

[XLR8R]

That may HAVE fungus, but its water damage. if you look at the screws holding the mirror in place they are corroded and possibly had a sharpie used to cover the rust.

it wont affect anything, but you may want to consider a replacement mirror. the real issue is the corrosion on the mirror frame.

Corrosion would be the worst case scenario right? I'm thinking of getting another one off ebay (this time I'll check the pics for a good mirror) for parts. Hopefully I can find a repair shop that's familiar with Minoltas. Which is another question I've been thinking about. Minoltas being not as popular, how hard do you think it is to find a good repair shop that will do the job?

 

[XLR8R]

Send it back quick. Whether fungus(doubtful)or a desilvering mirror, it's a junker. Friends keep turning up with crap cameras off eBay this year. Dogs like this seem to be driving up prices and deepening the scarcity of EX+ or better bodies.

Really? Even if everything else is good? I'm not to familiar with vintage cameras. I just figured I would get a super cheap one for parts and get it replaced.

 

[Soocom1]

That may HAVE fungus, but its water damage. if you look at the screws holding the mirror in place they are corroded and possibly had a sharpie used to cover the rust.

it wont affect anything, but you may want to consider a replacement mirror. the real issue is the corrosion on the mirror frame.

Corrosion would be the worst case scenario right? I'm thinking of getting another one off ebay (this time I'll check the pics for a good mirror) for parts. Hopefully I can find a repair shop that's familiar with Minoltas. Which is another question I've been thinking about. Minoltas being not as popular, how hard do you think it is to find a good repair shop that will do the job?

The decision is really yours. The corrosion looks like that the mirror was kept in the up position and water somehow got in.

Minoltas are not "popular" only to the extent that they were discontinued in 2009 after Konica Minolta sold the brand to Sony. The cameras are actually quite well made and no slouch.
The glass i keep myself for mirrorless.
i still have my dad's old SRT 101 and my X-370. I also have a few accoutrements used with them hanging around. So I personally wouldn't get rid of it per se unless other real problems arise. The corrosion as long as its surface should not cause too much harm. its when the integrity of the parts are in question that you have to be concerned.
One way of telling is to open the back up where the film is loaded and take a sniff.
If it smells like mold, then you have an issue.

 

[compur]

If you get another XE, make sure it works before buying. The XE models were great in their day but they didn't age well and many of them found today have multiple issues, both mechanical and electronic. Same with the XD models.

 

[cgw]

I'm not to familiar with vintage cameras.

Amen, brother. Just be aware many posters here have forgotten more about film cameras than you'll likely ever know. As mentioned Minolta film camera quality after the classic SRT series isn't exactly the stuff of legend. It's your money, though.