What happened to this lens?

[Shakespeare]

That purple plasma-strike on the left side...anybody know how this might have happened? It appears to be on either the back of the front element or the front of the first element inside.

 

[KmH]

Is it alive (fungus/mold)?

 

[Mully]

Sometimes mold can be an effect ..have you shot with it.. I have a set of black dot filters that look like black fungus ...produces nice effects... have to dig those up as I have not used them with digital only film. Shoot something and post it.

 

[Shakespeare]

It's a Nikon AI mount, and I shoot Canon, but I've been looking into adapters for fun stuff just like this. I'll give it a shot.

 

[thetrue]

200 f1.4, looks like it could be a nice fun lens if you figure out the purpleness

 

[Dao]

200 f1.4, looks like it could be a nice fun lens if you figure out the purpleness

I think the old notation 1:4 is f/4, not f/1.4. But either case, it is a lens to play with.

Did you try to clean it with lens paper and lens cleaning solution? It that does not work, it could be fungus.

 

[Ysarex89 83]

Looks like separation. The glue used to hold the front two pieces of glass together has partially let go.

Joe

 

[BrianV]

It looks like the glass has fractured, at least from the image.

Separation usually produces a rainbow effect. Fungus usually spreads out and looks like a spider web.

 

[o hey tyler]

200 f1.4, looks like it could be a nice fun lens if you figure out the purpleness

Lol't

 

[Derrel]

It's hard to say definitively, based on this one photo...de-cementing (AKA separation) does seem like a possible issue, causing that kind of whitish/pale greenish hue. It also does sort of look like a crack on the front element...the photo is not revealing the front element all that clearly, but it does look like a fracture...which could have been caused by a VERY strong impact, and might have lead to the de-cementing of the front element group. It might not be de-cementing--it could be another type of internal hazing, such as the lubricants being evaporated/out-gassed due to being stored under really,really hot conditions...or invasion of the inside by tanning chemicals out-gassing from a poor-quality leather (or vinyl-based) case or lens tube,etc..

 

[EmmaBproductions]

Have you dropped/hit the lens? How long have you owned the lens? And also, where was it stored? It is a lense that ALWAYs goes in your camera bag?

 

[thetrue]

200 f1.4, looks like it could be a nice fun lens if you figure out the purpleness

Lol't

Thanks Tyler, I should have looked closer lol

 

[o hey tyler]

Thanks Tyler, I should have looked closer lol

Just imagine how ridiculous and heavy a 200/1.4 would be... Especially an all metal one! You'd be jacked!

 

[thetrue]

You'd need a hydraulic jack as a tripod!!! Haha

 

[Derrel]

Canon's 1998 200mm f/1.8 EF lens weighed under seven pounds....so...an f/1.4 200mm lens would probably weigh on the order of 8 pounds or thereabouts, depending on the barrel material; if it were made like a high-end Nikkor 300/2.8 with a magnesium barrel, a full pound in weight could probably be eliminated versus cheaper but heavier metals like brass, steel, and even aluminum.

My 200 f/2 VR weighs about 7 pounds, and is a bear to handle...a 300/2.8 is actually EASIER to handle, due to balance issues, actual length versus fulcrum point, etc.etc..

Canon EF 200mm lens - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia