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Thread: 300mm Rodagon with Slight Edge Fungus

  1. #1

    300mm Rodagon with Slight Edge Fungus

    I just acquired a 300/5.6 Rodagon enlarging lens for the forthcoming C252. It's very very clean save for 2 issues. A small but visible coating scratch on the front element and a slight amount of what looks like fungus at the extreme edge inside of the front cell.

    On a taking lens I know this would never show up in an image. Is the same going to be true in this case? I am in a climate controlled environment so I also have to ask will the problem get worse?

    I still have a chance to return it, but I don't believe I paid top dollar and also am thinking that a bird in the hand...

    Anyway I'd love to know what the brain trust thinks about imperfect enlarging lenses.

  2. #2

    Join Date
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    Re: 300mm Rodagon with Slight Edge Fungus

    Quote Originally Posted by sperdynamite View Post
    I just acquired a 300/5.6 Rodagon enlarging lens for the forthcoming C252. It's very very clean save for 2 issues. A small but visible coating scratch on the front element and a slight amount of what looks like fungus at the extreme edge inside of the front cell.

    On a taking lens I know this would never show up in an image. Is the same going to be true in this case? I am in a climate controlled environment so I also have to ask will the problem get worse?

    I still have a chance to return it, but I don't believe I paid top dollar and also am thinking that a bird in the hand...

    Anyway I'd love to know what the brain trust thinks about imperfect enlarging lenses.
    Can you try cleaning the fungus? Or is it in between elements? If cleaned it should not get worse. The small coating scratch doesn't seem like an issue to me, enlarging or not I doubt you could tell the difference.

  3. #3

    Re: 300mm Rodagon with Slight Edge Fungus

    Quote Originally Posted by domaz View Post
    Can you try cleaning the fungus? Or is it in between elements? If cleaned it should not get worse. The small coating scratch doesn't seem like an issue to me, enlarging or not I doubt you could tell the difference.
    I do see a way to start disassembling the lens from the rear if I had a spanner wrench. Can't tell if the fungus is between cemented layers yet.

  4. #4
    ic-racer's Avatar
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    Re: 300mm Rodagon with Slight Edge Fungus

    https://www.largeformatphotography.i...=1#post1573241

    Above is a link to a post showing some of the enlarging lenses I used on my Durst since 2008 . The glass looked pretty bad in the photographs, but the prints were fine. How do I know? On a whim a few years ago I insisted on getting new lenses. No change at all in my prints.

  5. #5

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    Re: 300mm Rodagon with Slight Edge Fungus

    You won't be using the lens wide open, I imagine. So the fungus around the edge should have no visible effect. The scratch? In such a no-flare situation I think you'd never see any evidence of it.

  6. #6

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    Re: 300mm Rodagon with Slight Edge Fungus

    I agree with the others that you’ll probably be fine. I use a 240 Rodagon that looks fine till you shine a light and look through it. Dust and scratches galore but I can’t tell any negative effects from them. I’m glad IC racer did his switch and didn’t notice a difference. It might bug some people to not have pristine glass but if the prints look good what more do you want.

  7. #7

    Re: 300mm Rodagon with Slight Edge Fungus

    Thanks everyone, I think I'll hang on to it then. Ignorance is bliss sometimes! I'm sure it'll make beautiful prints once my C252 arrives.

  8. #8

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    Re: 300mm Rodagon with Slight Edge Fungus

    Could be worse... Read an article on PetaPixel yesterday about vids on TicTok on scratching lenses with rocks for effects... Some started with a clear filter, but some gal had to scratch front element with gravel...

    Maybe a new trend???

    Steve K

  9. #9

    Re: 300mm Rodagon with Slight Edge Fungus

    I got a spanner wrench and went at the rear retaining ring and man it would-not-budge! Any tips for loosening this thing? I'm pretty confident I can clean the fungus if I can get to it.

  10. #10

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    Re: 300mm Rodagon with Slight Edge Fungus

    Quote Originally Posted by sperdynamite View Post
    I got a spanner wrench and went at the rear retaining ring and man it would-not-budge! Any tips for loosening this thing? I'm pretty confident I can clean the fungus if I can get to it.
    It is possible (likely?) that the retaining ring is lacquered in place (many time, this is the case), and so a couple drops of acetone would soften the lacquer and allow for removal of the ring. This would be my next move, if it were me.

    By the way, you cannot grow fungus in the balsam layer, only on the air-spaced surfaces.

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