speck of dusts

**ifer** · 6-Jul-2007, 03:01

hi
i just got my symmar s 210mm/5.6 and i noticed that there are 3 speck of dusts in the rear lens element. i couldn't get it off as it is in between the lens element.

what can i do?
will it affect image quality?

thanks for your help.

**Ole Tjugen** · 6-Jul-2007, 03:41

Don't worry - it won't affect image quality.

Most of my lenses have some sort of dust, scratches or other blemishes. Most of them were cheap for that very reason. None of them are anything but exellent in use.

**turtle** · 6-Jul-2007, 04:18

Ole is spot on. Never been an issue for me.

**Uusilehto** · 6-Jul-2007, 04:27

Dust and scratches are great if there aren't too much of them. They usually make lenses sell cheaper and I have no problem with that.

Obviously, if you're the one selling, they're not such a good thing anymore.

**ifer** · 6-Jul-2007, 06:27

thanks for the replies.
the thing is, i dont think they are dust. it looks more like speck of black paint from the side of the lenses... my lens suffers a mild schneideritis anyway.

3 dots and they are quite disturbing to my eyes.
i don't mind if it's dust, as my nikon lenses have some of them in there but this time, it's not dust. the black dot is kinda solid looking and opaque.

**Bob Gentile** · 6-Jul-2007, 08:42

Do the specs show up on your negs/trannys?

**ifer** · 6-Jul-2007, 20:12

shot 2 trans but will be sending it to process today. shot 1 polaroid and from what i can see, no specks on the polaroid whatsoever.

**Brian Ellis** · 7-Jul-2007, 00:12

Years ago a salesman in a camera store pulled a brand new lens out of its box and while I looked through one end he put a flash light to the other end. I could easily see that the lens was loaded with dust. His point was that lenses aren't manufactured in clean rooms, they all have some amount of dust even straight from the factory.

**ifer** · 7-Jul-2007, 20:55

hmm... i dont mind it if it's dust... those semi transparent particle staying in my lens. but these 3 specks are black in colour and they are opaque in tone.

i had emailed jim (mpex) and he agreed to have the rear element changed.

since i am from malaysia, i am thinking whether should i just bring this lens to some service centre in malaysia to have it clean or send it back to USA. i think the postage alone will be more expensive than have it clean in malaysia.
but the 2nd question will be, can the lens be clean?

**Ernest Purdum** · 8-Jul-2007, 08:14

Taking out a lens element is not easy and getting it back in place perfectly centered is essential to proper performance. I would suggest making sure that you have an actual problem before considering anything so drastic.