Fuji 125mm W Question

[David Cerbone]

After posting a WTB ad here a few weeks ago and getting lots of input from lots of nice people from this Forum, I managed to get hold of a Fujinon 125mm/5.6 W lens via the big auction site.

Well, the lens arrived the other day and I'm trying to decide if it's a keeper or not. The lens generally looks very nice -- smooth aperture, speeds sound good, and the glass generally looks good. HOWEVER, when I look straight down into the lens, I see some kind of silver speckling (for lack of a better term) along the perimeter in the interior of the lens. It LOOKS like it's on the metal that's part of lens body rather than the glass, but it's hard to tell because of the lens elements.

Thus, I don't think it's due to separation of the elements, and I'm very sure it's not lens fungus, but, well, it just doesn't look right.

What do people think? Do those of you who own this type of lens see anything similar when looking into the lens? Is it just the kind of metals Fuji uses?

Thanks for any input on this.

[John Schneider]

Schneideritis (and I should know)

[Kevin Crisp]

David: This sounds like flaking of the black paint on the outside of the cemented lens elements and/or the interior of the shutter. This is called "Schneideritis" by many people, though it does (as I think you have discovered) happen on many other lens lines. If it does not look like wispy spider web-feathered whitish stuff on the glass, then it is not likely fungus. If the edges of the lens don't show a shiny ring moving into the lens area is is probably not separation. If you posted a picture we could all chime in with a better diagnosis.

Assuming it is just paint flaking, the consensus is that it has zero effect on pictures. Try the lens and if it works, keep it. I have many lenses that have this and I have never noticed any of them subpar in contrast or anything else.

[mrladewig]

And being one of the folks who replied about the 125 W, I think you'll like the lens very much. It has been a very useful focal length for me. I don't think my 125 has any schneideritis but I'm pretty sure that my 150 Symmar-S has some and it has no negative affect on photos.

I'll make sure to take a peak at my 125 tonight when I get home.

Mel-

[David Cerbone]

Many thanks for the quick responses. It does indeed sound like the not-so-dreaded Schneideritis. Not only am I relieved, but I also picked up some new lingo!

[mrladewig]

David,

I forgot to write back, but I checked and the little 125-NW is free of this defect, but as I suspected the 150 Symmar-S has a slight bit of it. There has been no effect on the photos. The Symmar-S cranks our some great crisp images too.

Mel-