fungus on scanner glasses <!?!>

[tadler]

I just bought a used canon 9950f and was surprised to discover what seems like fungus on the glasses: a lot of it on the upper glass and one small spot on the bottom one. the upper glass seems unevenly milky and has a darker strange looking milky-smear of around 2 cm (see last attachment). i'm trying to return it right now because if it is fungus it can spread and i don't want to be bothered with it.
i attach some pics, please tell me what you think.

so, after this unpleasant experience i'm thinking of maybe buying a new scanner, here in Europe, but i can't afford the v700.
I'm using a mac with Mac os 10.6, probably moving up to os 10.7 (lion) soon.
I'm looking for a compatible scanner to scan my 4x5, 120mm and 35mm, mainly for archiving and reference purposes. when i need a high quality large print, i do it either at work with an Imacon or at a lab. is there something good under 300 euro? if not, which used models are recommended and can work with my system?

thanks,
tal

[Sevo]

i'm trying to return it right now because if it is fungus it can spread

Well, yes, but it will spread from anywhere else as well, and in all probability every glass, stone and masonry surface in your house is no less contaminated. Unless you happen to live in a windowless building made entirely from steel, wood and plastics or in a permanently sterilized operating theatre class room, that is.

[Brent Long]

Tal, if you'd like I may be able to help you get a deal on a V700. I can't promise, but most likely I can. PM me if you're interested.

[Ari]

is there something good under 300 euro? if not, which used models are recommended and can work with my system?

I got an Epson 4990 for $300, and it's an excellent scanner, even does 8x10 transparencies.

[domaz]

You know scanner glass is just glass. It's not coated with exotic radioactive materials like some of your lenses are. Just take it apart go to a glass shop with the old bit of glass and have them cut you a new one.

[Nathan Potter]

Most of this stuff doesn't look like fungus to me. I see particulate contamination, a good deal of lint and what appears to be droplets of liquid contamination. Remove the glass and clean it and you should be fine.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Brent Long]

I have to agree with Nate. Clean the glass and you should be fine.

[tadler]

does anyone know how to take the bottom glass of this scanner off? the top one doesn't seem to be an issue, but the bottom one is more complicated and taking everything apart could damage the mechanics. i mean the motor is supposed to be highly accurate with micro-movements and has to be always in sync with the upper light source, etc, no?

[BrianShaw]

P.S. It's 120, not 120mm. That is a numerical film designator not a measurement. Sorry to be so nit-picky. Hope you succeed getting your scanner clean!

[cyrus]

If im not mistaken thats just dirty/scratched glass. Fungus of the sorts that ruins lenses actually etches the glass and takes a while to do its thing. Ive never seen fungus etching on a less than 30 year old lens.