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View Full Version : DIY Tech Article: Cleaning Fungus off Zuiko Lens



nisstrust
03-10-2008, 12:09pm
Well the other day I brought a Zuiko 28mm f/2 off ebay, and after inspecting it I was pretty pissed! It had fungus all over it, it was a virtual throw away scenario, so I thought I’d just chance it and opened it up for cleaning, but to no avail, the rear glass element is scuffed and its no hope, unless i shoot without the rear element.

This is just a little DIY post on how to pull these zuiko's apart and clean them, it’s pretty easy.

Firstly remove the 3 screws on the rear of the mount; carefully remember where the metal mount lines up with the rear element because you will have to eventually put it back together.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/anthonyket/IMG_4148.jpg

You will then have to remove the second rear cover, this enables access to the glass in the rear of the lens, there are 3 screws, however this time they are smaller, again mark or remember how this second rear cover lines up to the rear mount. Once this is removed you will now have access to the rear glass element, this is held in place by a metal cap, just remove the metal cap by unscrewing the cap off, be careful here as the rear element will just fall away once you unscrew the rear metal cap.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/anthonyket/IMG_4149.jpg

You will now have to remove the front glass, get a 2 little flat head screw drivers and rotate the metal cover that has the lens identification markings on it anti clockwise by placing the screw drivers in the 2 notches located on the metal cover, be careful not to scratch the front glass. Once you unscrew the metal cover, the aperture ring and another metal ring will pull off, be very careful not to lose the tiny metal spring and ball bearing that may spill out, I did and now my aperture ring no longer clicks to identify when I have stopped down! As below
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/anthonyket/IMG_4150v2.jpg
Notes on image if too small to read here:
Aperture Ring and Front Cover
Little small spring and ball bearig for aperture ring
Notches to place flat head screw driver

Once you have done this, all you have to do is unscrew this huge glass element section by rotating it anti-clock, it will then just pop out as below
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/anthonyket/IMG_4153v2.jpg
Notes on image if too small to read here:
Metal cap that screws off rear glass element
Huge glass element

This huge glass element has a little glass element that you can take out by unscrewing the metal cap that holds it in place as below, once this is out, I used mentholated spirits to get the fungus off and then finished off with my copper cleaning kit wipes and fluid to remove all the smudge marks, after its dried out, used a hand blower to blow off all the dust/lint that may have caught in the process, do this for all the glass elements you have access to, I also used a small cotton ear bud and some pec pads on the end of the bud get into the lens element to clean inside it. So just down and dirty on all the glass. Once this is done just reverse the steps above and put it back together and wham bam thank you man, no more Fungus!@

Good luck and I take no responsibility if you screw it up! If you’re willing to open it up, your willing to throw it out, and if you do stuff it up go blame Global Warming :D haha!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/anthonyket/IMG_4154v2.jpg
Notes on image if too small to read here:
Metal cap screws off from here
Metal cap that screws off the huge glass element
Get dirty and start cleaning the fungus out from here!