Garth;
Here's another thought: pull the front element yourself (it **should**
be fairly simple with a spanner wrench - course there is always a risk)
and check it out close-up. I think John H recommended Ponds cold cream?
cleanup for fungus that hadn't yet etched the glass? Then, if the
element is a goner, you could order a new front element from Oly parts.
I'd bet this would be a good deal cheaper than having a tech do same.
George
Garth Wood wrote:
>
> Well, close inspection of my beloved 100mm F/2.0 Zuiko has revealed a fine
> ghostly white spiderweb tracery on the inside of the front lens element,
> which looks suspiciously like fungus. Damn and Blast It All, Anyways. :-/
>
> Anybody recommend a good place to send this baby to for a total cleaning?
> Please keep in mind that I live in Canada, and while I don't have any real
> problems with sending it across a national border, relative speed and a fine
> job are uppermost in my mind. A local friend recommended that (a) I keep it
> far, far away from the tender mercies of W. Carsen Co. Ltd. in Don Mills,
> Ontario (the Canadian importer of Olympus), since their service and speed was
> less than stellar, and (b) that I try Olympus America (who might be able to
> replace the front element if the fungus has progressed far enough to "etch"
> the glass...)
>
> All comments appreciated, including wild-ass guesstimates on price for either
> a cleaning or a front element replacement.
>
> Garth (bereaved over his loss...)
>
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