PeterPrism wrote:
Adrian, I agree at 50%, for Sure we don't know the full story but we are all fujiX-brothers in this game and when you say:
"I do not see Fuji lenses as any different from other manufacturers in being prone to fungus."
This is not an excusatory but IMO a diffuse bad way to design and build camera lenses (also very expensive). And if this is the general reality I don't like this way so I protest!
FUji for a PRO product have to do super-lenses with super-protection for super-users like us.
This is unrealistic; in order to achieve what you want you would probably double or triple the cost of lens production, whilst designing lenses to achieve suitable levels of weatherproofing would take more time, thus slowing down the lens release roadmap.
The atmosphere in all parts of the world at any altitude below circa 3-3,500 metres holds billions of fungal spores per cubic meter - any or all of which will 'bloom' when given the right environment in which to thrive. Which means very few lenses from any manufacturer leave their factory spore-free. You just can't see them.
Note well that the levels of air-filtration and cleanliness required to manufacture a spore-free lens are
significantly higher than for standard optical manufacture - check out what's required to manufacture computer chips - such plants cost billions to construct and a lot more in operating costs.
Fuji lenses are no more susceptible to fungal problems than any other lens of their type.
The issue here - if there is one - is the duty of care that falls on owners; if one wants a totally weatherproof [spore-free] camera and lenses then one buys appropriately, otherwise one learns how to care for and protect one's kit and learn what is or is not appropriate in different environments.
As others have said, I've been using cameras since the 1950s and in that time have used almost every available or historical make of camera and most makes and models of lens. I have dozens of lenses, some going back to the 19th century. In all that time I've only ever had one lens suffer fungal bloom and it was entirely my own fault - an Apo-Rodagon enlarging lens which I left on the enlarger in a darkroom at >35c and 90+% humidity over a long weekend: fortunately it was also trivially easy to strip the lens down and clean it with isopropyl.
We need to learn not to blame others quite so much and take responsibility for our own actions and our own kit.
