Canon 15 x 45 IS binoculars cleaning

[ppc]

I have a 15 by 45 stabiliseed binoculars. All works fine except one of the internal lenses is developing a fungus covering. Canon UK say they cannot mend it but there must be some canon repair centre somewhere which can cllean the internal lens of these splendid binoculars. Any ideas???

[Danny]

Thanks for letting us know what Canon product you've got. Our 15 x 45 IS binoculars are an older model which we have retired. While that means that Canon USA no longer offers direct support for it, your friends here in the Canon Community are welcome to offer suggestions!

You can also speak with a Canon Upgrade Program specialist to help you score a modern replacement that would meet your current needs at a discount. You can reach them weekdays and Saturdays at 1-866-443-8002.

Hope this helps!

[Tintype_18]

Curious here. If binoculars are sealed, how would a fungus grow inside?

[FloridaDrafter]

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@Tintype_18 wrote:

Curious here. If binoculars are sealed, how would a fungus grow inside?

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Hello, John!

Depending on the quality of the unit, some of the higher end binocs are water proof or fog proof. However, with age, the proofing starts to deteriorate and molds, which are microscopic, can penetrate the seals. Some units, similar to our zoom lenses, breath a bit and actually suck air into the unit. Depending on the design, even a prime (non zoom) has to breath a bit to allow the moving parts inside to move with less resistance.

Newton

[Bsteely]

This happened to my 15 x 45 as well but several years ago at a time when Canon offered repair. To answer your question, this older pair of binoculars uses IS technology that's no longer in use by Canon I believe. It was based on two flat glass plates in the optical path where one could tilt relative to the other and therefore steer the light along the optical path. Between the two plates is an index of refraction matching material similar to the suspending fluid used in liquid crystal displays (LCDs). That material isn't all that different from chicken fat! It's sealed from the outside but can get infected with a microorganism that happily munches away on the "agar". After repair, it hasn't happened again to my 15 x 45 IS. My only issue now is the foam padding inside the OEM case is completely degraded and crumbling into dust. Yech!

[ppc]

Yes but maybe someone assembling it in the first place had dirty fingers????

[FloridaDrafter]

Hello, PPC!

Please see my reply to John (Tentype_18). We have dealt with mold and fungus before in some of our older camera lenses. It is such a pain to get rid of that most will not even attempt a repair. Sorry to hear you have this problem because it is basically a death sentence. I've read that it can be managed, but never completely cleared up. It will eventually eat away at the coatings on the elements and possibly spread to other optical equipment that you store in the same bag or room.

Newton