Buying 2nd hand lenses


Is there a thread in clubsnap where buyer can post to get help when they are being cheated by seller? :( seller says lens no fungus.. Like new condition... Buyer bought then later on found out there is fungus... Sent seller picture of fungus but seller no longer responding to buyer :(

i don't think others can help if the seller decides to ignore the buyer. You can post in the consumers corner section to warn other clubsnap members about the seller
 

Is there a thread in clubsnap where buyer can post to get help when they are being cheated by seller? :( seller says lens no fungus.. Like new condition... Buyer bought then later on found out there is fungus... Sent seller picture of fungus but seller no longer responding to buyer :(
always check/ test on the spot. cannot take the seller words to be true everytime.
 

hi guys! say I buy a 2nd hand lens that is still under warranty, so how does the warranty work since the receipt is not under my name?? how does NSC deal with this situation? thanks!
 

hi guys! say I buy a 2nd hand lens that is still under warranty, so how does the warranty work since the receipt is not under my name?? how does NSC deal with this situation? thanks!

Don't think they check the name on the receipt.
 

would a photocopied receipt work? like if im selling my kit lens, but the receipt is already registered under canon(together with the camera) under my name...
 

Hi guys! Anybody selling 50mm 1.4 lens? I'm using nikon d3100. And i'm kinda new to dslr cameras :)
 

Have a few doubts.
1. There is a particular lens that I wanted to buy. It will be of low usage. New is S$3,300. I found 2 years old at $2,400. So the saving $900. I frequently see any lens that is > 4 years selling at about half price new. So this lens will be selling like $1,600 for > 4 years old. so if I buy new, I will loss about $400 a year. if I buy 2 year old, I also lose $400 a year. So while the outlay for the new lens is more, the depreciation is the same and I have piece of mind of 15 months of warranty.

2. The TS suggested asking seller to send recently picture taken with the lens. So far, I tried 2 seller, both not willing. Is sending recently picture taken with the lens not a common reasonable request?

3. My eyesight is not so good to see the sharpness of picture taken from the camera LCD. Will it be too much if I bring my notebook with me to transfer and view the picture taken by my camera body?

regards
 

i don't think others can help if the seller decides to ignore the buyer. You can post in the consumers corner section to warn other clubsnap members about the seller
Yea... I Guess just treat it as lesson learn. I also gotten a lens(sel24f1.8) from this guy Newbie12 with fungus. and he still selling more bodies and lenes on clubsnap. Just hope that the one he selling now not infected it fungus...
 

In the end he offered for refund. very nice of him to do that.
 

Great guide.

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk
 

Here is a short checklist to buying 2nd hand lenses. I've done some edits on 23 May 09:

1) Look through the lens (dismounted) and at a light source (or bring a torch light) so you can clearly see the front and rear elements (glass) with the maximum aperture. Remember to remove the front filter first.

2) Make sure there are no spots, smudges, cracks, haze, fungus, etc. when you look thru the item (got spots might be fungus). Normally, there would be some dust in the lens. It is up to your comfort level how much dust in the lens you can accept.

3) For normal twisting type, make sure twist motion is smooth when extending focal length.

4) Do a few test shots at different focal lengths and different f-stops to see if the picture is sharp. Pictures at different f-stops may reveal different defects, e.g. a speck of dust might show up at f/22 but not at f/2.8. Note that at a small aperture, e.g. f/22, a picture taken may also revel dust on your sensor (CCD, CMOS) is dust on t be the lens. To confirm if that is is dust on your sensor, use a different lens and shoot using a small aperture. If it is dust on your sensor, it will show up at the same position on the picture taken.

5) Make sure the aperture can reach maximum (i.e smallest f-number) and minimum (i.e. largest f-number) and photos taken are acceptably sharp (make sure zoom in on your LCD and see). Normally, the sharpest aperture for a lens is about 2-stops from the smallest f-number.

6) Make sure when mounted, the lens is mounted firmly (normally there is a little lag, just a tiny bit but should not be able to twist the barrel, pls do not force twist).

7) For Nikon lens, make sure that the aperture is snappy. You can do this by flicking the lever at the lens mount area. When you push the lever, the aperture should go to the largest, and when released, the aperture should go to the smallest quickly. In some old lenses, there may be oil on the aperture blades, which may cause the aperture blades to get stuck or to slow down the speed of the aperture closing. This can cause over-exposed photos.

Extra checks:

8) Prior to seeing the seller, ask them to send you some pics taken using the lens as well as physical pics of the lens. Ask him for the Lens code for Canon Lenses so you can check the age of the lens. The Nikon serial number should be able to roughly gauge the age.

9) Ask the seller if he can grant a 7 day personal guarantee just in case the lens breaks down within 7 days.

10) Make sure the seller agree to your paying price and not on the spot increase. If he increases on the spot, walk away.

------

(y)
 

Here is a short checklist to buying 2nd hand lenses. I've done some edits on 23 May 09:

1) Look through the lens (dismounted) and at a light source (or bring a torch light) so you can clearly see the front and rear elements (glass) with the maximum aperture. Remember to remove the front filter first.

2) Make sure there are no spots, smudges, cracks, haze, fungus, etc. when you look thru the item (got spots might be fungus). Normally, there would be some dust in the lens. It is up to your comfort level how much dust in the lens you can accept.

3) For normal twisting type, make sure twist motion is smooth when extending focal length.

4) Do a few test shots at different focal lengths and different f-stops to see if the picture is sharp. Pictures at different f-stops may reveal different defects, e.g. a speck of dust might show up at f/22 but not at f/2.8. Note that at a small aperture, e.g. f/22, a picture taken may also revel dust on your sensor (CCD, CMOS) is dust on t be the lens. To confirm if that is is dust on your sensor, use a different lens and shoot using a small aperture. If it is dust on your sensor, it will show up at the same position on the picture taken.

5) Make sure the aperture can reach maximum (i.e smallest f-number) and minimum (i.e. largest f-number) and photos taken are acceptably sharp (make sure zoom in on your LCD and see). Normally, the sharpest aperture for a lens is about 2-stops from the smallest f-number.

6) Make sure when mounted, the lens is mounted firmly (normally there is a little lag, just a tiny bit but should not be able to twist the barrel, pls do not force twist).

7) For Nikon lens, make sure that the aperture is snappy. You can do this by flicking the lever at the lens mount area. When you push the lever, the aperture should go to the largest, and when released, the aperture should go to the smallest quickly. In some old lenses, there may be oil on the aperture blades, which may cause the aperture blades to get stuck or to slow down the speed of the aperture closing. This can cause over-exposed photos.

Extra checks:

8) Prior to seeing the seller, ask them to send you some pics taken using the lens as well as physical pics of the lens. Ask him for the Lens code for Canon Lenses so you can check the age of the lens. The Nikon serial number should be able to roughly gauge the age.

9) Ask the seller if he can grant a 7 day personal guarantee just in case the lens breaks down within 7 days.

10) Make sure the seller agree to your paying price and not on the spot increase. If he increases on the spot, walk away.

Helpful info. Love the 10th point of the list most( Did you experience it?).
 

Here is a short checklist to buying 2nd hand lenses. I've done some edits on 23 May 09:

1) Look through the lens (dismounted) and at a light source (or bring a torch light) so you can clearly see the front and rear elements (glass) with the maximum aperture. Remember to remove the front filter first.

2) Make sure there are no spots, smudges, cracks, haze, fungus, etc. when you look thru the item (got spots might be fungus). Normally, there would be some dust in the lens. It is up to your comfort level how much dust in the lens you can accept.

3) For normal twisting type, make sure twist motion is smooth when extending focal length.

4) Do a few test shots at different focal lengths and different f-stops to see if the picture is sharp. Pictures at different f-stops may reveal different defects, e.g. a speck of dust might show up at f/22 but not at f/2.8. Note that at a small aperture, e.g. f/22, a picture taken may also revel dust on your sensor (CCD, CMOS) is dust on t be the lens. To confirm if that is is dust on your sensor, use a different lens and shoot using a small aperture. If it is dust on your sensor, it will show up at the same position on the picture taken.

5) Make sure the aperture can reach maximum (i.e smallest f-number) and minimum (i.e. largest f-number) and photos taken are acceptably sharp (make sure zoom in on your LCD and see). Normally, the sharpest aperture for a lens is about 2-stops from the smallest f-number.

6) Make sure when mounted, the lens is mounted firmly (normally there is a little lag, just a tiny bit but should not be able to twist the barrel, pls do not force twist).

7) For Nikon lens, make sure that the aperture is snappy. You can do this by flicking the lever at the lens mount area. When you push the lever, the aperture should go to the largest, and when released, the aperture should go to the smallest quickly. In some old lenses, there may be oil on the aperture blades, which may cause the aperture blades to get stuck or to slow down the speed of the aperture closing. This can cause over-exposed photos.

Extra checks:

8) Prior to seeing the seller, ask them to send you some pics taken using the lens as well as physical pics of the lens. Ask him for the Lens code for Canon Lenses so you can check the age of the lens. The Nikon serial number should be able to roughly gauge the age.

9) Ask the seller if he can grant a 7 day personal guarantee just in case the lens breaks down within 7 days.

10) Make sure the seller agree to your paying price and not on the spot increase. If he increases on the spot, walk away.

Never knew this is such tricky. Thumbs up!!
 

True, it takes all kinds of people to make up this world. I have my fsir share when i upgraded from APS to FX. I want to sell my lens and after agreeing, i drove down to meet buyer. He look at it for a long time and then say got dust and wanted discount. I really don't know if the lens is completely dust free but surely it is not the case where you see them just looking at the lens. Well, i dont even want to deal and drove off. If he had bargin for a slight discount, i may even consider since i drove all the way there. But to tell me a story, i would rather not sell it to him.