Misfocusing len, buyer or seller's problem?

[theITguy]

Hi, I am a film user. I happen to have some lens for sale. Yesterday I met this guy, who is using a 300D, wanting to view my len and if no problem, will buy it. All the while I have no problem with focusing on my film cameras with this len, neither so with other lens I used. The focusing came out sharp and spot-on. Then came this Canon digital SLR, which seems to have focusing problems somehow from what I read from various forums I know.


Now I want to ask, while it is right for the buyer to make sure that the copy of the len he/she buys is focusing right for the camera to be used on, why should a seller be penalised for selling a len that is working fine for all film cameras, but the 300D? Does that means that I have to specify that it is for sale to film users only? Or Canon actually provide free calibration for digital bodies bought for less than 1 year regardless of the age of the lens? If they do charge per len basis even if it is the problem with their bloody digital camera, then you will see me selling my Canon Gear and switch to MF or Nikon totally.


Christopher

 

[drumma]

wah. relax. did u test his 300D for urself?
my fren is using both film and digital bodies.(but using his 300D most of the time) and with the same 28-135 lens, the results were the same? focus and spot-on.

to further confirm whether it's your lens or his body, u might want to do more checks with other cameras? btw, what lens?

 

[mpenza]

for info, Nikon also have misfocussing problems with their DSLRs.

And one reason why the problem didn't surface with film could be the pics aren't printed big enough. For DSLRs, checking for focussing is generally done at 100% and that meant viewing at the equivalence of very large sizes, e.g. 28R. Viewing at less than 100% may not always show up the problem, when the misfocussing problem is mild.

 

[Stoned]

Focussing problems such as backfocussing is either due to one of 2 things; the lens or the body(this applies to DSLRs only). The reason why the body could be causing the backfocussing is due to the software or something like that. Couldn't quite fully understand when the Canon technician explained it. Anyway it saved me 60 bucks on lens calibration so I'm happy.

It's definitely not your lens problem as Film bodies do not need calibration. If it turns out that the lens does not backfocus or whatever on your film body then the lens is perfectly fine.

Calibration of either the body or the lens is free within the warranty period

 

[Snowcrash]

Now I want to ask, while it is right for the buyer to make sure that the copy of the len he/she buys is focusing right for the camera to be used on, why should a seller be penalised for selling a len that is working fine for all film cameras, but the 300D? Does that means that I have to specify that it is for sale to film users only?

Christopher

pls explain... how is the seller being penalised?

 

[loupgarou]

likewise, where is the penalty? the buyer either buys or don't buy. you get him to meet you at your convenience then no loss to you , with some potential of sale what..

 

[theITguy]

Hi all, actually not only the seller is being penalised, the buyer also.

For the seller, you got to help these digital users make sure it is focusing right. It is like saying, everytime you find a buyer, they tested it, out of focus, no deal. Even if you get the meeting place at your convenience, it is still bad as you might need to go through a number of real buyer to find the new owner.

For the buyer, if everytime going to a place of convenience to the seller, also wasting his/her time. If he/she decides to take the misfocusing len for calibration, then there is this cost involved.

For future DSLR owner, the misfocusing will cost them to pay for something that is part of Canon's problem in the first place. Why would I pay for a new DSLR and pay more to get it working, despite my lens working fine all along? I am very serious about this as my sister is using a EOS 5, thinking of buying a Canon DSLR. Moreover she uses a Tamron 35-80 (I think) and 75-300 zooms, if misfocusing, a penalty for her and the 35-80 will not be usable anymore. Then she has to pay Canon for their errors, which we do not need to.


Selling my gear is hard, but replacing it with something else is kind of easy for me. Give me a wide prime + film camera (manual or aperture mode) is minimum requirement. Still a camera.

 

[loupgarou]

For the buyer, if everytime going to a place of convenience to the seller, also wasting his/her time. If he/she decides to take the misfocusing len for calibration, then there is this cost involved.

buyer can choose not to buy, these kind of things are inherent in the cost of the item, whether you buy from ntuc or buy from somewhere else, the cost of transporting the item is always in the item. in this case, because of economies of scale (cos its a single item), to penalise the seller (who has already paid the transport cost of the item on first hand purchase) + the reduced selling price of the item, to further absorb transportation cost to multiple prospective buyers is quite unreasonable.

for high demand items, seller got power to enforce collect at his convenience. but still all things are subject to negotiation.


furthermore, even if the lens is backfocus/front focusing slightly, the fact that it doesn't show up on film is simply because of the print size, you can hardly penalise the seller for that. so if buyer only prints/views at 4R size, he also won't see it, otherwise, BUY NEW, then send for calibration as well, or Buy second hand at include the cost of calibration inside before deciding if the item is worth it


I really don't see your point, are you saying that backfocusing/frontfocusing because it IS indeed the fault of the manufacturer should be borne by? (buyer or seller?), or are you saying we should initate a class action?

 

[sriram]

Looking at it this way, the onus is on the buyer to ensure that the lens works with his cam. Why should the seller bother with that? If you buy second hand, it is up to you to ensure that you're not getting something which doesn't work. If you don't do your homework and you get shafted, it's not the seller's problem.

Also, why should the buyer be penalised into buying a lens which doesn't work? Ok, buyer and seller have travelled somewhere to meet and test it out.. that doesn't mean the buyer is going to fork out his hard earned cash on a lens which doesn't work on his camera. If he does that then he is just plain stupid.

I don't see the point of this discussion.

 

[ST1100]

Sell it to another film user.