Has anyone bought a KEH "UG" lens?

S

squirrel$$$bandit

Veteran
Local time
4:38 AM
Joined
Mar 8, 2008
Messages
6,249
There's a lens I want that KEH has an UGLY example of. It's insanely cheap. Doubtless it will have haze, fungus, scratches, or whatever. I wrote to them and asked for a specific description of this lens, and got this back:
Although I cannot access the merchandise to look at this specific lens for you, I can tell you that although technically working, this lens WILL have fungus, hazing or rear element scratches that WILL affect image quality is therefore not recommended for normal imaging use.
Click to expand...


Hmm. Still, I'm tempted. If it's anything but rear element chips, perhaps I can crack it open and clean it up. This is a Canon lens.

What do you think?
 
I have gotten similarly dire descriptions of what UGLY means. And I would avoid them to be honest. They are supposed to affect image quality, and there are a lot of variables, many unfixable, that can affect image quality like that.

I don't hesitate with BGN lenses from them (usually the exterior barrel is beat up, but lens is optically fine) but haven't been willing to pay for UG yet.
 
I have bought three UG lenses from KEH. Two were not usable, the first was badly fogged, then the second was full of fungus. One is just fine, but the focus grip was coming off which is not too big of a deal, I just use it bare.

They actually gave me a refund on the first lens that was fogged. I had to call them and they were not real pleasant about it.
 
Last edited:
Never bought an "Ugly" lens but just picked up a "EX" lens...I was expecting it to have maybe something not so nice on it but all I could find were a few blemishes on the lens hood...the glass and everything else are "Like New"...
 
feenej said:
I have bought three UG lenses from KEH. Two were not usable, the first was badly fogged, then the second was full of fungus. One is just fine, but the focus grip was coming off which is not too big of a deal, I just use it bare.

They actually gave me a refund on the first lens that was fogged. I had to call them and they were not real pleasant about it.
Click to expand...

Ahh...I will probably pass then.

If anyone wants it, here it is, a Canon 50/1.2 for a staggering $144.
 
The last UG I got was a Zuiko 100 f2.8, full of fungus. I returned it without calling them. I don't think I got credit for it, but shortly thereafter, they dicounted a BGN version of the same lens, so I bought that. At that point I was willing to call it even, even though I was out 40 or 50 dollars compared to if I had just dusted off the cobwebs from my wallet and got the BGN to begin with :)
 
My last UGLY lens from KEH arrived to me with a replaced rear element that made the lens useless for any photography. It was a Sonnar 5cm 2.0 in Contax mount. Someone had used a Planar element and the resulting lens was totally junk quality. I was told later on by Brian that no image was visible through the lens.

Luckily for me, Brian replaced the rear element with that of a J-8, and the hybird Sonnar came out great.
 
Last edited:
I have bought two lenses from KEH with their Ugly rating.
The first is my Summitar. Everything was perfect except for some fungus in between the front section of lens elements. I took it appart properly and cleanded it out, now its perfect.
image examples below...
untitled2.jpg

untitled14.jpg

The second is my Xenogon which may have been rated ugly by mistake, because there was nothing wrong with this at all
Image examples below...
1.jpg

22.jpg


So i dont know, I think it depends on the product. I wouldnt buy certain lenses in ugly condition or a camera body... maybe
 
What they say: " 'Ugly' Very rough looking. Multiple impressions in metal, excessive finish loss and brassing are likely. Glass will have marks, fungus or haze that will probably affect picture quality."

What I hear: "Don't expect to use it to take your average picture."

Based on buying several BGN lenses, I suspect lenses may well move a grade down (never up) depending on how deeply they're stocked. i.e., if they have seven of something on the shelf, the worst of the users is going to be BGN that day.
 
Last edited:
mabelsound said:
Ahh...I will probably pass then.

If anyone wants it, here it is, a Canon 50/1.2 for a staggering $144.
Click to expand...

I think I can say with assurance what the story is with that lens, since I believe it is one I bought and just returned. It was originally listed in BGN condition, and I'm glad to see it has been downgraded. The glass is okay, a few scratches and marks but nothing serious. The big problem is that the aperture ring is very sticky, virtually stuck unless you apply major force. This problem probably has to do with the event that produced the dent on the filter ring. I wouldn't be surprised if the elements are slightly out of place, too, from the hard knock this lens must have sustained.

Better to buy the one that was on sale here at a good price with the hood. There is another BGN one at KEH for $429, also a safer bet.

Hope this helps.
 
Joe Brugger said:
Based on buying several BGN lenses, I suspect lenses may well move a grade down (never up) depending on how deeply they're stocked. i.e., if they have seven of something on the shelf, the worst of the users is going to be BGN that day.
Click to expand...

My experience also supports that. I have bought a BGN lens that looked like it came straight out of the box and was never mounted on a camera.

I am convinced that when you see somewhat unusual lenses with one EXC+ @ $299, one EXC @ $269, and one BGN @ $239 that they probably are all the same, sometimes new, and probably an overstock buy out.

Needless to say I only buy BGN lenses from KEH if there is any choice.

But I have never bought an UGLY lens.
 
Note that BGN quality is far superior to UG quality at KEH. In cases of surplus SLR equipment where items are not selling as BGN, KEH sometimes seems to downgrade items to UG to sell them at lower prices. In such cases only will you get very clean "ugly" items.
 
BTW they have a very liberal 100% return policy. I do love getting their used catalog every month.
 
noimmunity said:
I think I can say with assurance what the story is with that lens, since I believe it is one I bought and just returned. It was originally listed in BGN condition, and I'm glad to see it has been downgraded. The glass is okay, a few scratches and marks but nothing serious. The big problem is that the aperture ring is very sticky, virtually stuck unless you apply major force. This problem probably has to do with the event that produced the dent on the filter ring. I wouldn't be surprised if the elements are slightly out of place, too, from the hard knock this lens must have sustained.
Click to expand...

Actually, that tempts me a bit--the only reason I really want this lens is to shoot with it wide open. I would probably leave the aperture ring at 1.2 and use my other 50's for more general shooting.

Did you actually try taking any pictures with it?
 
I'm surprised so many people returned their UG condition lenses. It says on the website they won't be usable, what did you expect? Why should KEH return your money for selling you a properly described product?
 
Good questions. I suspect it is because KEH really understand customer relations. But what's galls me is that occasionally folks buying UG product from KEH end up badmouthing them on the various photoforums... only because KEH delivered just what they advertized. Go figure!
 
My experiences with KEH have been pretty good. I've purchased a number of "Bargain Grade" lenses from them, and have found some minor problems with a few of them (sticky zoom-ring or the like) but these glitches have neither been serious enough nor affected picture quality for me to return them.
A few weeks ago I called about two Nikon SP rangefinder bodies that they had for sale. Both chrome, cloth-shuttered. One was EX and the other Bargain condition. My sales rep (Arthur-a Prince of a guy) advised me that since I was only concerned about the mechanics and optics, that I should buy the Bargain grade body which probably had a few more scratches than the EX one, but was optically and mechanically as good, and save a couple of hundred dollars, which I did. Works like a champ.
However, I think I'd shy away from UG rated glass, as I've heard too many stories about Mushroom Farms inside lenses to take a chance.
One other category that hasn't beem mentioned is KEH's AS IS.
I think that much of what makes its way there is gear that has a problem that they estimate will cost too much to fix and sell at a profit. So if you are handy at re-foaming, or want something for parts, this is a great category to check out. I bought an inoperative Nikon f36 motordrive and battery pack for $50.00. Needed the battery chamber cleaned and a bit of re-wiring done. My repair guy charged me $125.00 for the work so for $175.00 I got about $400.00 worth of motor dive and battery pack which I use all the time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom