eBay lens, near mint condition.

dexdog

dexdog

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I usually log in to eBay a few times a week to look for interesting lenses, and sometimes for a few laughs. This example is the latter. Seller describes the lens barrel as near mint, despite the glaring damage to the M-mount as seen in the third pic. Pretty funny, but not that unusual. One might be able to bend that section of metal away from the rear lens group, but I would not want to try to mount such a bent lens on my cameras!
 
I don't see anything bent on the lens mount. I think you might be mistaking the cut out groove that is on all the M-mount lenses for a bent section. The way the seller photographed it, it is easy to make that mistake.

Best,
-Tim
 
I'm looking at my own Chrome C-Sonnar, holding it at angle:

The one in the Ebay auction looks bent. There should be much more space between the cutout and the bend.

Asking the seller to post a straight-down shot of the back of the lens would help out the auction if it is just an illusion.
 
Sonnar Brian said:
I'm looking at my own Chrome C-Sonnar, holding it at angle:

The one in the Ebay auction looks bent. There should be much more space between the cutout and the bend.

Asking the seller to post a straight-down shot of the back of the lens would help out the auction if it is just an illusion.
Click to expand...
I sent the seller a message through eBay, will update if seller responds.
 
It's not totally unusual. Several of the more reputable Japanese sellers frequently use the term "mint" or "near mint" when the accompanying photographs show otherwise. I've had relatively good experience with eBay purchases, but you have to make sure that their seller reviews are excellent and the return policies liberal. As a ∫user you have a duty of due diligence. Caveat emptor!
 
This does remind me of the use of the phrase "Minty" with a number of + after the word that give the true condition. The more +'s, the better the conditions and, naturally, price of the lens. These days I simply look any description of trouble (especially fungus) and look carefully at the pictures and ignore the flavor text if I can.

That usually works well for me.

Usually... 😱🤣
 
Since I live in Japan, I almost only buy items like lenses from sellers in Japan since returns are usually very easy. Out of about 15 as "mint" described items I had to return 14 due to defects, haze, element separation etc. They usually sell for a higher price on eBay as to compared to prices on Mercari or Yahoo Auctions but the latter make it much harder if not impossible to return defective items.
 
maddoc said:
Since I live in Japan, I almost only buy items like lenses from sellers in Japan since returns are usually very easy. Out of about 15 as "mint" described items I had to return 14 due to defects, haze, element separation etc. They usually sell for a higher price on eBay as to compared to prices on Mercari or Yahoo Auctions but the latter make it much harder if not impossible to return defective items.
Click to expand...

Wow, that is a poor record. I have bought maybe 20 items from Japan over the past few years, only one or two were problematic...
 
In Ebay slang "mint" really means anything the seller believes they can get away with saying.

As for "minty", my personal definition of this truly silly term would be immediately censored by a moderator.
 
maddoc said:
Since I live in Japan, I almost only buy items like lenses from sellers in Japan since returns are usually very easy. Out of about 15 as "mint" described items I had to return 14 due to defects, haze, element separation etc. They usually sell for a higher price on eBay as to compared to prices on Mercari or Yahoo Auctions but the latter make it much harder if not impossible to return defective items.
Click to expand...
I've never had a problem with buying from Japanese sellers. However, I noticed a long time ago that the price is more honest than the description when it comes to buying from Japan. A listing that says something is excellent, but has a bargain price, is not going to be excellent. Anything that seems too good to be true is. If the price is low, no matter what the description says, I look closely at the images, and invariably find some issue. If the price is "on the money" I've always got what I paid for. The couple of times I thought I lucked out and found a steal... I didn't.
 
I can't see what is 'bent', perhaps if you don't have an M lens you won't appreciate the cutout for the cam follower (the bit that allows the rangefinder to focus). It really is a misleading and malign thread. Meanwhile it seems some people are hogging all the bad luck with buying from Japan, I can only report zero problems over many years which doesn't mean something bad cant happen, but if it does I'm still ahead of the game by buying crap from the USA or Europe.
 
This lens has some obvious damage to the mount, as pointed out in Post #9. Thankyou, Arnold! There is an obvious gap, nothing like that on my lens.
What bothers me about the picture- the cutout on my lens is straight across the metal. With the picture of the lens taken at an angle, part of the cutout on the lens in question appears to reflect back to the camera. The reflected light across the cutout has a gradient, as could be caused by a bend in it. What would clear this up, is a straight-down shot of the rear of the lens. Also an explanation of the Gap on the mount would be helpful.

I also know Dexdog has many, many lenses and has taken apart and repaired many of them.

The lens is out of the US, not Japan. I've seen many Ebay actions where lenses are described as "Mint"- and then have fungus or other issues. It's EBay, pass the beer nuts.
 
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