squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
A few weeks ago I sold a lens on eBay: the wonderful Pentax Super-Multi-Coated Takumar 50/1.4. It was as close to mint as you're going to find with a seventies optic, and I could find no marks at all on the glass. Today I got the following email from the buyer:
Here's a photo of the lens from the auction. What do you think? (That is a dust speck under JAPAN, not a flaw!)
Well, whatever--I'm happy to refund the guy, as long as he doesn't expect a shipping refund. Indeed, I'm kind of glad this happened--I sold the lens because I have the M version, but in certain ways I prefer using this one on my DSLR, and will be happy to have it back. But this seems awfully fussy to me at best, and perhaps total BS at worst. A tiny flaw in the coating? On the front element? At the very edge? And this will affect the guy's photos because he lives close to the south pole?
Here's a photo of the lens from the auction. What do you think? (That is a dust speck under JAPAN, not a flaw!)
hans voralberg
Veteran
Beat me, I cant see anything at all. And where exactly is near the South Pole ? Antarctica ?
KoNickon
Nick Merritt
Just give him the refund and get your lens back. He's full of it, by the way (or ridiculously fussy). I'll bet when you look it over that you can't find what he's talking about.
feenej
Well-known
That's really funny. Did he also say, "So a penguin walks into a bar..."
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squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
Yeah, he'll get the refund, I'm not fussy about stuff like this. Even if I do see the flaw he means, I'll use the lens with pleasure. It's one of my favorites ever, in any format.
As for his location, he's about as close to the south pole as New York is to Los Angeles.
monochromejrnl
Well-known
i can't see anything and although I'm not an optics expert, there is no way that any tiny coating imperfection at the edge of the front element would affect image quality in any discernable way...
i just picked up a 90/2'cron v2 that has a 4mm round chip at the edge of the rear element for cheap and the are absolutely no image quality issues with the lens...
i also use a UGLY tessar on a rolleiflex (two or three 1cm + long scratches on the front element of the taking lens and a couple more on the rear element) and I can't see any issues with the image quality...
above shot wide open at f3.5 with this lens - the scratches are deep and long and very very noticeable when I run my finger across the glass ...
i just picked up a 90/2'cron v2 that has a 4mm round chip at the edge of the rear element for cheap and the are absolutely no image quality issues with the lens...
i also use a UGLY tessar on a rolleiflex (two or three 1cm + long scratches on the front element of the taking lens and a couple more on the rear element) and I can't see any issues with the image quality...
above shot wide open at f3.5 with this lens - the scratches are deep and long and very very noticeable when I run my finger across the glass ...
When they have "buyer's remorse" or change their mind, they will make up any story to get their money back. A lot of them just want to "test drive" or play with the equipment.
There are a few really insane buyers who find something wrong with anything you send them, they must take out a microscope to inspect things.
You can't win with these people.
There are a few really insane buyers who find something wrong with anything you send them, they must take out a microscope to inspect things.
You can't win with these people.
majid
Fazal Majid
Make sure the returned lens has the same serial number as the one that went out...
MartinP
Veteran
And, obviously, makes sure he ships it trackable and fully insured. One wouldn't want it to mysteriously disappear en-route.... Not that your guy would be so evil, but someone, somewhere, one day might be.
Santafecino
button man
Negative comment on eBay is a serious sanction; to avoid it it's best to do what the buyer wants. But that doesn't mean the customer had a real issue. You are just being considerate.
pesphoto
Veteran
I would tell him to jump in a lake. I dont see any defect.
Let him provide the proof of his claim.
Let him provide the proof of his claim.
If the buyer paid with PayPal, he could do a "not as described" complaint and end up with both the lens AND the money, if he knows how to work the system.
"Go jump in the lake" not a good tactic. If he paid with a money order, cash or wire transfer, then tell him to dance for his money back.
"Go jump in the lake" not a good tactic. If he paid with a money order, cash or wire transfer, then tell him to dance for his money back.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
I didn;t know the Takumar came in M mount- or is it LTM like the 43/1.9?
Frank1969
Member
I once had a Hasselblad CF 150mm lens with a chip the size of one square milimeter out of the frontlens, into the glass, a few mm's from the rim. Never had any effect on any photo's, slides, colour or b&w.
oscroft
Veteran
I agree that a minor blemish (that you can't even see in a close-up photograph) close to the edge of a lens won't have any noticeable effect on the images - whether they're shot in New York, at the South Pole, or off the Shoulder of Orion.
And I think I'd also be quite pleased to be getting an SMC Takumar 50/1.4 back - it's a cracking lens.
And I think I'd also be quite pleased to be getting an SMC Takumar 50/1.4 back - it's a cracking lens.
pesphoto
Veteran
At least ask the dude to try it out and see the results before sending a refund. A tiny nick, if there is one, wont harm a thing.
squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
Oh I see what you mean! You thought I meant Lecia M. No, it's a Pentax-M, with a Pentax mount. I wish it was in Leica M-mount, I would LOVE to get to use this lens with my RF gear!
squirrel$$$bandit
Veteran
I also agree it would be wonderful to buy and sell stuff in person. I missed the golden age of the photo shows...who knows, maybe someday they'll return.
spyder2000
Dim Bulb
The customer always "thinks" he's right. As you plan to do, accept the return and refund his money less shipping.
Then sell it to me.
Then sell it to me.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I think you did the right thing ... there's plenty of nit pickers like him out there and as annoying as they are it's better to humour them and keep your healthy eBay feedback rating intact. As long as he understands that the cost of returning the lens is his responsibility it's just more of an inconvenience than a real problem. Pretty lame excuse though ... South Pole indeed! 