Purchasing from KEH and deciphering versions

[anoldsock]

...so KEH has a couple of 50mm summicrons for sale, and I'm looking for the latest version of the lens, but there's no description on the site to indicate what versions are in stock. Does anyone have any insight on how I can tell which versions they have available on the site?

Thanks!

 

[januaryman]

You can try giving them a call, but I did that once, speaking to a gentleman who was not cooperative; he said they shipped the lens from another location and couldn't help me with any additional info. It WAS a bargain lens for about $200, so perhaps he felt it was not worth the effort needed. OR he might have been out of coffee that morning.

That said, any lens I ever did buy from them even as a bargain wwas in wonderful shape. The latest, a Canon 35/2.8 was listed a bargain, I guess, because the focus is a bit balky in the cold weather, I think from old grease... indoors, no problems. Warm last Saturday outside, also no problem. Yesterday it dipped into the high 30s and it was tough getting the thing to focus smoothly.

 

[anoldsock]

I tried e-mailing or calling before but there's really no way for them to trace it back from the website to the actual product. Seems like we were in the same boat.

 

[januaryman]

If you need a specific version, KEH is not the way to go. If you're willing to throw the dice, you just might get lucky. I have two lenses and a Canon P body from them, all excellent things, all listed as bargains.

 

[ferider]

If you want the optically latest version, getting one with "BUILT-IN-HOOD" should do the trick.

Best,

Roland.

 

[fbf]

Tell them the serial# you want (23xxx-3xxxx or 3xxxx above), then tell them only ship it if they find such a lens in their inventory.

 

[kxl]

As someone else has said, call them and ask for the serial numbers of the lenses they have in stock. They should get back to you in 24-48 hours.

As far as KEH rating is concerned, most believe that their rating is conservative; I do as well, with a caveat -- I think the conservative rating, e.g., a like-new lens rated as BGN, is directly related to the quantity of that lens that KEH has in its inventory.

So, something of which they have 10 or 20 in inventory may get a BGN rating, while something of which they only have 2-3 may get an EX or EX+ rating, even if all of those lenses are very, very clean.

Of course, BGN could also be a "user."

Just my $0.02

Keith