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lens scratch

danlindberg

Well-known member
I can get a good price on a CFi 4/150 BUT there is a scratch right in the middle of the front element.

Is this 'hands-off' or does it not really matter? Advice please!

 

Mammy645

New member
Prices on lenses with scratches is way below mint ones and usually hard to sell, so as long as the price you have been given reflects this then there's probably nothing to worry about image-quality wise.
 

danlindberg

Well-known member
Gerald, :D:D:D now, that's what I call scratches. Amazing about the result!!! In other words - the tiny scratch on this particular lens shouldn't cause quality problems!

Mammy, very true and something to take into consideration. But at the same time, if the lens performs it 'should' pay for itself pretty quickly...
 

mmbma

Active member
If you have a high resolution back, the scratch might actually show. ( I have a tiny scratch on my 120 macro and it shows in the final image). nothing you can't fix by using spot removal though.

Just know when you sell it it'll also fetch a very low price. As long as you are cool with that, no issue
 

weinlamm

Member
Against the flare-problem fill the scratch with a black edding; then it's "nearly new".

I think on pictures with f16 or in this kind you should see anything; but in the most you shouldn't see it. I think it not very much more than dust on the sensor... ;)
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Dan,

In my experience these types of wounds only come home to hurt you when there's a potential for flare. Myself and a couple of others I know who've had the inevitable ding on a Nikon 14-24 front element found that the only side effect was a refraction flare when caught by the sun. (Btw, I'm one of three that I know who've ding'd that damn lens and had the hood self destruct which caused the damage, not hitting the actual element on anything).
 

Stefan Steib

Active member
Scratches on the front element are normally uncritical (unless they are HUGE) . What´s to avoid is the back lens scratched.

I think I had several hard scratches on my lenses during the years and I never did see anything on the slides nor the files.

Greetings from Right now Aachen
Stefan
 

Shashin

Well-known member
The only situation would be with back light (sunlight directly entering the lens) would give flare. I had a Helipan filter with an air bubble that would make a faint point of light on my image if shooting into the light. (I don't buy Helipan filters anymore, especially in the States where the warrantee service is a nightmare.)
 

neil

New member
There are so many of these lens available in the used market and people keep reducing the price as they cannot sell them. In Tokyo the difference between a new looking one and a well used one can be as little as 100 $

( With digital I found a few things to be careful of. Make sure the helicoil is not worn. Make sure it can turn in very fine increments with no slip. Some of these lens focus past infinity and some hit the helicoil stop before infinity, meaning you cannot get infinity without stopping down a lot. Worth checking these things before buying)

Neil
 
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weinlamm

Member
A black edding. A black painter like this.

For me, the only problem should be back light and flares on the scratch with that. And against this the edding/sharpie/... should help.
I laughed a little bit, I read the first time - but it helps really. You minimize the reflexes on the edge to a minimum with this.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
Thanks Christian. Good to know. I can see how you could fill a ding with that or maybe a sharpie and avoid potential reflections/refraction from going on.
 
As long as you don't plan on reselling it, go for it. The way optics are designed, a scratch on the front element (especially small like that one) will do absolutely nothing negative as far as image quality. If it is a good deal, go for it!
 
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