So many people are obsessed with cosmetics of the lenses that sometimes they take 45 minutes looking and re-looking at a lens that they are buying. I know this because I sell my share of stuff on Craigslisst. Sometimes I am tempted to say it in my post, that if you have a near disease-like requirement on cosmetics and neatness, please do not contact me. I, on the other hand, buy lenses to make pictures. I don't much care about cosmetics, or a few scratches here or there on the front element, as they hardly affect the image quality. The problem comes when time to sell some of these lenses. I really don't want the hassle of sitting there for an hour for someone to complain and whine about how this is not good and that looks bad. So I just keep them. Most of them aren't worth much anyway.
Perhaps, to reduce the number of lenses I may buy, I should acquire the same nick-picking attitude to make the seller mad, so that they would not sell it to me. But, in the mean time, I have hundreds of mostly worthless lenses sleeping in boxes.
Glowing Maple Leaves - Canon 1D Mark III & EF 200mm f1.8 @ f1.8. Click for larger.
I have less lenses than you, but have experienced a similar frustration. I like buying beat up lenses due to the value, but I know they may be hard to resell. The last lens I picked up was a Canon FD 300 2.8 L. Cosmetically it is a mess and it will not stop down past 2.8. However, I bought it for 2.8 and that works fine. I suspect it will be with me until I die as it will be hard to resell in it cosmetic shape (even if the aperture worked). Still a very good deal and am happy to have it.
ReplyDeleteSteve, precisely. Some of these lenses will be with me until the day I die, and then wife will promptly dump them to free up the spaces :)
Deleteyu lin, well said. i fully understand. i subscribe to your thinking: one man's discard, another man's reward. always function before form. please include me in your list of interested parties when you sell some of your treasure lenses.
ReplyDeleteregards.
Emmanuel, I sure will keep in in mind. Too bad you are not local!
DeleteI am pretty sure I saw your ad. I have a similar, but slightly different take. I have a rule that I must be able to at least break even later on in order for me to purchase. It doesn't always work, especially on digital bodies, but sometimes I make a profit, so it's pretty close. This keeps the costs down and allows me to try new stuff when I'm done for no real outlay. Usually I look for lenses that have good optics and poor mechanicals, as this is easy and relatively cheap to get fixed. Cosmetic condition isn't an issue for me, but as you mentioned, it may be for the next person, and so an appropriate price must be set.
ReplyDeleteJames, I wish I am as disciplined as you are when buying lenses. First and for most, my drive to buy a lens is to use it, especially when it's something that I have not yet tried before. Fortunately, some of the lenses I have bought did appreciate in value, and for that, I don't lose much when selling them later on. The less than great cosmetic lenses I normally don't even try to sell them any more.
DeleteSome people too expect mint/LNIB quality out of decades old lenses. One buyer once joked to me that you know the ones in rougher shape were used more because they were the good ones.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good one, and probably has a lot of truth to it. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteHey guys!
ReplyDeleteOf all diseases and and consuming passions we suffer: lens disease is infective but can milden the consequences of imprudent acquisitiveness on other stuff. At least it aided me to recover form this disease.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40401030@N03/8174809945/in/photostream
Lens acquisition syndrome is:
Joy for son, brother or neighbour - very high!
In digestion of cube meters and cupboards ... really not worth mentioning.
Drudgery for wife after decay? .... just one way with a golf rabbit to the next lens bugger store
(OK ... Yu-Lins wife must rent a light truck)
Lens collection .... what a great relieve! Since I collect .... I know what it means to breath!
Wow, is it the coffee that drives you to the machines, or the machines that drive you to the coffee. Some how, I think the name scarlatti has something to do with it?
DeleteYes, I don't regret my lens purchases. The joy they have given me, and the memories they leave behind is more than worth the money.
Thanks for sharing your collection, scarlatti.
Yu-Lin, ask your daughter! She is a piano player and she should know! The nickname Scarlatti is lent from Domenico Scarlatti ... the Ansel Adams of baroque keyboard music my favourite composer (and only known be some conaisseurs). Maybe she can play some bars? If not ... advise her to learn sonata K466 in f-minor.
ReplyDelete