How ugly a lens would you buy?

[Hilde]

I am looking for Canon's discontinued 300mm f/2.8 IS on Ebay and I ask myself how ugly a lens I would accept. I don't have an answer to that. All my lenses are in mint condition, but some of the lenses sold on Ebay have are very ugly, although it is stated that the glass is not scratched and it is in perfect condition. One of the ugliest lenses had been manufactorer refurbished. For $3-4000, how ugly a lens could you accept? Could rough handling result in a shorter life or internal damage that can't be seen or any other ill effects that should make me cautious with attempting to buy a lens like that?

I would really appreciate all the input on this subject! Thanks!

Hilde

P.S. I can't get the search function to work on the forums so if the question has been asked before I apologize!

[HDNitehawk]

Sure rough handling could damage it, it is a percision instrument after all.

I paid $3800 for mine from B&H a bit over a year ago. They rated it as a 10, which is like new condition. When I got it, it was new condition. However, the lens has to be adjusted to +5 on every body I have. This tells me it's calibration is off, and probably why it was on the used market and not in it's original owners kit still. After I did an AF adjustment on it, it has worked to perfection.


Your high stakes gambling if your buying one on eBay. Just my opinion.
There is always a reason someone is selling their lens, sometimes the reason is the lens is a dog.

Certainly an ugly 300mm can give you near perfect results, and I sure wouldn't mind using a beat up one that performs. How would you know that buying it off eBay? I would want it at a really good discount, some day I will want to sell it.

[Hilde]

Thanks HDNitehawk!

I have never bought a lens on ebay before, I just assumed that sellers with up to 100% positive feedback could be trusted to a high degree. You were lucky to get yours at B & H for only $3800. The one they sell now is $5200. KEH does not have it right now. I bought a lens from KEH before and was very satisfied. I do not want to spend more than $4000, but I also don't want to gamble with that much money and risk getting a "dog". Darn, what do I do?

Hilde

[Hilde]

Thanks dr Croubie, that was helpful! (Paint scratches OK, look out for dents and dings.) One of the sellers states that he is selling because the lens has only been used a handful of times. How genuine could that be? Who would only use THAT lens a handful times and then sell it? :-) I'm OK with an off calibration since my 5D mkII lets me adjust calibration for every lens.

I thought I knew what a "dog" was, but now I am not sure. What is a "dog" lens?

Hilde

[HDNitehawk]

Thanks dr Croubie, that was helpful! (Paint scratches OK, look out for dents and dings.) One of the sellers states that he is selling because the lens has only been used a handful of times. How genuine could that be? Who would only use THAT lens a handful times and then sell it? :-) I'm OK with an off calibration since my 5D mkII lets me adjust calibration for every lens.

I thought I knew what a "dog" was, but now I am not sure. What is a "dog" lens?

Hilde

I just used the slang word dog to describe bad. It is not a lens description term.

As far as using it a handfull of times, I think it is a very believable statement. I have used mine probably far less than 10 times in the last year. Since I am an amature with a few other lenses, a big specialty lens like this only gets used when you need it. For me it has been mainly at the kids and grandkids baseball and softball games.

Dings and scratches do not indicate a lens has been used a handfull of times. Allot of dings and scratches may indicate that it has been used professionally, employees tend to treat equipment rougher than owners. Amatures usualy baby there equipment because it is such a big expense for them. (for professionaly used keep in mind the ball games you might have seen, where the player runs over the photog and the lens goes flying)

In two years of using my 500mm F4L, which I use quit regularly, it has no scratches or abrasions at all on it.

The best senario you can find is an amature who is upgrading to the new 300mm F2.8L IS II. With the lens having very few scratches or marks.

Here is the main thing I would want with a lens this expensive: A uncoditional full refund return policy for the lens. This way you could check the lens out to make sure it worked mechanicaly the way it is supposed to.

[Hilde]

Thanks HDNitehawk, you are very helpful!!!

Hah, I have to start abusing my lenses so people would think I am a seasoned professional! ;-) I have seen a few of those ball game scenarios you describe!

If I can find a good deal on this lens I will definitely go with a seller who has an unconditional return policy. I guess it is obvious that I haven't bought a camera lens on ebay before! I have been wanting this lens for a long time and getting the II version is not an option as it is so much more expensive.

Hilde

[Dr Croubie]

I'd buy a lens that looked like this if it gave me pictures that looked like this.

In reality, paint scratching is fine with me, main thing to watch out for are dents and dings, especially on the filter threads (not that the 300/2.8 has them), that's your key that the lens has been dropped or banged, and with faster lenses the alignment of elements is all the more critical.

I've bought a few second-hand lenses off ebay, not all of them were dogs, especially the canon-brand lenses if the seller gives a genuine reason for selling, and/or they have a full kit split up for sale at the same time (like body, lenses, tripods, flash, etc), it may be stolen but not necessarily damaged :P
It's the ones who say "i don't know how to describe it as i'm not a camera guy" and then you see he's been selling lenses for years looking at his feedback, they're the sellers to avoid, you know the lens can't be in good nick then...

[Hilde]

I ended up not getting the 300mm f2.8 IS. Even if it is still my dream lens, I had to face the fact that a 200mm would be much more useful for my needs. I ended up ordering the 200mm f2.0, brand new, and I am very excited about that. I was worried about buying a used lens that expensive, I feel much better about getting a new lens, even if it is quite a bit more than I initially wanted to spend. I guess I never thought about the 200 before because I have the 70-200mm f/4 L. But since I upgraded from a 30D to 5D mkII, I am using the 24-105mm f/4 L IS 99% of the time, even if I have 4 other lenses for specific purposes (wide, tele, macro, fast). I love the lens, the IQ and the IS and I know I will love the 200mm too after seeing what it can do. Thanks for all the help guys! It is highly appreciated. With the 200 I might feel confident enough to try to participate in assignments. :-)

[HDNitehawk]

I ended up not getting the 300mm f2.8 IS. Even if it is still my dream lens, I had to face the fact that a 200mm would be much more useful for my needs. I ended up ordering the 200mm f2.0, brand new, and I am very excited about that. I was worried about buying a used lens that expensive, I feel much better about getting a new lens, even if it is quite a bit more than I initially wanted to spend. I guess I never thought about the 200 before because I have the 70-200mm f/4 L. But since I upgraded from a 30D to 5D mkII, I am using the 24-105mm f/4 L IS 99% of the time, even if I have 4 other lenses for specific purposes (wide, tele, macro, fast). I love the lens, the IQ and the IS and I know I will love the 200mm too after seeing what it can do. Thanks for all the help guys! It is highly appreciated. With the 200 I might feel confident enough to try to participate in assignments. :-)

Wow, you took a big jump up from wanting to buy an ugly lens. If the 200mm range fits your needs it should be an awesome lens.

[Hilde]

True HDNitehawk! I did try to find a used 200mm though, but they are so new and prices hold up pretty good, so it was better to get the new one, although it has a hefty pricetag as Bryan put it. I have to use it a LOT to justify the cost.