Rare lens damaged in shipping, what would you do?

Nov 12, 2016
910
615
I ordered a 200 1.8, it arrived damaged. It was a good deal to begin with since it was missing the hood. It arrived with the ring around the front bent in two spots. The seller offered a refund, but I'm tempted to negotiate a large discount on it since it's damaged noe, and keep it. I know I won't be able to get parts for it, but maybe this ring can easily be removed and straightened out? Does anyone know? I'm also kinda concerned about the rest of the lens since obviously it took a pretty good hit.

Overall I'm just really angry that another one of these amazing and rare lenses is now damaged because it wasn't packed well.

What do you guys think?2018-11-17 09.16.13.jpg2018-11-17 09.15.50.jpg
 
Mar 25, 2011
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The ring can be straightened, I have a tool to do that. The big concern is internal damage. The dented ring is a hint that worse damage is inside. You can't normally tell if a part is cracked because it may continue to work for a while, or alignment is messed up so its not optically as it should be.

I'd ask for a big discount, and then send it to TF Camera (https://www.facebook.com/pages/T-F-Camera-Repair/122693011122264), my first choice, or to Midwest camera (http://www.midwestcamera.com/). They can make adjustments to restore it optically, but if there are cracked parts, it depends on being able to find a used part. They know where used parts can be found. Call them first and send photos.
 
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If it is aluminum fixing it might lead to cracks in the metal. If you’ve had a chance to test, Does this effect images in any way? I’d be tempted to use as is if you can get a discount. On your image the larger dent looks like it is associated with displacement of the black white material junction and oxidized material seems to be coming out, maybe.

Was it insured for shipping?

“Overall I'm just really angry that another one of these amazing and rare lenses is now damaged”. I feel your pain.
 
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Nov 12, 2016
910
615
Yeah, I live about 15-20min away from Midwest Camera, so that's a plus. I'll probably show it to them and see what they think. I'm struggling to come up with what would be a fair value for this lens though. I mean based on what you said, you almost have to price it like a broken lens, right? Because who knows what may be broken inside. And there's also the uncertainty of even being able to repair it, which is another big unknown. Honestly what I'm willing to pay for a lens in this state (not much) is probably less than the shop I bought it from would be willing to ket me keep it for. It'd be different if I could be assured that it could be fixed, but without that assurance, it's a pretty big unknown.
 
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Nov 12, 2016
910
615
If it is aluminum fixing it might lead to cracks in the metal. If you’ve had a chance to test, Does this effect images in any way? I’d be tempted to use as is if you can get a discount. On your image the larger dent looks like it is associated with displacement of the black white material junction and oxidized material seems to be coming out, maybe.

Was it insured for shipping?

“Overall I'm just really angry that another one of these amazing and rare lenses is now damaged”. I feel your pain.
Seems like it takes pretty good photos. Seems fairly sharp wide open, even though I've never used another one before to have an idea of how it's supposed to be. I noticed that the ring that's dented is metal (aluminum?) with a rubber sleeve over it. I pulled away the rubber a little bit, and it does seem like the ring is cracked where the larger dent is. But, it's a crack that runs along the radius of the ring. It's not like the ring itself is broken to where it wouldn't hold the lens element in place, if that's what it does.

No idea if it was insured. I don't really care as the shop I bought it from already offered me a refund. If I send it back, it's their problem, but then I don't get to have a 200 1.8. :confused:
 
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Dec 13, 2010
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I would either send it back and be done with it and find another. Or send it for service and you get a REAL answer to what’s wrong with it and if it can be fixed and how much it will cost. If they can repair it for a thousand dollars that is the discount you should get.

Or you could make the shop take it back and they can send it for repair and you can buy it again for the same price once it’s fixed. They have insurance.
 
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Vivid Color

CR Pro
Dec 7, 2012
437
2
Why do you say you’ll probably go to Midwest Camera and show the lens to them? You don’t live very far away, just make an appointment and go there. It seems like they would have the answers to/advice regarding all of your questions, including whether the lens can be fixed, how much that would cost, or what a fair price would be for this lens in its current condition. They can give you the information you need to make an informed decision.

And, please, get the lens out of the cup holder in your car. If I were the seller and saw those photos, I would think that the lens was damaged by falling out of the cupholder while you were driving around. I believe you when you say the lens was damaged in transit, but a photo of the lens next to the damaged box would be much more compelling to the seller.
 
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Nov 12, 2016
910
615
Why do you say you’ll probably go to Midwest Camera and show the lens to them? You don’t live very far away, just make an appointment and go there. It seems like they would have the answers to/advice regarding all of your questions, including whether the lens can be fixed, how much that would cost, or what a fair price would be for this lens in its current condition. They can give you the information you need to make an informed decision.
Because they are closed on the weekends.

And, please, get the lens out of the cup holder in your car. If I were the seller and saw those photos, I would think that the lens was damaged by falling out of the cupholder while you were driving around. I believe you when you say the lens was damaged in transit, but a photo of the lens next to the damaged box would be much more compelling to the seller.
Please don't critique the conditions under which I take photos of damaged lenses, especially when you know nothing about the situation. I had to go to the post office on Saturday morning to pick up the lens, and I was on my way to a job I had to be at Saturday morning. (It was a tree-cutting job, nothing to do with photography.) I didn't have time to go back home and take careful, detailed photos of the lens, and I wanted to notify the seller as early as possible to make sure that they didn't suspect that I had damaged the lens myself after receiving it. The lens was also from Japan, so I wanted to send a message as quickly as possible to hopefully get a response from them before it was the middle of the night over there. The back of the lens fit perfectly in the cup holder. It's plastic, so it's not going to scratch the outside of the lens. So in a pinch, it was a good way to hold the lens to get a photo of it. I've been very careful with the lens before and after this. I even carried it into the house of the person I was doing tree work for and kept it inside their house just to prevent somebody stealing it from my car.

You seem to be very quick to make judgments without knowing very much about the situations you're making judgments about. It's very easy to see that Midwest Camera is not open on weekends, and obviously you knew nothing about the circumstances surrounding those photos. Do a little research or ask questions before you instantly assume I'm foolish or careless.
 
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Del Paso

M3 Singlestroke
CR Pro
Aug 9, 2018
3,276
4,158
Hello!
I wouldn't hesitate one single second and send it back for a refund.
Lenses could be even slightly out of alignment, and so, you'd obtain poor results. Additionally, this is a collector's item, but ONLY in undamaged condition, and so, impossible to sell later on.
Send it back, since you seem to have dealt with a honest shop!
 
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Nov 12, 2016
910
615
Yeah, more and more I'm leaning towards just sending it back and being done with it. The thing is, cosmetically, other than obviously the damage, it seems like it's in pretty good shape. Most of the ones I see come up for sale are pretty beaten up, cosmetically. This one isn't. And it does seem to still take really good photos. It's just really hard to physically have a lens like this in my hands and just say no, I'm gonna send it back. :confused:
 
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Don Haines

Beware of cats with laser eyes!
Jun 4, 2012
8,246
1,939
Canada
Well, looks like all of this discussion is a moot point. Sounds like the shop that sold it is going to claim it under insurance, so no negotiating, I just have to send it back. And then who knows what happens to it from there.

God this sucks. If only they had packed it better I could be the proud owner of a 200 1.8.
I agree. It sucks!

As a service to others, could you show/explain how it was packed? Perhaps knowing what not to do could save someone else's lens in the future.
 
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Nov 12, 2016
910
615
I agree. It sucks!

As a service to others, could you show/explain how it was packed? Perhaps knowing what not to do could save someone else's lens in the future.
Basically just don't pack it like an idiot. The lens was wrapped in about one layer of bubble wrap (the small bubble type of wrap) and then put in a box with a bunch of those plastic air pillows. The box was a little bigger than the lens itself. When I initially took it out of the box, it was resting against one side of the box. By that I mean, a bunch of air pillows on top of it, but nothing cushioning one side of it aside from the one layer of bubble wrap it was in.

If it was me, I would use a box about twice as big as the lens, and I would absolutely entomb that thing in bubble wrap so it can't move around. The lens weighs like 6 pounds. If it's allowed to move around at all inside the box, it's gonna get damaged.
 
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Mar 25, 2011
16,848
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Well, looks like all of this discussion is a moot point. Sounds like the shop that sold it is going to claim it under insurance, so no negotiating, I just have to send it back. And then who knows what happens to it from there.

God this sucks. If only they had packed it better I could be the proud owner of a 200 1.8.


The packing was indeed inadequate. Many of them come with their hard case, the shop likely sold it separately. Leave feedback about the packing, who knows, the insurance company may read it and refuse to compensate them, Insurance only covers properly packed items.

File a claim with ebay immediately. Some sellers will drag out a refund claiming that they are waiting for insurance, but are really waiting until the deadline to file a claim expires. The claim will not count against them unless they do not refund your money promptly.
 
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