Win a Pentax Limited Lens: Raffle Now Live!

astronomer08 · 10-10-2017, 07:15 PM

hello everyone..

sorry to carrying bad news.. but I really need experts help

I got 35mm 2.0f smc-m lens from ebay. seller's review was very good. but when I got my lens it looks like this
I looked up and found this is fungus. I dont think this much of fungus can develop within a week especially its not summer...
I looked up youtube that some one fixing the lens by himself

I am wondering if this is possible to fix it...
he refuse to give shipping fee.. and complaining that this happened during shipping.. sigh..
I dont know what to do..

thank you for listening, wish me luck...

Attached Images

Adam · 10-10-2017, 07:24 PM

That looks pretty bad! Can't comment on the disassembly, but did you open an ebay claim?

XIXI · 10-10-2017, 07:33 PM

I would let Ebay chase him for the money.

You can clean the fungus, there are videos on youtube.

**twilhelm** · 10-10-2017, 07:33 PM

That doesn’t happen in shipping! Open an EBay claim first.
I have cleaned fungus from lenses, but it’s hit or miss. You really need to go after the seller on this one.

6BQ5 · 10-10-2017, 07:49 PM

Yikes, that's pretty bad!

I don't mean to take sides but I have had a similar experience in the past. A few years ago I bought a lens from a seller on eBay. The lens was well photographed and very clean in the listing's photos. It arrived with fungus all over the front and rear elements. I bought the lens in the winter and I suspect the package went through some extreme temperature cycling that caused condensation to form. This moisture fed whatever dormant spores could have been resting on the glass. It was a bad experience.

I opened a case, returned the lens, and got my money back. It's been long enough that I can't remember if I paid for return shipping. I think it would have $7 or so. That's cost of risk, I suppose. The seller probably wasn't too happy about the return but he was cool.

Good luck!

**clackers** · 10-10-2017, 08:26 PM

This is fraud, Astronomer!

toptenmaterial · 10-10-2017, 08:34 PM

You can ship an open container of yogurt and it will look better than this lens. Have no guilt about opening a claim. I'm sorry you got burned, it happens. I've gotten stuck with lemon cars before. Unfortunately not everyone is on the up and up.

eBay/PayPal should get you your dough but you'll have to be proactive and do all the protocol right. In the meanwhile, clean up the lens and start shooting!!

I'm sure it'll work out. Just another bump in the road my friend.

EDIT: If the guy doesn't relent, it's ok to call him out publicly by name. Atariage.com for example has a thread for known scammers.

ripper2860 · 10-10-2017, 09:19 PM - **1 Like**

I have filed an eBay claim for a lens that was represented as clean but when it arrived had significant fungus. The seller did not want to pay for shipping back to him and would not refund the shipping to me. After filing the claim, eBay reviewed and contacted the seller. Shortly after eBay got involved, I received pre-paid shipping label from the seller and upon receipt of the lens the seller refunded the full amount + the original shipping. eBay does not play when it comes to sellers misrepresenting their items. Go ahead and file a claim.

DeadJohn · 10-10-2017, 10:02 PM

A lens does not go from good to that much fungus during shipping. And, even if it did, the seller is responsible.

**clickclick** · 10-11-2017, 04:29 AM - **1 Like**

Open up a claim ASAP. I've had a lens and a tripod I bought off eBay that were not as advertised. The seller of the lens was easy and immediately granted a refund and told me to keep the lens (haze on an M 100/4 macro). The tripod is a massive Bogen-Manfroto, and one of the legs (aluminum tubing) had a dent from being overtightened. The seller claimed it was done in shipping and not his problem and told me to open a claim with the Post Office. Turns out he had no insurance and it was only for $50 - not enough. Bottom line is I ended up going through eBay resolution, uploaded photos with a narrative, and in about two days got an email back from eBay saying I had a refund, and I could keep the tripod. Don't delay, and stand firm. That lens is a mess, and you should not get stuck paying for it. Also, retropsectively I went and looked at the comments the seller of the tripod had left for other people, and if I had done that first, I never would have gone for it. I've gotten much more careful to check out feedback and look at what sellers have posted in response to customers and feedback they've left for others. My final eBay story is a AF540FGZ flash that did a puff of smoke when zoomed to wide angle. I think the seller honestly didn't realize it did that since it only happened when the flash was zoomed for wide. He gave me an immediate refund and paid for return shipping. I got a chuckle when I saw it re-listed not long after, with an accurate description describing the puff of smoke, and the price greatly reduced. So don't give up on eBay totally, but be careful, and carefully check out the feedback scores. Between eBay and PayPal, you ought to be pretty safe.

MysteryOnion · 10-11-2017, 05:14 AM - **1 Like**

That is a nasty specimen...yikes.

As all have already said...Chase seller first.

Depending on conditions, the fungus might have done serious damage or hardly any.
I can't tell by pictures.
I've gone after many fungus lenses...on purpose...and only two out of dozens (44-48 lenses...lost count) were beyond cleaning.

MysteryOnion · 10-11-2017, 05:15 AM - **1 Like**

That is a nasty specimen...yikes.

As all have already said...Chase seller first.

Depending on conditions, the fungus might have done serious damage or hardly any.
I can't tell by pictures.
I've gone after many fungus lenses...on purpose...and only two out of dozens (44-48 lenses...lost count) were beyond cleaning.

**kernos** · 10-11-2017, 06:17 AM

Got a science experiment for sure there. Was the fungus visible on the pictures of the lens? Sometimes a seller will say that the pictures are part of the representation of the lens. Do post the original listing so we all can have a look. If for any reason this doesn't work out, PF member dcshooter can clean this for not a lot of money. He's successfully cleaned a number of lenses for me.

MysteryOnion · 10-11-2017, 09:15 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by kernos

Was the fungus visible on the pictures of the lens? Sometimes a seller will say that the pictures are part of the...

If you are good at looking at the images via a Photoshop or GIMP or your favorite flavor... toy with the levels and curves to look deeper into the provided images.
Especially if the images show signs of painting or covering up of details. If the image is overcooked or showing odd "jaggies", that is a walk away.
If you can access the sellers posted images still, give it a try. How much can you see or did the aperture get stopped down to f22 to prevent you from noticing?

**mattb123** · 10-11-2017, 09:22 AM - **2 Likes**

If the lens was described as not having haze or fungus then you should file a claim and don't try to fix it yourself.
If it was "as-is" without much detail you may be stuck with it.

10-10-2017, 07:15 PM	#1
astronomer08 New Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 14	Please help..! I got scammed, need to fix the lens... hello everyone.. sorry to carrying bad news.. but I really need experts help I got 35mm 2.0f smc-m lens from ebay. seller's review was very good. but when I got my lens it looks like this I looked up and found this is fungus. I dont think this much of fungus can develop within a week especially its not summer... I looked up youtube that some one fixing the lens by himself I am wondering if this is possible to fix it... he refuse to give shipping fee.. and complaining that this happened during shipping.. sigh.. I dont know what to do.. thank you for listening, wish me luck... Attached Images

10-10-2017, 07:24 PM	#2
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,609	That looks pretty bad! Can't comment on the disassembly, but did you open an ebay claim? Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

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10-10-2017, 07:33 PM	#3
XIXI New Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 8	I would let Ebay chase him for the money. You can clean the fungus, there are videos on youtube.

10-10-2017, 07:33 PM	#4
twilhelm Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Florida Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,369	That doesn’t happen in shipping! Open an EBay claim first. I have cleaned fungus from lenses, but it’s hit or miss. You really need to go after the seller on this one.

10-10-2017, 07:49 PM	#5
6BQ5 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Nevada, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,348	Yikes, that's pretty bad! I don't mean to take sides but I have had a similar experience in the past. A few years ago I bought a lens from a seller on eBay. The lens was well photographed and very clean in the listing's photos. It arrived with fungus all over the front and rear elements. I bought the lens in the winter and I suspect the package went through some extreme temperature cycling that caused condensation to form. This moisture fed whatever dormant spores could have been resting on the glass. It was a bad experience. I opened a case, returned the lens, and got my money back. It's been long enough that I can't remember if I paid for return shipping. I think it would have $7 or so. That's cost of risk, I suppose. The seller probably wasn't too happy about the return but he was cool. Good luck!

10-10-2017, 08:26 PM	#6
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	This is fraud, Astronomer!

10-10-2017, 08:34 PM	#7
toptenmaterial Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 80	You can ship an open container of yogurt and it will look better than this lens. Have no guilt about opening a claim. I'm sorry you got burned, it happens. I've gotten stuck with lemon cars before. Unfortunately not everyone is on the up and up. eBay/PayPal should get you your dough but you'll have to be proactive and do all the protocol right. In the meanwhile, clean up the lens and start shooting!! I'm sure it'll work out. Just another bump in the road my friend. EDIT: If the guy doesn't relent, it's ok to call him out publicly by name. Atariage.com for example has a thread for known scammers.

10-10-2017, 09:19 PM - 1 Like	#8
ripper2860 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 890	I have filed an eBay claim for a lens that was represented as clean but when it arrived had significant fungus. The seller did not want to pay for shipping back to him and would not refund the shipping to me. After filing the claim, eBay reviewed and contacted the seller. Shortly after eBay got involved, I received pre-paid shipping label from the seller and upon receipt of the lens the seller refunded the full amount + the original shipping. eBay does not play when it comes to sellers misrepresenting their items. Go ahead and file a claim.

10-10-2017, 10:02 PM	#9
DeadJohn Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,834	A lens does not go from good to that much fungus during shipping. And, even if it did, the seller is responsible.

10-11-2017, 04:29 AM - 1 Like	#10
clickclick Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2016 Location: East Coast Posts: 2,904	Open up a claim ASAP. I've had a lens and a tripod I bought off eBay that were not as advertised. The seller of the lens was easy and immediately granted a refund and told me to keep the lens (haze on an M 100/4 macro). The tripod is a massive Bogen-Manfroto, and one of the legs (aluminum tubing) had a dent from being overtightened. The seller claimed it was done in shipping and not his problem and told me to open a claim with the Post Office. Turns out he had no insurance and it was only for $50 - not enough. Bottom line is I ended up going through eBay resolution, uploaded photos with a narrative, and in about two days got an email back from eBay saying I had a refund, and I could keep the tripod. Don't delay, and stand firm. That lens is a mess, and you should not get stuck paying for it. Also, retropsectively I went and looked at the comments the seller of the tripod had left for other people, and if I had done that first, I never would have gone for it. I've gotten much more careful to check out feedback and look at what sellers have posted in response to customers and feedback they've left for others. My final eBay story is a AF540FGZ flash that did a puff of smoke when zoomed to wide angle. I think the seller honestly didn't realize it did that since it only happened when the flash was zoomed for wide. He gave me an immediate refund and paid for return shipping. I got a chuckle when I saw it re-listed not long after, with an accurate description describing the puff of smoke, and the price greatly reduced. So don't give up on eBay totally, but be careful, and carefully check out the feedback scores. Between eBay and PayPal, you ought to be pretty safe.

10-11-2017, 05:14 AM - 1 Like	#11
MysteryOnion Giveaway winner! Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: beantown Photos: Albums Posts: 944	That is a nasty specimen...yikes. As all have already said...Chase seller first. Depending on conditions, the fungus might have done serious damage or hardly any. I can't tell by pictures. I've gone after many fungus lenses...on purpose...and only two out of dozens (44-48 lenses...lost count) were beyond cleaning.

10-11-2017, 05:15 AM - 1 Like	#12
MysteryOnion Giveaway winner! Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: beantown Photos: Albums Posts: 944	That is a nasty specimen...yikes. As all have already said...Chase seller first. Depending on conditions, the fungus might have done serious damage or hardly any. I can't tell by pictures. I've gone after many fungus lenses...on purpose...and only two out of dozens (44-48 lenses...lost count) were beyond cleaning.

10-11-2017, 06:17 AM	#13
kernos Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 456	Got a science experiment for sure there. Was the fungus visible on the pictures of the lens? Sometimes a seller will say that the pictures are part of the representation of the lens. Do post the original listing so we all can have a look. If for any reason this doesn't work out, PF member dcshooter can clean this for not a lot of money. He's successfully cleaned a number of lenses for me.

10-11-2017, 09:15 AM - 1 Like	#14
MysteryOnion Giveaway winner! Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: beantown Photos: Albums Posts: 944	Originally posted by kernos Was the fungus visible on the pictures of the lens? Sometimes a seller will say that the pictures are part of the... If you are good at looking at the images via a Photoshop or GIMP or your favorite flavor... toy with the levels and curves to look deeper into the provided images. Especially if the images show signs of painting or covering up of details. If the image is overcooked or showing odd "jaggies", that is a walk away. If you can access the sellers posted images still, give it a try. How much can you see or did the aperture get stopped down to f22 to prevent you from noticing?

10-11-2017, 09:22 AM - 2 Likes	#15
mattb123 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Colorado High Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,874	If the lens was described as not having haze or fungus then you should file a claim and don't try to fix it yourself. If it was "as-is" without much detail you may be stuck with it.

Please help..! I got scammed, need to fix the lens...

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