[Ronald Oakes]

Recently I have been looking for a 500mm SMC-Pentax lens on E-Bay.
What I found kinda shocks me and really puts me off a bit.
A seller will list an externally nice looking lens rated at Excellent+++++ in the description and I think OK...Great !
Then upon further reading the description closely I find FUNGUS listed in the description ?
How can a seller rate a lens as EXC+++++ with ANY Fungus at all present ?
I find this very misleading at the least , and it makes me extremely wary.
I refuse to bring Typhoid Mary into my collection....lol
Very Confused !

[zapp]

Why? Because they just do it. World is evil, read the fine print.
Everything is s ex+++, near my not these days. Alternative facts maybe.

[boriscleto]

Remember, in Japan EXC++++ means it may or may not have been found under a haystack in a farmyard.

[Ronald Oakes]

Remember, in Japan EXC++++ means it may or may not have been found under a haystack in a farmyard.

Or under a Bridge after a Tsunami ?

---------- Post added 08-24-19 at 08:24 ----------

Why? Because they just do it. World is evil, read the fine print.
Everything is s ex+++, near my not these days. Alternative facts maybe.

I even found one that said "Near Mint" and had fungus.....lol

[Not a Number]

1st case: It is excellent fungus.

2nd case: If it didn't have fungus it would be rated mint!

[Ronald Oakes]

1st case: It is excellent fungus.

2nd case: If it didn't have fungus it would be rated mint!

ROFLOL.....Oh Myyy….Whats the World come to ?.....lol
I would hate to see one rated at GOOD condition....Yikes !!!

[luftfluss]

Yes, this has been an unfortunate trend among the Japanese ebay stores over the last couple of years. Fortunately, they are still among the best in stating defects and posting photos that show the defects.

My K500/4.5 (purchased from Japan) had been "cleaned" and while there was obvious coating damage, the lens itself performs as expected.

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Last edited by luftfluss; 08-24-2019 at 09:21 AM.

[pepperberry farm]

always, always read the description... then read it again....

[boriscleto]

I've been looking for a non-metered Nikon F eye level finder. They range in price from $200 to $60-70. Anything priced below $100 has either fungus or prism de-silvering. Why does a decent non-metered prism cost more than I paid for the camera with a Fotomic & lens? There is a decently priced waist level finder from a US seller...

[termy]

i have bought items (on eBay) from sellers in UK, USA, Japan, Spain, Italy, Australia.

Thus far, Japanese sellers are pretty honest lot.

Yes they may rate something as "Exc+++++", but at least they state "fungus" if presence of fungus is there.
Perhaps their "Exc+++++" is more towards "physical cosmetic condition" of the item.

And thus far, the worst i encountered was seller based in Australia.
Lens clearly had fungus but indicated "lens is without fungus".

By and large, for my side of things, Japanese sellers are somewhat "conservative", as compared to those from USA, UK, Australia, and more likely than not, will point out anomalies.

AND, as with all things, and be it seller from Japan or USA or Australia, be sure to read descriptions carefull and read in full.

[Ontarian50]

I've been looking for a non-metered Nikon F eye level finder. They range in price from $200 to $60-70. Anything priced below $100 has either fungus or prism de-silvering. Why does a decent non-metered prism cost more than I paid for the camera with a Fotomic & lens? There is a decently priced waist level finder from a US seller...

Non metered prisms have been in high demand for the last 20 years, as the number of Photomic prisms with failing meters grows. Everyone with a dead Photomic tells themself "I'll just get a non metered prism and use my trusty Minolta meter" - except that everyone else is saying the same thing, and they're all on the hunt for the plain prisms. Supply and demand.

As for the "decently priced waist level"; save your money. I stupidly bought one for my F2 many years ago, thinking it would be a cool addition to my F2 accessory kit. It takes only a minute to figure out how useless a waist level is on a 35mm. The image is teeny tiny, at a waist level distance, and using the magnifier is essential all the time. And while a waist level is a fine way to use a 6x6 Hasselblad, on a rectangular format 35mm turning the camera sideways for a vertical shot is almost impossible with the waist level (held up to eye level, and looking at the image upside down, no fun).

[Apet-Sure]

always, always read the description... then read it again....

And never, never buy from a seller whose approval rating is less than 96%, according to one source I read.

[pepperberry farm]

And never, never buy from a seller whose approval rating is less than 96%, according to one source I read.

I wouldn't make it a regular thing, but I have taken chances on sellers with less-than-stellar approval ratings, mainly because the pics+description+price were enough for me...

[Biff]

They clearly disclosed the fungus, among other things about the lens.

I certainly wouldn't take personally how someone chooses to post an eBay add. It's their integrity as a seller that's on the line.

[stevebrot]

And never, never buy from a seller whose approval rating is less than 96%, according to one source I read.

Corollaries being:

• Never buy from a seller that responds to a question by appealing to their feedback score
• Never buy a lens from a seller that uses the phrase, "does not affect image quality"
• Never buy from a seller that claims ignorance regarding a specialty item, especially if being offered with a "no returns" policy

Steve