[Craigbob]

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I have an opportunity to purchase an A 400mm lens at a good price, but it has scratches on the front element and i'm wondering if it's worth buying the lens.

Here's the best image of the scratches. How much will these affect image quality? I already have the 150-450 lens, so I'm not huting for the focal length. But It would be nice to have a 400mm Prime.

[ramseybuckeye]

Hard to say with the photo, but to me that doesn't look like scratches, more like something on the inside, then with possible fungus

[jslifoaw]

If you have the 150-450, probably just recommend to pass since you’ve already got a better 400/5.6!

That’s just too many scratches to be worth using or keeping given what you already have at your disposal.

There’s a slight chance those are just grease marks so if you can see it in person you might be able to try using a lens wipe. i can’t tell from the one image alone.

[Just1MoreDave]

I'd pay $100. I bet the seller will not take $100. The thing is, you are also buying a lens that's tough to sell.

[Craigbob]

If you have the 150-450, probably just recommend to pass since you’ve already got a better 400/5.6!

That’s just too many scratches to be worth using or keeping given what you already have at your disposal.

There’s a slight chance those are just grease marks so if you can see it in person you might be able to try using a lens wipe. i can’t tell from the one image alone.

Seller is sure they're scratches. It's online sale and that's the only image of the scratches.

What price would get you to buy it?

---------- Post added 01-05-23 at 07:46 PM ----------

I'd pay $100. I bet the seller will not take $100. The thing is, you are also buying a lens that's tough to sell.

Seller is asking a lot less than $100.00

Aside from the scratches, why is it a hard lens to sell?

I wouldn't be reselling it, but would use it. Possibly for astro or birding/wildlife.

---------- Post added 01-05-23 at 07:47 PM ----------

I'd pay $100. I bet the seller will not take $100. The thing is, you are also buying a lens that's tough to sell.

Seller is asking a lot less than $100.00

Aside from the scratches, why is it a hard lens to sell?

I wouldn't be reselling it, but would use it. Possibly for astro or birding/wildlife.

[jslifoaw]

Seller is sure they're scratches. It's online sale and that's the only image of the scratches.

What price would get you to buy it?

---------- Post added 01-05-23 at 07:46 PM ----------



Seller is asking a lot less than $100.00

Aside from the scratches, why is it a hard lens to sell?

I wouldn't be reselling it, but would use it. Possibly for astro or birding/wildlife.

---------- Post added 01-05-23 at 07:47 PM ----------



Seller is asking a lot less than $100.00

Aside from the scratches, why is it a hard lens to sell?

I wouldn't be reselling it, but would use it. Possibly for astro or birding/wildlife.

For a lot less than $100, it might be worth obtaining purely out of curiosity to play around with. Just bear in mind your 150-450 will be better in pretty much every situation you would consider using either (you might use it in hazardous situations where you don’t want to risk ruining your 150-450)

I think the challenge of re-selling is that the number of people interested to begin with is probably quite slim, and of those, many may hesitate to pay any amount given the scratches (short of getting it for free).

For the price range you’re quoting, it may not be a bad opportunity!

[UncleVanya]

It will look cool on the shelf for that kind of money.

Front element scratches will have a subtle impact except when strong light hits them at just the right angle.

Lens Rentals | Blog

Also you can use a black marker to fill scratches and reduce the possibility that light will illuminate and make them visible: Flickr: Discussing Repairing scratched lens with black marker in I Shoot Film

[ZombieArmy]

That kind of damage would concern me. Could potentially reduce contrast and scatter light. Wouldn't spend anywhere close to value.

[ProfessorBuzz]

Hard to say with the photo, but to me that doesn't look like scratches, more like something on the inside, then with possible fungus

I agree - I suspect fungus as well inside. Scratches tend to be more parallel (radial) or swirled. Also looks like it was poorly cleaned - streaked. I'd avoid this one.

[Craigbob]

here's the listing for the lens. I put in for a max of 50 and was outbid. I don't feel too badly about it since I still have the 150-450.

SMC Pentax-A 400mm f/5.6 K Mount Telephoto Lens | eBay

[ZombieArmy]

here's the listing for the lens. I put in for a max of 50 and was outbid. I don't feel too badly about it since I still have the 150-450.

SMC Pentax-A 400mm f/5.6 K Mount Telephoto Lens | eBay

Honestly you likely weren't missing much from this example.