What's Been Your Experience with KEH.com Lately? Mine... not so good

Fenwoodian · 10-12-2019, 12:25 PM - **1 Like**

.
Earlier this week, a fellow member of Pentax Forums bought an excellent+ rated Zeiss ZF Classic 21mm f/2.8 lens from KEH.com. He paid about $750 for it and had it shipped directly from KEH to me for me to install a permanent Leitax adapter on it.

When this lens arrived, I inspected it and was surprised to find that the lens' body and mount were quite dirty, and there were oily fingerprints all over the front element. I cleaned up the lens and found that under the grime it was a quite nice lens and that the front element had not been scratched by the greasy fingers. It used to be that a $750 excellent+ lens from KEH would be very clean.

Today I received 5 front lens caps that I ordered from KEH a few days ago. One was broken and one was very worn.

This is not the type of service/products I've become accustomed to receiving from KEH over the many years I've done business with them. Lately I've had better results buying from sellers here on the Pentax Forums and on Ebay than I've had with KEH.

What's been your experience with KEH lately?

Last edited by Fenwoodian; 10-12-2019 at 12:37 PM.

**luftfluss** · 10-12-2019, 01:17 PM - **1 Like**

Just this week I returned a DA 12-24. Horrible optically.

I've kept track since my first purchase from them a decade ago. 15 purchases, 8 returns.

stevebrot · 10-12-2019, 02:06 PM

Recently, what I look for, they don't have. I have made a number of purchases from them (20+) in the last decade and have only returned one item as unacceptable, that being a Toyo 120 roll film holder for 4x5. It was then that I realized that maybe Ex means something different for used goods that were used professionally. I also asked to return a mis-identified Tamron adapter, but they just issued a refund and said keep it. I might also add that I don't buy stuff of recent manufacture, except maybe rangefinder lenses. I also never buy stuff graded "BGN" or "UGLY".

Steve

texandrews · 10-12-2019, 02:34 PM

All of my experiences with them have been great.

**dms** · 10-12-2019, 03:37 PM - **1 Like**

Recently (last 3 months) careless--twice ordered Nikon PC 35mm f/2.8 lens with black knob and received w/ silver knob (pre AI). Before that (over 10 years) rarely a problem. About 6 months ago I ordered camera and lens and they were fine.

lytrytyr · 10-12-2019, 03:47 PM

Originally posted by Fenwoodian

What's been your experience with KEH lately?

They went south a couple of years ago.

The "lens cap" on the last lens I bought from them
was as flimsy as the cap on a beaker of yoghurt,
and had allowed the front element to get scratched.

7.62lew · 10-12-2019, 05:48 PM

I've had good luck with them over the years. I had purchased something that went on sale about 12 hrs after I bought it and they refunded the difference. It was Like New minus but the only thing that was minus was a small scratch on the product label and it was around 30% the price of a new one. Their prices are usually pretty good and the 180 day warranty gives me some comfort (though luckily I've never had to try out the warranty) I hope their quality control is not getting out of sorts.

amstel78 · 10-12-2019, 07:01 PM

Last purchase from KEH (which way only about 8 months ago) ended in a return. Ordered an EX+ Pentax ME Super. Camera that arrived had a busted film rewind mechanism. WTF was the only thing I could say...

I've ordered a bunch of medium format stuff from them years ago and every item received from those orders matched the description. After my last experience though, I'd be hesitant to buy anything from them again.

Snapppy · 10-12-2019, 07:07 PM

Earlier this year I grabbed a Samyang 135mm in good condition. In my eyes, it was in excellent condition and packaged very well.

Sad to hear about yours and others experiences. Hope their return process isn't too rough.

**luftfluss** · 10-12-2019, 09:18 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Snapppy

Earlier this year I grabbed a Samyang 135mm in good condition. In my eyes, it was in excellent condition and packaged very well.

Sad to hear about yours and others experiences. Hope their return process isn't too rough.

The return process is easy these days - much easier than it was a few years ago, where if they disagreed with your reason for return you had to pay for return shipping. Now they cover everything.

The worst part of the porcess (IMO) is simply that if you bought something for an especially good price, or somethign that was hard to find, you lost ot on your deal.

I feel as though KEH doesn't actually test K-mount lenses, preferring to let the customer "test" them.

ZombieArmy · 10-12-2019, 10:35 PM

KEH is overpriced for stuff they don't check. Its a crap shoot because they do a very quick visual inspection only.

Almost everything I've bought from them has had to be returned.

**macman24054** · 10-13-2019, 02:27 AM

I must be one of the lucky ones. Every purchase I have made from them has ended in me being highly satisfied. I have found their grading system to be surprisingly strict (on par with Japanese Ebay grading).

Zooland · 10-13-2019, 03:12 AM

I would not buy anything used unless I see clear pictures.

**ivanvernon** · 10-13-2019, 03:53 AM - **3 Likes**

Keh is my favorite camera/lens supplier, but you cannot trust their ratings! I buy stuff marked Ugly and they send me Excellent stuff without a mark on it.

jddwoods · 10-13-2019, 06:40 AM

I bought the following lenses from KEH between 2013 and 2017: DA 21 Limited, FA 50 f1.7 and DA 16-85. All three were graded as LN- and all of them work well and look new. So, my experience has been very positive. Since I have not bought anything from them, however, in the last two years, I cannot say if they have gone downhill in the last two years or not. I will be monitoring this thread to see what others have to say.

10-12-2019, 12:25 PM - 1 Like	#1
Fenwoodian Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,874	What's Been Your Experience with KEH.com Lately? Mine... not so good . Earlier this week, a fellow member of Pentax Forums bought an excellent+ rated Zeiss ZF Classic 21mm f/2.8 lens from KEH.com. He paid about $750 for it and had it shipped directly from KEH to me for me to install a permanent Leitax adapter on it. When this lens arrived, I inspected it and was surprised to find that the lens' body and mount were quite dirty, and there were oily fingerprints all over the front element. I cleaned up the lens and found that under the grime it was a quite nice lens and that the front element had not been scratched by the greasy fingers. It used to be that a $750 excellent+ lens from KEH would be very clean. Today I received 5 front lens caps that I ordered from KEH a few days ago. One was broken and one was very worn. This is not the type of service/products I've become accustomed to receiving from KEH over the many years I've done business with them. Lately I've had better results buying from sellers here on the Pentax Forums and on Ebay than I've had with KEH. What's been your experience with KEH lately? Last edited by Fenwoodian; 10-12-2019 at 12:37 PM.

10-12-2019, 02:06 PM	#3
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Recently, what I look for, they don't have. I have made a number of purchases from them (20+) in the last decade and have only returned one item as unacceptable, that being a Toyo 120 roll film holder for 4x5. It was then that I realized that maybe Ex means something different for used goods that were used professionally. I also asked to return a mis-identified Tamron adapter, but they just issued a refund and said keep it. I might also add that I don't buy stuff of recent manufacture, except maybe rangefinder lenses. I also never buy stuff graded "BGN" or "UGLY". Steve Last edited by stevebrot; 10-12-2019 at 02:21 PM.

10-13-2019, 03:53 AM - 3 Likes	#14
ivanvernon Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Medina, OH Photos: Albums Posts: 7,224	Dealing with Keh Keh is my favorite camera/lens supplier, but you cannot trust their ratings! I buy stuff marked Ugly and they send me Excellent stuff without a mark on it.

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10-12-2019, 01:17 PM - 1 Like	#2
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,619	Just this week I returned a DA 12-24. Horrible optically. I've kept track since my first purchase from them a decade ago. 15 purchases, 8 returns.

10-12-2019, 02:34 PM	#4
texandrews Moderator Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Baltimore Photos: Albums Posts: 3,393	All of my experiences with them have been great.

10-12-2019, 03:37 PM - 1 Like	#5
dms Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New York, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,192	Recently (last 3 months) careless--twice ordered Nikon PC 35mm f/2.8 lens with black knob and received w/ silver knob (pre AI). Before that (over 10 years) rarely a problem. About 6 months ago I ordered camera and lens and they were fine.

10-12-2019, 03:47 PM	#6
lytrytyr Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,310	Originally posted by Fenwoodian What's been your experience with KEH lately? They went south a couple of years ago. The "lens cap" on the last lens I bought from them was as flimsy as the cap on a beaker of yoghurt, and had allowed the front element to get scratched.

10-12-2019, 05:48 PM	#7
7.62lew Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: North Carolina Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,192	I've had good luck with them over the years. I had purchased something that went on sale about 12 hrs after I bought it and they refunded the difference. It was Like New minus but the only thing that was minus was a small scratch on the product label and it was around 30% the price of a new one. Their prices are usually pretty good and the 180 day warranty gives me some comfort (though luckily I've never had to try out the warranty) I hope their quality control is not getting out of sorts.

10-12-2019, 07:01 PM	#8
amstel78 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2018 Location: NEPA, NYC, and wherever work sends me... Photos: Albums Posts: 247	Last purchase from KEH (which way only about 8 months ago) ended in a return. Ordered an EX+ Pentax ME Super. Camera that arrived had a busted film rewind mechanism. WTF was the only thing I could say... I've ordered a bunch of medium format stuff from them years ago and every item received from those orders matched the description. After my last experience though, I'd be hesitant to buy anything from them again.

10-12-2019, 07:07 PM	#9
Snapppy Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2011 Photos: Albums Posts: 485	Earlier this year I grabbed a Samyang 135mm in good condition. In my eyes, it was in excellent condition and packaged very well. Sad to hear about yours and others experiences. Hope their return process isn't too rough.

10-12-2019, 09:18 PM - 1 Like	#10
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,619	Originally posted by Snapppy Earlier this year I grabbed a Samyang 135mm in good condition. In my eyes, it was in excellent condition and packaged very well. Sad to hear about yours and others experiences. Hope their return process isn't too rough. The return process is easy these days - much easier than it was a few years ago, where if they disagreed with your reason for return you had to pay for return shipping. Now they cover everything. The worst part of the porcess (IMO) is simply that if you bought something for an especially good price, or somethign that was hard to find, you lost ot on your deal. I feel as though KEH doesn't actually test K-mount lenses, preferring to let the customer "test" them.

10-12-2019, 10:35 PM	#11
ZombieArmy Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Florida Posts: 3,210	KEH is overpriced for stuff they don't check. Its a crap shoot because they do a very quick visual inspection only. Almost everything I've bought from them has had to be returned.

10-13-2019, 02:27 AM	#12
macman24054 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Axton, VA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 461	I must be one of the lucky ones. Every purchase I have made from them has ended in me being highly satisfied. I have found their grading system to be surprisingly strict (on par with Japanese Ebay grading).

10-13-2019, 03:12 AM	#13
Zooland Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2019 Posts: 370	I would not buy anything used unless I see clear pictures.

10-13-2019, 06:40 AM	#15
jddwoods Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Newark, Delaware Posts: 1,035	I bought the following lenses from KEH between 2013 and 2017: DA 21 Limited, FA 50 f1.7 and DA 16-85. All three were graded as LN- and all of them work well and look new. So, my experience has been very positive. Since I have not bought anything from them, however, in the last two years, I cannot say if they have gone downhill in the last two years or not. I will be monitoring this thread to see what others have to say.