Buying Lenses: Another Learning Experience

Okay, so I messed up a little when I bought that lens from the junk shop in Japan.

See the problem?

More Things to Check/Do When Purchasing a (Used) Lens

• Check for scratches
• Pay attention to the depth of the scratch/es
• Most scratches cannot be repaired, not even polished out; must replace glass
• Very shallow scratches may not be reflected in the final photo
• Pay attention to the placement of the scratch/es
• Scratches will most likely be found in the center of the lens
• Scratches that are closer to the lens barrel are less likely to show up in the final photo (in post-processing, you can fix the edges more easily than the center)
• Check for damage to the multi-coating
• Chipping or scratches
• Placement
• Check both front and rear glass
• Bring your camera body to take test shots
• Keep your memory card in it so you can look closely at the image after a test shot

Story

So I went to the Huntington Library and Gardens again to practice landscapes with my AF-s Nikkor 20mm f/2.8. I made my way to the Japanese gardens because I knew it was one of the more interesting areas in which to spend time. Since the sun was still bright, I wanted to try to make a natural sunburst using the silhouette of willow leaves to partially block out the sun.

The sunburst is meh. (Photo unedited)

This is when I figured out that what I thought was minor chipping and scratching in the multi-coating was actually relatively deep gouges in the glass. Because the chipping/scratching is located in the center of the lens (thanks, whoever kept throwing the lens haphazardly in their bag), the center is completely out of focus, while the edges are sharp and clear.

I thought that shooting into the sun may have had something to do with it, but my other test shots revealed consistent problems with the clarity of the center. Damn.

I hadn't tested the 20mm lens because I didn't have my camera body with me (stupid!), and I just assumed that the chipping and stratches were too shallow to affect the image. Plus, it was a good deal otherwise, and I can't resist a bargain!

Anyway, I took the lens to a camera repair shop to see if they could take off the rest of the multi-coating. The pros there told me that the lens was done for. The scratches were too deep. And the lens is too old (c. 1989) to get new parts. My only hope was to find an "as-is" camera with good glass and replace the bad glass.

Well, there's no used throwing good money after bad, so I cut my losses and decided to sell the lens to one of those "we buy all the junk camera stuff" places. I wasn't expecting to get much, so I was quite shocked when I was offered more than what I thought. Now, I'm down $13 total on the lens, but that's a small price for a big lesson!