Lens condition, photos inside. Please advise

SwiftTone · May 25, 2011

Can someone tell me what's going on with this lens? I'm talking to an ebay seller that is selling this lens. I asked her to take some detailed pictures of the "wear and tear" she described in the listing, and she sent me some pictures. I picked out 2 pictures that I'd like to get some explanation on.

The first one is this something that she described as a blueish/greyish coating. I'm trying to find out if its on the inside or outside of the front element.

The second picture looks like a little dust inside the element. I think these usually don't effect the image, right?

Thanks in advance guys!

Light Guru · May 25, 2011

Looks like a dirty lens to me, have the seller clean it and send you new pics.

Derrel · May 25, 2011

Looks like maybe a smear in the coating on the top photo, on the bottom of the lens. That could be from cleaning with moisture or fluid, and then some of the collected grease/oil/haze being deposited when the fluid evaporated. This happens a lot when a newbie cleans a lens, and starts wiping a dirty lens, and then allows the crud to collect in one area when the cleaning medium evaporates, leaving behind a colorful smear. Not a big deal, usually. Or, it could be that one layer of a multicoating has been eaten away by a too-harsh cleaning fluid or solvent. Regardless, it doesn't look like it would impair the lens's performance much, if at all. And dust inside? That lens looks fine.