Lens with a little scratch...

[Axel]

I am about to purchase a lens from a guy who says that the lens has a very little scratch that is the sice of a piece of dust (he thought it was dust at first!). It's a Nikkor 50/1.8. Do you think that little scratch on the lens would show up on the pictures?

Thanks

 

[MDowdey]

axel how much are you paying for it?

md

 

[Big Mike]

A little scratch on the lens will probably not show up on the prints...however, it may refract or reflect light that will.

50/1.8 is probably the least expensive lens out there...I'd find another one.

Unless you are getting this one really cheap.

 

[Hertz van Rental]

It depends where on the lens the scratch is. If it is to the side it will have no appreciable effect except at full ap. If it's around the centre of the lens it's a different matter

 

[Axel]

I'm getting it for $25 including s/h...

Just got an answer from the vendor who claims that it is not visible on prints... Do I trust him? We'll see...

 

[Hertz van Rental]

You won't see it on the prints as a definite scratch. It will show up as a soft-focus lower contrast patch. Might cause some lens flare problems too. But at around £15 its worth a chance. The scratch probably won't make a noticeable difference in normal use.
Had a friend who bought a Leica. He showed it to me and there was a huge air bubble in the front element. He sent it back to Leica, they tested it and returned it. The report stated that the air bubble did not affect the image quality. They were right.

 

[Axel]

If you take a look at this picture, you'll see something with two screws which doesn't appear on the one I find at Nikon's own site... Anyone knows what that is? It is located right below the exposure ring...

 

[Axel]

You won't see it on the prints as a definite scratch. It will show up as a soft-focus lower contrast patch. Might cause some lens flare problems too. But at around £15 its worth a chance. The scratch probably won't make a noticeable difference in normal use.
Had a friend who bought a Leica. He showed it to me and there was a huge air bubble in the front element. He sent it back to Leica, they tested it and returned it. The report stated that the air bubble did not affect the image quality. They were right.

LOL! That's the answer I was hoping for... LOL!

 

[Hertz van Rental]

The little metally thing with two screws? Its a meter coupling. Got it with the old photomics and some other cameras like Canon. It was to connect the aperture ring to the meter (the meters were sometimes bolt-on extras). Thought they had stopped making those by the end of the late 70's.

 

[Axel]

Just got an email from the seller who will ship it for half the cost that he meant to plus will send me 8 rolls of film that he bought last summer PLUS any accessories (such as filters that he may have lying around) since he didn't say anything about the scratch, which isn't a scratch but just a small, small dot in one of the corners he said.

I think it'll come up to $30 all together and I can't complain about that, or...?

 

[Hertz van Rental]

Doesn't sound like a scratch then. Could be one of two things - either it's a bloom on the coating (usually a sign of the coating going - could get worse but probably won't) or it's a little spot of dried saliva (gross I know but I'm serious - this may or may not clean off)
In either case it shouldn't affect the lens performance in normal use if it's right at the edge. You could get some wierd refraction or flare problems with it under exceptional circumstances but I wouldn't worry. A lens hood should minimise this risk.
But to be honest it looks like you'll just have to wait and see for yourself.

 

[ksmattfish]

there was a huge air bubble in the front element. He sent it back to Leica, they tested it and returned it. The report stated that the air bubble did not affect the image quality. They were right.

Ironically, air bubbles in the glass were once considered a sign of high quality. Something to do with the older lens making techniques or type of glass.

I have a Pentax 165mm f/4 leaf shutter lens for my Pentax 67II, and it has what I would consider a huge air bubble in it (off to one side). Freaked me out when I got it, but I've nevered noticed anything in the prints, and I shoot it wide open all the time.