Scratch on TLR camera

birket

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I have just received a Yashica 124G that I won on Ebay. The condition of the camera was said to be excellent, but upon receipt, there is a clear and obvious scratch on the front of the objective lens. I would say it is around 1mm in size, and it isn't a 'hair' type of scratch. It looks more like something has hit the lens.

Do you honestly think this will affect the quality (assuming there are no light leaks etc!) of any images I shoot?

I would never consider buying any lens if there was any scratch on it. This scratch wasn't mentioned in the ebay description (it was said to be 'excellent').

I have contacted the seller but he insists there are no scratches and he is refusing a refund.

The final price was pretty low, but I wouldn't normally spend any money on something with a flaw. It would just annoy the heck out of me.
 
Don't leave him feedback. If he said it was in excellent condition and you are unhappy, there is something called buyers protection on eBay. Start a claim and be will have to refund you or return item.
Even when he says no returns. eBay protects its buyers to some degree against false advertising and such
 
Was the scratch noticeable in the photos that were posted on the eBay auction?
 
$20130121_122958.jpg
Was the scratch noticeable in the photos that were posted on the eBay auction?

I would say not. If anything, any dots I saw I assumed were just dust specs. I have tried to take a photo myself but it is quite difficult with the smartphone I have to get anything sharp. I will perhaps try again tonight.

Its bloody annoying. A hard lesson learned. Fortunately, the shipped cost of the thing was around $100, so even if a refund doesn't happen, at least I haven't lost too much. I am now looking at ffordes!
 
I guess what I'd like to know is if a camera as average as the Yashica MAT is likely to be affected by this, or are other issues (lens quality etc) going to render a little scratch as 'insignificant'?
 
The Yashica 124G is an average camera, however it is know to be actually quite sharp and make very good quality photos.
 
I have just received a Yashica 124G that I won on Ebay. The condition of the camera was said to be excellent, but upon receipt, there is a clear and obvious scratch on the front of the objective lens. I would say it is around 1mm in size, and it isn't a 'hair' type of scratch. It looks more like something has hit the lens.

Do you honestly think this will affect the quality (assuming there are no light leaks etc!) of any images I shoot?

No but the seller should have mentioned it and/or shown it in the photos because many people consider it important and it also affects the resale value of the camera. It may not have been noticed by the seller however.

I have contacted the seller but he insists there are no scratches and he is refusing a refund.

eBay's Buyer Protection Policy covers all sales. File a claim on this transaction if you feel the item is not as described and the seller won't cooperate on a return/refund. The return shipping cost won't be covered however.
 
ya and some of those sellers don't even have the item in their possession when they sell them. but buyer's protection is solid. usually an email to the seller tho can straighten it out, most want to keep a positive feedback.
 
Always contact the seller BEFORE filing a claim. Give them a chance to make it right. This will go a long way with helping you win your case if they refuse any relief.
 
I guess what I'd like to know is if a camera as average as the Yashica MAT is likely to be affected by this, or are other issues (lens quality etc) going to render a little scratch as 'insignificant'?


Buy a roll of film shoot it and develope it and you will find out for less than £5, i would say you will not notice it
 
Hmm, looks like the front lens element possibly has been removed based on the heavy wear on the retaining ring slots ... like someone turned the ring with a screw driver (and not the proper tool).

Open a case in the eBay resolution centre ... request a partial refund (since you do not want to ship it back).

OH, and yes ... always communicate with Seller.
Re-check the images that they showed on the auction.
 
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I'm going to guess that someone tried to remove the front retaining ring with a light-duty optical spanner that works 90% of the time. Some retaining rings are sealed with paint, cement, and even set screws. For the latter: you simply need to know where to look to remove them. For lacquer, painted rings: a heavy duty spanner is required.

The spanner probably slipped and scratched the glass. If the camera was really low, use a black sharpie or paint on the scratch, will have to effect. If you paid a decent price- return it as not properly described/ hidden damage.
 
I use rubber friction tools for removing front TLR retaining rings. Never leaves a scratch. Micro-tools has them. They're made in many sizes of soft rubber that grips well.
 
It's unlikely to actually effect image quality in any meaningful way. It will probably slightly increase apparent lens flare, hence Brian V's remark about the black pen (I think).

Every "dot" on the film is formed by assembling light from across the entire lens, so a small scratch will really just have the effect of very very slightly smearing each "dot" of the image. You will typically NOT get an image of the scratch itself showing up, for example.

That said, I agree that you should look in to returning it, or getting a discount, or some other recompense on the grounds that the camera was not as-described.
 

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