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hello,
i'm buying one off of craigslist today...and wanted to know what to look out for.....aside from the obvious (ie. broken lense, scratches, etc. etc.)
i'll be checking to make sure it works perfectly...but is there something else i need to look out for that maybe i haven't considered?
hello,
i'm buying one off of craigslist today...and wanted to know what to look out for.....aside from the obvious (ie. broken lense, scratches, etc. etc.)
i'll be checking to make sure it works perfectly...but is there something else i need to look out for that maybe i haven't considered?
Location: Splitting time between Dayton, NJ and Needmore, PA
1,184 posts, read 4,045,122 times
Reputation: 767
Check that the seller is legit and is actually going to send you the product. You can do this by looking carefully at the payment and refund options as well as the price. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
As for the unit itself, blueflames is right. Check for fungus inside the lens. You can do this by angling a flashlight and rotating the lens. What you are looking for are little white or grayish specs that look like spiderwebs.
I'd also get a sense of the "feel" of the lens. How well do the grips work? When you are focusing manually, is there "tightness" or skipping?
Check the contacts to make sure they are shiny and do not have scratches on them.
I'm AR about this, but I'd also check the Serial No. against information on this page. Scroll down about 3/4 of the way to get to the information on the 18-200mm DX. It's just a good way to make sure you are in the ballpark with a legitimate lens.
Check the switches on the side with the lens attached to the camera to make sure they function. The throw should be firm, but not tight.
Location: Splitting time between Dayton, NJ and Needmore, PA
1,184 posts, read 4,045,122 times
Reputation: 767
Quote:
Originally Posted by blueflames50
RUNYYfan....hey thanks for that linky for checking lens numbers!! did not know about it!!!
You're welcome!
For the OP, another thing to check with the seller is whether or not the lens has ever been sent in for service or repair. If it has, a good seller will have the paperwork for that work and it should come with the lens for your reference. Maybe it's just me, but I like having all the original documentation with the lens for reference, especially when it comes to warranties.
i also have a 55-200mm nikon VR lens that i've had for a year or so. that's nice too.
i just did a quick comparison today on both lenses at 200mm....and the 55-200 has a significant and noticeable advantage when it comes to the zoom itself over the 18-200mm lens!!!
i have no idea why!
i figured that at 200mm, the magnification (ie. the zoom) should be the same....meaning that everything equal, an object far away should look exactly the same size at 200mm using either lens.
I have 18-200 and need to sell it, it's sitting here collecting dust for the last 2 years. Anyway, the sweet spot for zooming on this lens is at 100mm, the rest is just blah! Bad performer in low light as well. It's a good all around lens to walk around and take pictures in a day light.
Have fun with it.
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