Are coating scratches on the rear lens element going to affect image quality?

haruharu · Aug 25, 2021

Considering the purchase of a Hasselblad Carl Zeiss 40mm CF FLE Distagon. The seller has shown me these pictures of the rear element. My understanding is these scratches are not at the level of the glass but the coating.

Can someone with experience please guide my expectations? I am planning to shoot the 40mm stopped down at infinity for landscapes. Googling over the internet has given me confusing answers and I am unsure if I should pull the trigger.

neilt3 · Aug 25, 2021

How much money is being knocked off it compared to an undamaged one ?
Coating mark's have a much lesser effect than scratches on a rear element .
I've a few lenses whose rear elements have markings like that ( but not scratched glass ) and I've never noticed any problems .

No idea if your style of shooting would increase the effects or not , do you often shoot with strong light sources in the frame ?

At the end of the day , it all comes down to money and how much you'll save , and if the savings worth it to you .
I'd rather pay a bit more and have a lens in good condition , it's worth it to me for peice of mind . YMMV .

Nitroplait · Aug 25, 2021

That is unlikely to have any effect, except on price.
It would bother me a lot, and I would want a very significant discount - but that is just me.

gone · Aug 25, 2021

Those are more like cleaning marks than scratches. You should be fine. I've had scratched rear elements on lenses and never had any issues at all. Once had a Leica R 90 f2 Summicron w/ a rear element that looked like it had been sand blasted on the entire rear surface of the element. It made some of the best images of any lens I've owned. It seemed that the lens would focus BEYOND the rear surface, just like a lens can focus past a chain link fence if you open it up and get real close.

villagephotog · Aug 25, 2021

haruharu said:
Can someone with experience please guide my expectations?

As others correctly noted, that kind of coating damage is very unlikely to have any visible effect on images, in my experience. I have a Mamiya lens with a kind of nebula-like smear in the coating, which is visible under harsh oblique light, but it has no discernible effect on actual pictures. I don't worry about something like that for my photography, but it will have a significant effect on the resale value of the lens, so it can be an issue for your finances.

removed account4 · Aug 25, 2021

I would only buy it if you never plan on selling it. you will have to sell it for even less than you are buying it for cause .. you know the buyer will insist on price the reduction even if you show images made with the lens (showing no issue). not worth the grief. unless you look forward to buying and using, and living with whatever imperfections might be due to the coating or lens marks. I love lenses like this ( not everyone likes defective equipment ) because if you learn how to shoot it with the problems the defect might give you some sort of je ne said quois that other more pristine lenses might not offer up. if its cheap I'd get it, I don't mean like 2 grand or 3 grand instead of 4 or 5, I mean a couple of hundred dollars, otherwise I'd pass it up.
good luck !
John

Neil Grant · Aug 25, 2021

..the spidery appearance is reminiscent of fungus.

Huss · Aug 28, 2021

haruharu said:
.. I am unsure if I should pull the trigger.

Don't.

This is always going to bug you, be nagging on you and if you decide to sell it, you will get even less than what you paid for it, plus will be put through the ringer by people demanding that it's only worth pennies.

Just pay a bit more and get a lens that the owner cared for.

Are coating scratches on the rear lens element going to affect image quality?

Buy it?

Yes

No

haruharu

Attachments

neilt3

Nitroplait

gone

villagephotog

removed account4

Neil Grant

Huss

Are coating scratches on the rear lens element going to affect image quality?

Buy it?

Yes

No

Attachments

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency