Hasselblad 150mm from KEH: keep or return for refund?

[jglass]

I recently bought this lens from KEH in EX condition. It is in that condition w/ one exception. There is a bubble or something on the the rear of the front element (or the front of the rear element) that is rather obvious. I can return it for full refund at this point. The only things that concern me are image effects and resale value.

Can anyone w/ experience tell me whether this will ever affect the image in any way?

I believe it will definitely affect resale value. Can anyone give an opinion on that? I use these lenses, but I also resell them from time to time and do not want to take too big a hit.

Pictures are attached. The bubble is more obvious than the photos make it appear. It is right in the center: in the first image it's dark, in the second it's light hued.

Thanks.

 

[johnielvis]

well, if you keep it the spot will bother you...keh lets you return, hey....you want to be completely satisfied, don't you?

I'd return it if I didn't like it...particularly if you're thinking of re-selling it...it'd be maddening to try to sell it to keh in a year and they say "there's a bubble in the middle...."

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Can you return for another one?

Jeff

 

[Mark Fisher]

They always have a ton of EX 150mm lenses.....just ask for an exchange. It won't be a problem.

 

[CGW]

Slim to no chance it will affect image quality. If you plan to use it, I'd keep it. If you plan to flip it, then go for a refund asap.

 

[Roberto]

I would return it, if that was not declared by KEH. Declaring a bubble in the lens in a future sale would deeply affect its price ..

 

[Hawkeye]

Agree with Roberto, return it. If KEH was aware of the bubble, they would probably have sold it as a Bargain lens. I bet KEH just missed the bubble during the inspection.

 

[jglass]

Thanks folks. That's what I thought: won't affect image, will affect value.

I don't plan on flipping it any time soon, but when investing this kind of change in cameras, I always want to keep that option open. That's what I like about Hasselblads, Nikons, Leicas: good resale. Fortunately KEH does have another one in Ex condition (they didn't have one the other day when I decided to post this thread). Thanks for the input, I'll be returning it. We'll see if KEH puts it back up as an Ex or a Bargain.

 

[lxdude]

If it is a bubble, that's not a defect. Bubbles used to be very common in lenses; some manufacturers stated in their materials included with lenses that bubbles were normal and would not affect picture quality. Later production methods reduced the incidence of bubbles.

Same with dust. I have seen a statement by Pentax that some dust might appear in their lenses over time, and it will do no harm.

If you're unhappy, return it. That's KEH's policy and their attitude. I once showed to a KEH rep. at a camera show some fine scratches on a front element which I did not see initially (and which they had missed). Even though it was out of their warranty period, he told me to go ahead and return it, and tell them he said so. They deal with so much stuff I think they'd rather have a happy customer than quibble.

 

[rulnacco]

More about bubbles in high-quality lenses...

This fascinating article explains in detail why bubbles were once not only considered not to be defects, but were an indication of the high quality of the lens in which they occurred:

http://www.zeisscamera.com/services_overhaul-cIIa-lenses.shtml#bubbles

 

[benjiboy]

This fascinating article explains in detail why bubbles were once not only considered not to be defects, but were an indication of the high quality of the lens in which they occurred:

http://www.zeisscamera.com/services_overhaul-cIIa-lenses.shtml#bubbles

That's what I understand, that bubbles only occur in the finest quality optical glass and are no detriment to the resultant images.

 

[TareqPhoto]

I can't be sure if i have some lenses with bubbles in the glass, ofcourse i can't return any, but i never thought about it, and also i don't want to start that bug so i may go to check all of my lenses even the new ones.