Ten-dollar Nikon M Plan 10x finite--why no bids?

Chris S. · Post by **Chris S.** » Sun Mar 10, 2013 5:32 pm

I was watching an eBay auction for a Nikon M Plan 10x/0.25 finite objective, and was surprised to see that it received not a single bid. The minimum bid was $10 USD, and this would have been a very inexpensive way for somebody to get into higher magnification photomacrography.

To those unfamiliar with this optic, it's an RMS objective with a tube length of 210 and working distance of 9mm. It is easily mounted on a bellows. It's of course not quite as sharp as 10x objectives with an NA of 0.30, but it's pretty good. Not long ago, the market price was about $125 for a specimen in nice shape; the body of this one is somewhat scratched, which probably should lower its price a bit. But the glass looks OK, the seller has good feedback, and there is a return privilege.

So why the complete lack of interest? Surely it's partly due to the increased interest in/availability of 10x infinite objectives. But maybe some of it is that some people who could benefit from this lens (folks on a budget, newly venturing into 10x territory) don't know to look for it, since it's not so often discussed anymore?

It's been relisted: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 1005139119

--Chris

soldevilla · Post by **soldevilla** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 11:14 am

"May not ship to Spain"

shrek · Post by **shrek** » Mon Mar 11, 2013 1:42 pm

soldevilla wrote:"May not ship to Spain"

And not in France...

jp

Harold Gough · Post by **Harold Gough** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:33 am

Nor UK. It seems to be USA only.

Harold

soldevilla · Post by **soldevilla** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:05 pm

Curious

In my computer, this Ebay page only says "May not ship to Spain". Perhaps Ebay detect where is located each computer...

Harold Gough · Post by **Harold Gough** » Tue Mar 12, 2013 12:15 pm

soldevilla wrote:Curious In my computer, this Ebay page only says "May not ship to Spain". Perhaps Ebay detect where is located each computer...

Yes, for members anyway.

Online retailers in the UK can detect your postcode and adjust the price of goods accordingly.

Harold

Lothar-Gutjahr · Post by **Lothar-Gutjahr** » Wed Mar 13, 2013 12:41 am

Hi Chris and all,

here what i found out this morning.

Sorry, this item cannot be shipped to Germany.

The seller has specified that this item cannot be shipped to addresses in Germany
You can contact the seller for more information, or find similar items offered by other sellers.

in my place this is printed bold in red color. But i found this morning if one has an adress in the states to ship to, just go to the shipping calculator and click United States and add a zip code and you can bid.

You are registered in your country and ebay automaticly sees it and reacts like experienced, if one enters shipping to US only. So it´s alltimes a good idea, to have a good girlfriend in Miami, grin.

The way its done by ebay could be solved a bit more friendly of corse.

Greetings from old Germany

Lothar

Rylee Isitt · Post by **Rylee Isitt** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 11:19 pm

There is enough damage to the material surrounding the front lens element that I would not bid for that lens. There's a good chance the front element is damaged, especially the anti-reflective coating which is extremely fragile.

I've purchased several lenses from 100% feedback sellers. All damaged... every single one. I've come to the conclusion that eBay is a very risky place to get objectives. The lens elements are often too small to expect sellers to take good photos or provide useful descriptions.

The only good second hand objectives I've ever purchased were from sellers on this forum. I guess that's a good thing

People here know how to take care of their equipment and aren't just resellers of stuff picked up from surplus sales...

Pau · Post by **Pau** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 1:54 am

Rylee Isitt wrote:I've purchased several lenses from 100% feedback sellers. All damaged... every single one. I've come to the conclusion that eBay is a very risky place to get objectives.

Very different experience than mine. I've bought more than 25 lenses and many other optical devices at Ebay and just two of them where damaged. Both provided full refund, even without returning the lens in one case. May be some kind of lottery.

Chris S. · Post by **Chris S.** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 2:00 am

Wow, Rylee, you may be the victim of bad luck--your experience differs sharply from mine. I've purchased most of my objectives second-hand (at best), and most of them from eBay vendors. In addition, I fairly often take delivery of objectives on behalf of forum friends outside the U.S. In total, I'd estimate that 40-50 eBay objectives have either passed through my hands or stayed with me. I usually inspect each objective--mine or someone else's--pretty carefully, including examination of the front and rear glass under a stereo-microscope. Many lenses, I test by shooting through them before sending them on (an excellent learning experience for me!). And of course, those lenses that I buy for myself, I get to know pretty well through use. Out of all these eBay objectives, only three have had issues worthy of note. Two needed to be returned, and one had some burrs on the threads that were easily fixed with a jeweler's file.

In aggregate, this diverse group of used eBay objectives has represented outstanding value--they were purchased at a fraction of the list price, and in many cases, were lenses no longer available new at any price. There are a few vendors, notably a prominent one in Hong Kong, whom I would avoid as having a bad track record. But with reasonable care, I think it very viable to purchase used microscope objectives on eBay.

There is enough damage to the material surrounding the front lens element that I would not bid for that lens. There's a good chance the front element is damaged, especially the anti-reflective coating which is extremely fragile.

This viewpoint is understandable if you don't have a specimen of the lens in hand. However, I have one. The metal on the front of the lens sits 1.42mm in front of the glass--a substantial distance, which should go a long way toward protecting the glass. Of course, this is part of its purpose--the metal is supposed to interpose itself long before the glass can be damaged.

One of the best ways I know of to get a useful lens at a bargain price is to look at lenses that appear distressed, but have pristine glass. Of course, this can be daunting if you don't have a pristine specimen in hand to test the distressed lens against. Since I posted this thread, a forum friend who lives outside the U.S. has asked me to bid on this objective on his behalf. If the bid is successful, I'll check the lens, upon receipt, against my copy. If it tests well, I'll send it on to him; if not, I'll advise and let him decide what to do.

But come on--last week, this objective's eBay sale lapsed without a single bid at $10 minimum bid, with $7 shipping and a 14-day return period. If you were in the market for a 10x lens, would you really be unwilling to hit the minimum bid, test the lens for yourself, and return it if it were defective? Do you trust your lens testing skills so little?

Seventeen bucks? Not so long ago, this was the cost of one roll of film plus processing.

Regards,

--Chris

Rylee Isitt · Post by **Rylee Isitt** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 10:13 am

Interesting... maybe I have just had bad luck. I've had a 100% failure rate, but granted this is only for two lenses. Still, two bad experiences in a row were enough to turn me off the entire idea.

Maybe I'll give it another try, but I'm still skeptical of the entire idea. Especially in this kind of situation, which seems too good to be true, you know?

jotafoto · Post by **jotafoto** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 4:34 pm

Thanks for the information. The seller ships to Spain without problems.

Chris S. · Post by **Chris S.** » Sun Mar 17, 2013 10:52 pm

So, Javier, that was you bidding against me (for someone else)! Well, you got a great buy, and the lens is going into very good hands. I take it you're looking at this lens to replace your Nikon BD Plan 10/0.25, with similar optics in a smaller footprint?

Cheers,

--Chris

jotafoto · Post by **jotafoto** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 1:53 am

Chris S. wrote:So, Javier, that was you bidding against me (for someone else)! Well, you got a great buy, and the lens is going into very good hands. I take it you're looking at this lens to replace your Nikon BD Plan 10/0.25, with similar optics in a smaller footprint?

Cheers,

--Chris

I do not understand. Were you interested? I thought not. I want it for my school where I work teaching photography and I thought it was a good opportunity to have one for them (my students).

regards

Chris S. · Post by **Chris S.** » Mon Mar 18, 2013 2:56 am

Javier,

I had originally chosen not to purchase this lens. I certainly could have done so in the first auction, in which no bids came in at the minimum price of $9.99. Yes, I could have then resold the lens for more money, but my hope was that someone on a limited budget who wanted to get into higher-magnification stacking, might have seen the first auction and thought, "Finally, my chance!" In hope of protecting such a hypothetical person, I didn't bid in the first auction.

After my posting about the second auction, in which you ultimately purchased the objective, I contacted a forum friend in your own country and offered to place a bid on his behalf; it is this bid that you bid against. But I think this is OK--it's honest bidding, and serves to treat fairly both potential buyers and the seller.

This lens is a wonderful opportunity for your students! May they make the very best of it.

Best,

--Chris