This lens has a few scratches on the front element as shown as best as possible in the photos below. I also noticed a small circular scratch on the rear element when I was looking under a stereo scope at the objective, but you have to look under a scope to really see it.
Note that these are surface scratches, not cracks of the elements.
I've tested this lens against my other two 10X's and I honestly cannot tell that there are any optical flaws in the lens, however I'm definitely not an expert in identifying flaws in these objectives and I'll leave it to the experts to determine how likely these scratches will impact quality.
I'll offer a two week-or-so testing period for this lens and give a full refund if it turns out to be unsuitable for the buyer. I just ask that we agree to split the return shipping cost to Canada if it is returned. Declared value will streamline import issues.
I'm also interested and willing to perform any quality testing on this lens in advance to document how these defects might actually impact the image quality.
Comes in an original 1X Apo Mitutoyo shell. This shell tends to crossthread when attaching the clear plastic to the base but is perfect for shipping.
On the rear:
On the front:
