Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

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Macro_Cosmos
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Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by Macro_Cosmos »

Something that greatly annoyed me happened over the weekends. I received an expensive objective lens that was packed so poorly, it added more problems to the already questionable condition, that was not at all fitting to its description.

I've received other objectives before that were in my opinion poorly packed, but this is an entirely new low. This prompted me to write an article on packaging. Next time when I buy objectives, I can simply drop the link and request the seller to follow it.

https://macrocosmosblog.wordpress.com/2 ... -shipping/

:cry: Now I'll go test the objective to see how bad it actually is.

ray_parkhurst
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by ray_parkhurst »

That's actually not too bad. I've received much worse, even for a fairly expensive lens. I've also received packages that were total overkill, and many of those could easily result in damage to the lens if I was not careful.

Lou Jost
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by Lou Jost »

I detest B&H Photo and Vidoe packing. They used to be good but over the last few years they often include only ONE (often deflated) little airbag, on one side of a six-sided box, and no styrofoam or other padding, even when the lens inside costs thousands of dollars. They should be sued for negligence. It is criminal to send OUR lenses (they belong to us when we pay, before we get them in the mail) without adequate packing. I think they should be boycotted when possible. I have written to them but they showed no real interest in solving the problem.

ray_parkhurst
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by ray_parkhurst »

I don't consider a shipped item mine until it is verified to have arrived in good condition. Few small items are shipped FOB Origin these days. But if indeed the package is shipped that way, then the items are yours the moment the shipper gives them to the post office.

Ichthyophthirius
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by Ichthyophthirius »

Paper dust is a pain to clean but sellers have not always listened when I sent them my packing instructions.

However, I have received much worse. Eyepieces or objectives simply loose in a padded envelope! :smt089

carlh6902
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by carlh6902 »

Check out Figure 20 on this PDF. This has happened to me several times!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YUsbga ... p=drivesdk

Carl

physicsmajor
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by physicsmajor »

Carl refers to this image on how not to do it:
HowNotToPackObjectives.JPG
Caps not even attached, but thrown in there for good measure. Just nauseating.

Lou Jost
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by Lou Jost »

That's terrible! But I have seen even worse packing. One seller on ebay sent me a beautiful Zeiss photolithography lens that weighed ten pounds or so (perhaps a hundred thousand dollar lens when new), with no lenscaps, in an unpadded cardboard box. Not even bubble wrap. And nothing to anchor the lens in the box. It hit something in transit and busted one lens, even bending the thick barrel. At least the seller gave me a full and fast refund. He still is trying to sell it on eBay. To his credit he does show the smashed lens:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/CARL-ZEISS-CEN ... SwE-lZ~M4C

carlh6902
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by carlh6902 »

This PDF includes a "Shipping Hall of Shame", including a few of the more noteworthy shipping disasters I have seen.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bC7gVC ... p=drivesdk

Carl

abednego1995
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by abednego1995 »

LoL, I've seen worse.
It's the bay, afterall. But seriously, you're buying 1k objectives from god knows who??

Lou Jost
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by Lou Jost »

But seriously, you're buying 1k objectives from god knows who??
Where else can we get them? Most of these are not current models, and are not available anywhere. And there is feedback, so we do know something about the seller.

Macro_Cosmos
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by Macro_Cosmos »

That optics grab bag sent shivers down my spine, ouch.
I actually received an objective packed like this from Canada! It was a 40x achromat. Those are tough little things, it was optically perfect despite the nasty packaging.

I would be the one that overpacks stuff. I usually include a note asking the buyer to open it carefully and/or send my packing photos so they are prepared.

Have to admit now, mine is far from the bottom of the barrel. This is really sad.

I actually spent nearly 2 hours packing my BX40 to be sent off to France, and even then I doubted my packaging. A whopping $320 to ship it, buyer paid $300 so it was fair game.

Likely, the seller won't bother. I asked the seller to pack the objective my way. Ziploc bag, desiccant if possible, wrap in bubble then cardboard then more bubble. He didn't listen, why would others listen then? Luckily my forwarder placed it in a box. Ah oh well, can't do much can I. ](*,) I feel bad when I nag on about packaging to sellers, it's micromanagement, I don't like this habit of mine.

But then that wafers problem I had with those USPS rollers. Still looking for the same wafer chip to source more copies.

JKT
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by JKT »

Rather small cardboard box, single layer of bubble wrap around the item and a couple of large air bags to take up most of the empty space. The item was free to move among the bubbles and the corner just happened to be against the side that took a hit. Nothing on the outside of the box, a small dent on the inside, but this is what the +2 of Raynox DCR-5320 Pro looked like on arrival...
Y_MG_3495.jpg
Y_MG_3496.jpg

Partial refund solved this case. The +3 should still give a nice 33x out of the Nikon 20x/0.75 and it will be interesting to see what the combination does after some quick fixes on the body. Fortunately the damaged part is pretty much outside my 52mm tubing.

Macro_Cosmos
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by Macro_Cosmos »

JKT wrote:
Sat Oct 17, 2020 2:03 pm
Y_MG_3496.jpg
Oh my!
The packaging doesn't sound bad at all, at least how you described it. That's one nasty crack, was it thrown out of a plane?
I hope you got a hefty chunk of a partial refund. If I was the seller, it would have been a full refund. The Raynox in question comes with 2 parts, right? If the other is undamaged, then yeah a partial refund is good.

Macro_Cosmos
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Re: Packing expensive objective lenses for shipping.

Post by Macro_Cosmos »

forward.png
Unrelated to packaging, this is how my forwarder declared the dimensions of a parcel.

DIMENSIONS
5(L) x 5(W) x 9223372036854776000(H) Inches

If I read that number correctly, it's 9.22 quintillion inches long, or 25 lightyears, or >1.5 million astronomical units in height. #-o #-o
Looks like a USPS tracking number...
Of course none of the couriers will ship it. Still waiting for them to fix it.

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