Worst lens buying experience to date!

I've loved the 75mm focal length ever since I bought a used 75mm f/1.5 Jena Biotar (for £12 : 50p!) back in 1972 or thereabouts.

 

Unfortunately, the Praktina camera that it fitted gave up the ghost many years ago.

 

Unfortunately too, there's not a lot of choice in that focal length these days. So when I read a couple of glowing reviews of Samyang's AF 75mm f/1.8 in Sony E-mount, I pretty much jumped at it.

 

Sadly, and long story short; it's taken 4 attempts to get a good copy.

 

Two tries were with a company named after a mythical tribe of female warriors. Their discounted price was attractive.... but first lens received had bad - I mean very bad - edge and corner definition, that just didn't improve with stopping down. So it went back. 2nd sample from the female-warrior tribe had good IQ, but a faulty aperture that wouldn't close further than about f/8, accompanied by a loud clicking sound. Another return, this time for a refund.

 

I changed supplier with a good Black Friday deal.This lens not only showed some decentring aberrations, but also had an aperture that hesitated to reach f/16 and f/22, and gave exposure variations at those apertures. Another trip to the dispatch company!

 

I decided to give it one last try and opted for a replacement. Success!! Yay!

At last a sample with acceptable IQ - living up to the glowing reviews I'd read - and with an aperture mechanism that appears to be fully functional. {Looking round for some wood to touch now}

 

At last. A 75mm focal length to use again!

 

This isn't my first experience with Samyang lenses. I've already got 5 manual focus ones, and an AF 24mm f/2.8 for the Sony. So I was expecting a better 'hit rate' than one in four.

 

I just hope my luck holds with this latest sample!

 

Moral of the story: Check out all the functions of any new piece of gear within the return period. And try, try and try again.

Amazon.com is named after the river, not the tribe of warriors. The river is named after the tribe of warriors though. But maybe that's all moot.

I once bought a Spiratone 400 tele. It came apart in my hands one day when I was shooting. The metal, turned out, was cheapo.