Aglide Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 Thinking of purchasing this Minolta autocord, assuming the camera functions, is it worth purchasing given the state of the lens? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmac Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 Probably only needs a good clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Seaman Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 Impossible to tell from the picture. To be certain you would have to open the shutter and aperture and shine an LED torch through the lens from the back. If it's an online auction you could try to get the seller to do this. Otherwise it means taking a gamble, depending on the price being asked. And whether there's anything else wrong with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurencecochrane Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 STAY CLEAR ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 It doesn't look like fungus, but it doesn't look good either. Those light-coloured streaks and blobs on the lens might clean off, or they might be permanent coating damage and scratches. Caveat Emptor! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCL Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 It looks like somebody sneezed on it. Ask the seller to gently wipe it with a moistened lens cleaning tissue and rephotograph it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck_foreman1 Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 What Rodeo Joe said... if it's cheap enough.. it will just be another low value asset in your collection of bro.. umm classic cameras I mean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurencecochrane Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 (edited) 16 minutes ago, chuck_foreman1 said: What Rodeo Joe said... if it's cheap enough.. it will just be another low value asset in your collection of bro.. umm classic cameras I mean If that is permanant damage the only collection that needs to be in is COLLECTION BY THE BIN MEN.. Sorry but Its a parts doner ONLY ! Edited January 22, 2023 by laurencecochrane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugen_mezei Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 4 hours ago, laurencecochrane said: If that is permanant damage the only collection that needs to be in is COLLECTION BY THE BIN MEN.. Sorry but Its a parts doner ONLY ! Beg to differ. I doubt it would show in the pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 8 hours ago, eugen_mezei said: Beg to differ. I doubt it would show in the pictures. Apart from the low contrast and flare! The lens is filthy with dirt at the very least, and who knows what permanent damage lurks beneath? Bin-worthy? Maybe not, but until the crud is cleaned off it the jury's still out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurencecochrane Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 (edited) 20 minutes ago, rodeo_joe1 said: Apart from the low contrast and flare! The lens is filthy with dirt at the very least, and who knows what permanent damage lurks beneath? Bin-worthy? Maybe not, but until the crud is cleaned off it the jury's still out. You are right Joe ( SEE I DO NOT ALLWAYS ARGUE.) That wiil be a flare monster do not waste film in it. . But I think that your last line is a bit optomistic to say the least. Are there no good cameras out there ? Edited January 23, 2023 by laurencecochrane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, laurencecochrane said: Are there no good cameras out there ? Just 5 days ago I spotted a Minolta SrT101 in a charity shop with a £50 price tag on it. It was fitted with a 58mm f/1. 4 MC Rokkor P-F lens. The camera body I couldn't care less about, but I'm always a sucker for a lens I haven't used before. The lens was hiding behind a filthy old skylight filter, but looked pretty clean underneath. However, the aperture was stuck open, and I haggled the price down to £40 because of that. Long story short, the aperture was completely unstuck for about an hours work, plus an egg-cupful of lighter fluid, methylated spirit and a few cotton buds. The camera body cleaned up nicely as well and has a pretty accurate shutter. Oh, and the meter works fairly accurately as well. So, yes, there are still cameras and lenses in good order out there. You just have to look past the dust, dirt and general neglect to find them. With maybe a little input of repair. FWIW, it turns out the lens ain't that hot - despite many glowing (literally) reviews online. IMO the 6 element design is basically an f/2 lens that's been 'stretched' to f/1.4 for the sake of a brighter viewfinder image, and to heck with the image quality. Whatever, I now have a camera and lens that'll easily get my money back... plus a little profit for my trouble. Edited January 23, 2023 by rodeo_joe1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Seaman Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Often dirt on a lens is not a bad thing, suggesting the camera has not been messed around. I've taken a chance on many cameras and lenses which looked dodgy in the pictures, but cleaned up fine. But if the lens has been over cleaned with hankies or the ends of ties etc, there's nothing you can do about scratches and coating damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurencecochrane Posted January 24, 2023 Share Posted January 24, 2023 (edited) 20 hours ago, John Seaman said: Often dirt on a lens is not a bad thing, suggesting the camera has not been messed around. I've taken a chance on many cameras and lenses which looked dodgy in the pictures, but cleaned up fine. But if the lens has been over cleaned with hankies or the ends of ties etc, there's nothing you can do about scratches and coating damage. Yeah I bought a cheap nasty len for my RB I thought I coud sort. Turned oiut to be SCRAP. Not cheap enough. Having said that that my red Mamiya C33 display came even cheaper than a black one, she needed light seals and lens also needed a shutter Easy fixes. Edited January 24, 2023 by laurencecochrane Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eugen_mezei Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 On 1/23/2023 at 10:29 AM, rodeo_joe1 said: Apart from the low contrast and flare! Put an R1 bayonet lenshood on to it and most of the contrast problem is solved. If those are scratches, best is to fill them up with black paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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