Lens Problem

Hi everyone,

I'm new to this photography lark, and I have just bought and received a 28mm Lens that has unfortunately got a fault. Good old heavy handed Royal Mail.

Here is a link to a short video that I made:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRNqHXX9oWg

Any ideas what is wrong with it and do you think it is fixable? I do hope so, otherwise it will be a very expensive paperweight!

Thanks in advance

Can you make a claim against Royal Mail ?

Get the sender to claim off Royal mail (presuming it wasn't sent like that of course). From the looks of it the lens seems in very good condition, it would be hard to cause that type of problem with no apparent external damage.

Was it well packaged?

This is an old M series lens. Looks to me like the aperture spring has come unset/broken - that's the rattling sound - as the lens isn't opening or closing when you fiddle with the aperture lever (connected by spring). Never had that happen on any of the 25 lenses I've bought and which have been delivered to me by mail. I've seen these springs rust though and maybe the mail journey made the already weak spring break. Or maybe it was already like this when sent.

I had this problem when i sent a f28mm f2 to czech republic it was perfect when sent it and it was well packaged but the guy said when he got it it would not stop down the aperture so he too it to a lens repairer and got an estimate to repair the spring and we split the repair cost between us. It came to £8.00 each and he emailed the receipt to me. Get in touch with who you bought it from and take it from there.

Thank you all for the replies. The lens came from a seller on these forums who has assured me the lens was A1 before sending it to me, and looking at previous feedback from previous adverts, a trustworthy and honest seller which I agree with.

Getting compensation from the RM may be tricky as the lens was well packaged and packaging not damaged, and also how do you prove the value of a really old lens?

Geordie01 & Nass, it does look like the aperture lever/spring has somehow broken or come loose. Sounds like it may be worth a shot at repairing.

Anyone in the Coventry or Birmingham areas who either knows how to fix it, or can recommend an individual or shop who can?

I hate to say it but at the end of the day it's the sellers problem, not yours. You paid for a working lens and that's what should arrive.

As for value .. surely it's whatever you paid for the lens.

For repairs .. contact this guy. LINK

Agreed.

Seller should refund, then pursue a claim against RM.
Davex.

Yep, sellers should refund/ replace.

I sold an item on Amazon and Hermes (first and last time I used them) damaged it in transit. I refunded the full cost plus return postage.