Pentax A*200/2.8

Hi fellow Pentaxians.....
once again i need your advice: I have a chance to buy pentax A*200/2.8 for a reasonable price, however it is not perfect. There is something what looks to me like a oil on blades maybe.....see the image - that rainbow-like thing. Any ideas what it could be and if it is serious flaw? Cheers..

Oil on blades is not good, once it starts to leak it gets every where inside. Not sure how much if possible a repair would be.

It's hard to say from the picture, but another possibility is delamination of a compound element. Does the mark look like it's on a surface in the lens or in one of the lens elements?

That doesn't look like oil on the blades to me. It's more likely that what you are seeing is one of the lens elements delaminating.

If that is the case, any possible repair will likely be expensive.

Oil on the blades simply makes the blades look shiny instead of matt and you'll probably find that the aperture mechanism is sluggish, especially when it's cold.

Ditto

If it was on the aperture blades you'll see it move with them. As it is, I can't see any breaks in the discolouration where the blades meet - so it's probably delamination.

Shame.

Matt

Unlikely to be delamination... that lens is 6 seperate elements

Maybe somebody changed one

It looks like oil to me.

http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/lenses/primes/_optics/200f2.8-i.gif

Can't you get any sample shots to see if it effects the results?

If it's under £200 and the performance isn't effected I'd risk it.

On some lenses the front elements unscrew quite easily and are
cheap to clean, usually harder with an integral hood.

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Hi Algi,
the seller states it doesn´t affect IQ, and I tend to believe him. However I am bit worried if it deteriorates in time. If it was under £200, I will probably buy it and pay for repair, however it is approx £300 - so I am considering this right now....

hmm...thanks guys for your comments...

If it's not delamination because of the lack of any glued lens groups, it might just be a streak of oil/grease across one of the lenses inside, in which case it can probably be cleaned.

As for IQ, why do you "tend to believe him"? A blemish like this will certainly affect the image quality, but maybe in an almost imperceptible way.

Ask to see some original unworked image files taken with this lens to be sure the IQ is acceptable to you.

I wouldn't pay £300 unless he gets the repairs done or
comes down to £200. It's a buyers market at present on
long lenses.

Sometimes the oil which is caused by the grease breaking
down into soap and oil will evaporate. I've had Tamron
lenses that have had the blades covered in oil and I've
stripped them down and it's evaporated within a day saving
any messing with the iris.

I've got an A*300mm f/4 that's scratched on the front
element and gone misty on the edge of the rear element
but it still works fine

In the film days I used to rub Vaseline on filters
for a soft focus effect. I had to put a hell of a
lot on before it effected image quality.

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It took me a fair while to sell my A* 200 for a little under £400 earlier this year, and that was in superb condition - Selling "older" lenses is becoming more difficult, so if you are considering future sales potential then I agree with some of the other posters - no more than £200!

Having said that, if my eyesight was better I wouldn't have sold the lens at all - it is a stunner!

Problem with this lens is for £600 ish you can get the da* 200 I know which I would rather have.

I would offer him £180 and go up to £220 any more i would walk away .

Thanks guys, very helpful advice...I will try to negotiate some discount

Lenny I knew about your A*200....normally I would be interested but I knew you dont ship abroad. I had two Pentax Star lenses...and both were stunners and this one has quite a reputation too...

Mifsuds has a used DA* 200mm lens in stock @ £479.00 for comparison.

Been watching that for a couple of weeks now, but these weeks lens purchase has blown my budget right out the water...