How to tell if you're not getting a lemon?

So when it comes to used lenses and craigslist... I am a bit on the "eh" side. People want more than they're worth and there are a lot of bad people who try to sell you something that is significantly damaged. I am wondering how you can test, look, and feel to see if maybe the lens you're looking at buying from them is a dud/lemon or not. I don't want to go pay some random stranger money for a lens and then find out it's totally broken.

Obviously I'll bring my camera, but that 3.0" LCD is not really enough to see if the pictures are good or not. Heck, I'm really new (just got my camera on Tuesday) so I don't even know what I would look for that is bad besides maybe a giant crack or scratch.

Any ideas?

Thanks

Just one opinion here but you might want to spend some time with your camera and the lens(es) you do have before wading into the Craigslist / eBay swamp.

Start chasing too much gear too fast and you'll make yourself crazy!

Bring a laptop to view your images, then check for:
- Autofocus (if it has one)
- Zoom ring
- Focus ring
- Glass inside lens

Anyway what lens are you looking for?

We've seen the positive and negatives of Craigslist. I got a brand new posing chair and table for $50 they normally start at least $100. But I was in a photography class and this lady purchased a Nikon SB800 flash from Craiglist only to find out some of the advanced features didn't work.

On the extreme side, here in San Diego someone put of a Craiglist's posting selling a laptop. When the guy got there, 3 teens robbed him of his cash and cell phone. They leave in a car. He follows them to get the plates. They end up shooting and killing him.

I'll only but certain things off of Craigslist. Sometimes I wonder if the gear is stolen, especially camera equipment! Maybe I'm just paranoid..LOL. I like having a reciept(tax and insurance purposes) and being able to take stuff back if I'm not pleased.

this is one of the main reason why I dont like to deal with craiglist, the chances of getting rob or getting a lemon, your not saving much, so why not just get them brand new, and if your that cheap, get the import one from bandh.com

KY707 wrote in post #12444931
Bring a laptop to view your images, then check for:
- Autofocus (if it has one)
- Zoom ring
- Focus ring
- Glass inside lens

Anyway what lens are you looking for?

Canon 50mm 1.8 II

I'm a poor college student. I'm not going to be getting L lenses anywhere near soon.

I don't have a laptop either. (See poor college student. Also, I don't want a cheap POS)

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #12444784
Just one opinion here but you might want to spend some time with your camera and the lens(es) you do have before wading into the Craigslist / eBay swamp.

Start chasing too much gear too fast and you'll make yourself crazy!

All I have is the kit lens 18-55. It's garbage for anything but extremely bright days.

blk-dslr wrote in post #12444987
this is one of the main reason why I dont like to deal with craiglist, the chances of getting rob or getting a lemon, your not saving much, so why not just get them brand new, and if your that cheap, get the import one from bandh.com

Sometimes the cost savings is worth the risks, sometimes they are not. There are always risks involved with either choice, whether it is buying from a CL seller or buying new online.

As to the risks involved with buying locally, one can reduce the chances of getting robbed by meeting at a public place with lots of traffic during daylight hours. To reduce the chance of getting a lemon, test the gear thoroughly before buying, which is natural anyway. If you are willing to pay more to eliminate those specific risks, then that is your prerogative, but the advantages are there for some. For me, I have been very successful with buying & selling gear on CL.

To the op: I just bring my laptop and view the images that I took with the lens to check for sharpness and/or anomalies. I also make sure the glass is clean/clear and if the AF functions like it should. Do a quick focus test to see if it has any focus shift issues.

And you know this after only three days?

Wow.

Best of Luck

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #12445018
And you know this after only three days?

Wow.

Best of Luck

Yes.. I happen to actually go out and do things. I tried the lens with the situations I want to take pictures in and it failed miserably.

Could you borrow a laptop? You can view the images on screen zoomed in, but it won't be as easy as having it on the laptop display.

TridenTBoy wrote in post #12445002
Canon 50mm 1.8 II

I'm a poor college student. I'm not going to be getting L lenses anywhere near soon.

I don't have a laptop either. (See poor college student. Also, I don't want a cheap POS)

IMO the only thing you can do is a visual/physical check on lens and a functional check on your camera. Any seller expects that, but you don't have a laptop to really screen the images anyway.

Quick question. Maybe I need to think out of the box. How would you store, review or edit your photos without a laptop?

LONETRAVELER wrote in post #12445037
IMO the only thing you can do is a visual/physical check on lens and a functional check on your camera. Any seller expects that, but you don't have a laptop to really screen the images anyway.

Quick question. Maybe I need to think out of the box. How would you store, review or edit your photos without a laptop?

I have a desktop computer where I live.

jp129 wrote in post #12445032
Could you borrow a laptop? You can view the images on screen zoomed in, but it won't be as easy as having it on the laptop display.

Nope, unfortunately. :/

TridenTBoy wrote in post #12445044
Nope, unfortunately. :/

In that case, your only option is to visually/physically inspect the lens condition and function. Then check the images on the camera's LCD for sharpness/anomalies by zooming in.

The only other option would be to meet this person at a library or something. :P I really don't think they're gonna wanna wait 30 minutes while I shoot photos with their lens and then check them on the computer with an uncalibrated display. I'll just have to hope I don't get a lemon and check on the LCD. Maybe do a few tests with the focus. Any specific guides/tests I should think about?

TridenTBoy wrote in post #12445053
The only other option would be to meet this person at a library or something. :P I really don't think they're gonna wanna wait 30 minutes while I shoot photos with their lens and then check them on the computer with an uncalibrated display. I'll just have to hope I don't get a lemon and check on the LCD. Maybe do a few tests with the focus. Any specific guides/tests I should think about?

It takes you 30 mins to snap a few shots and review them on a computer? I don't think it needs to be that in-depth to tell if a lens is functioning like it should. Just shoot something with sharp text print like a magazine or a dollar bill. You also don't need a calibrated monitor to see if a lens is function right, as long as the settings are somewhat "normal". People calibrate their displays so that they print close to what they see on screen.