Canon 5D Mirror Severely Scratched

So, I just purchased a Canon 5D classic from eBay. This is my third 5D Classic body - there's something I just love about these cameras and I keep coming back to them.

Anyhow, once it arrived from the seller, I noticed that the mirror looked severely scratched. Now, I haven't tried cleaning it (knowing that the mirror is front coated and super delicate and all that) but from what I can tell, these look like scratches, not fingerprint oils/smudges:

http://s13.postimg.org​/u2dskc253/IMG_0509.jp​g

http://s13.postimg.org​/prz4oqx1z/IMG_0510.jp​g

I threw on a lens, set up in the living room and did a few test shots. Focus seems to be accurate, exposure too (crop is at 100%).

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hmm i would be conserned on how a mirror got scratched,did they scratch it by cleaning it with the wrong tools?did u try a sensor test and shoot white room or sky and crop it and see if theres any thing that may be on the sensor,wouldn't hurt to let the seller know about the mirror just so its not a surprise if u decide to return it.

I don't think "good condition" is an official eBay term for cameras, so I think that's subjective. Honestly unless you have a very generous eBay seller who has stated that they accept returns, I think you're SOL on that.

As far as the 5Dc mirror fix, it didn't involve replacing the mirror. I believe it was just adding adhesive, so either way I think a mirror replacement is going to be on you. No idea how much that'd run, but if you decide to do it, it may make sense to see if you quality for gold/platinum CPS and get a discount on the repair work (as well as free expedited, return shipping). I imagine at the low-end you're probably looking at least $100 (likely more).

How bad is it in the viewfinder? Not sure what other cameras you have, but if it was a backup or just a general knock-around camera for me, I'd live with it as long as the final images are clean.

The Mirror is a huge part of a SLR camera, so yes a refund is in order. Or at least them pay to have it replaced...

Yep, sensor is looking just fine both with visual and photograhic inspection.

From the patterns of the scratches, it looks like someone used a regular tissue or something and tried to clean it - there are no deeper scratches, just micro surface abrasions from what I can tell.

I'll get in touch with the seller and bring it up - it's very possible they never noticed (some people are not as attentive/careful with their gear) but it's certainly something that I picked up on nearly immediately. I'm still hoping that it hasn't been in for mirror repair under Canon's replacement program - at the very best they'll replace it along with reinforcing the mechanism (I read a few stories where people received mirror replacements as part of that program as necessary), at the very worst they'll give me a $200-300 figure to replace it or say that they no longer have that part.

From the original listing:
Canon EOS 5D Mark I is in good condition. The camera comes with a Canon BG-E4 battery grip. Both are in great working condition.

Sellers ARE responsible for delivering items that are "as described". I absolutely agree with you, Brandon, that this is all subjective, but it could equally be argued that a scratched mirror constitutes neither "good condition" nor "great working condition".

The 5D is my backup for weddings/portraiture - it's not a primary but it's not exactly a knockaround either...

Well I let the seller know what was going on. I let him know that if Canon takes the mirror in for repair, there's a small chance they will replace it. If they don't replace it and send it back, or if they contact me about having noticed the mirror issues, I would at that point what to discuss a return due to it not being "in great working condition". I guess we'll see.

Despite the test shots today looking good, they were taken inside with indirect light - I'm concerned that some more direct light on to that mirror (say, shooting a client with their backs to the sun) might cause focusing issues.

What does the mirror have to do with the end result (picture)? Did I miss something is SLR 101 40 years ago? It sounds like the poster is expecting the mirror to make a difference in the SHOT and it doesn't.

WilsonFlyer wrote in post #17275304
What does the mirror have to do with the end result (picture)? Did I miss something is SLR 101 40 years ago? It sounds like the poster is expecting the mirror to make a difference in the SHOT and it doesn't.

No, I completely understand that the sensor is what captures the final shot, however from what I've read on the web in fora not dissimilar to this one (yes yes, I know, it's the INTERNET) it seems as though some people state that the mirror on modern DSLRs plays a part in metering and focusing.

If someone can definitively dispel the notion that the mirror plays a part in metering and focusing (even if it's only for the 5D classic) then I won't worry about it a second longer...

All depends on what kind of deal you got.
If you are over paid for a mint condition item, go for return/partial refund.
If you paid a dirt price, enjoy your purchase.
Mirror defect should not cause any harm to your image quality so don't fix something that is not causing trouble.
As how it is formed; Doesn't seems to be the kind of scratch you get by adapting non AF older lenses that have crash of large size FF mirror with the back of lens. Seems more like a direct contact of some source but then again, if the deal is right, enjoy your 5DC. These cameras are some of the best Canon ever build and no wonder dominated the field for such a long time.

CiaranC wrote in post #17275257
From the original listing:
Canon EOS 5D Mark I is in good condition. The camera comes with a Canon BG-E4 battery grip. Both are in great working condition.

Sellers ARE responsible for delivering items that are "as described". I absolutely agree with you, Brandon, that this is all subjective, but it could equally be argued that a scratched mirror constitutes neither "good condition" nor "great working condition".

The 5D is my backup for weddings/portraiture - it's not a primary but it's not exactly a knockaround either...

Yep, just playing devils advocate. Hope he/she's a decent seller, and if not, that the replacement mirror isn't too expensive. Good luck!!

Scratches and particles in the mirror-> viewfinder could but unlikely affect the metering/autofocusing. I could seen the arguement of mirrow not affecting final image result fitting in the "good" category, though that itself is user definable. I have gotten a ex graded camera from keh with a big black blob somewhere between the mirror and the viewfinder that was more of an an annoyance, that I just accpetabed as part of being used for the price and have done nothing about it.

Mirror replacement should not be included in the free fix, I did in 2013. I would guess that the replacement cost could be up to 1/2 the price of the camera. If you are not ok, I would either return or try to get some money back. If it were a good price and not worth the hasle I would probably keep, but there are a lot of 5dcs out there which probably meet your requirements.

I don't mind saying that I got it with the OEM grip and two off-brand batteries for $430. Given that they come in good condition without grip for around $450, I'm pleased with the price, that's for sure, and everything else seems to be functioning as it should.

And you're right - it does look like direct contact rather than impact from someone not removing aperture levers etc. from an older adapted lens.

My concern is that there are some abrasions in the center or the mirror - the partially transparent portion that allows the smaller mirror to reflect down to the AF sensor in the base. I guess I'll have to do some field testing to be absolutely sure.

And yes, the 5D classic was my first full frame camera and very possibly my favorite besides the 1Ds MkII I owned which was just too much to lug around for wedding work. Is it weird that I prefer the IQ of the classic to later iterations of the 5D?

Just to clarify I'm not nitpicking - if it works well in the field I'll be 100% happy with my purchase and the price I paid for it! It has been a couple of years since I've had a 5D classic, and I'm just excited to put it to use

How much would it cost to replace the mirror?

mclaren777 wrote in post #17275416
How much would it cost to replace the mirror?

From what I've gathered on other fora, $200 would not be an unexpected figure although I've seen everything from $100 to $350 mentioned as potential costs with $250 coming up several times as Canon's charge for the 5D classic. Given that this is a used camera with an unknown shutter count, I'm probably not going to sink money into it. Sort of like spending a lot of money on repairing a high mileage car - it's always a gamble.