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Before I start let me state this is not an attack on Fixation as a company as I have never dealt with them before or since, merely to explain a recent experience with them and perhaps make people ask a few more questions than I did when buying from them.
After posting on these forums that I wanted a Nikon 400mm 2.8 AFS-II I was kindly pointed at the Fixation secondhand list which had one for sale at quite a reasonable price.
I duly called them and asked as many questions about the lens as I could knowing that I wouldn't be able to travel to see it. The lady I spoke to assured me that it was an almost immaculate example with no visible marks on it apart from the usual loss of paint around the tripod mount and that it had been owned by a very reputable customer of theirs (frankly I wouldn't have cared if it has been owned by Beelzebub as long as it was in good nick). I reiterated numerous times that while the optical condition of the lens was of most importance I was really looking for one that was close to spotless on the outside too and could she assure me that it was.
After I was happy that it was a good'un she took my card details and agreed to have it with me the next day. Later on that afternoon I got a call from the lady at fixation to say that when she was packing it away she took the two lens hoods off and noticed some scratches on the tripod collar but she knew I wanted a good one and wanted to make me aware of it before it was posted. Fair enough I thought but the suspicions were raised.
After much discussion it now turns out that there are quite a few scratches and marks on the body and that she hasn't bothered taking the lens hoods off to have a look when selling it too me in the first place. "OK and tell me again how are the incredibly expensive carbon fibre lens hoods", "Well they are quite messy but I can't see any cracks" was her response!!!!! OK so now this near mint lens has turned out to be a basket case on the outside. There followed a great lecture on how it was the optical performance of the lens that mattered not the outward appearance and that knowing the previous owner like they did this lens had probably been to Bagdad or Kabul and you couldn't expect it not to be knocked around in those conditions!!! Well thanks so much for the talk but what planet were you on when we started this sale and assured me it was spotless??
So we left the conversation with her promising to take photos of the lens and send them to me so I could say yes or no. That was two days ago and surprisingly I have heard nothing. Thanks.
Anyway I have found an absolute minter at Camtech, OK its the older AF-S model but it is bloody immaculate, so thanks Camtech and :razz: to Fixation
Sorry for the rant and here is the new beast
After posting on these forums that I wanted a Nikon 400mm 2.8 AFS-II I was kindly pointed at the Fixation secondhand list which had one for sale at quite a reasonable price.
I duly called them and asked as many questions about the lens as I could knowing that I wouldn't be able to travel to see it. The lady I spoke to assured me that it was an almost immaculate example with no visible marks on it apart from the usual loss of paint around the tripod mount and that it had been owned by a very reputable customer of theirs (frankly I wouldn't have cared if it has been owned by Beelzebub as long as it was in good nick). I reiterated numerous times that while the optical condition of the lens was of most importance I was really looking for one that was close to spotless on the outside too and could she assure me that it was.
After I was happy that it was a good'un she took my card details and agreed to have it with me the next day. Later on that afternoon I got a call from the lady at fixation to say that when she was packing it away she took the two lens hoods off and noticed some scratches on the tripod collar but she knew I wanted a good one and wanted to make me aware of it before it was posted. Fair enough I thought but the suspicions were raised.
After much discussion it now turns out that there are quite a few scratches and marks on the body and that she hasn't bothered taking the lens hoods off to have a look when selling it too me in the first place. "OK and tell me again how are the incredibly expensive carbon fibre lens hoods", "Well they are quite messy but I can't see any cracks" was her response!!!!! OK so now this near mint lens has turned out to be a basket case on the outside. There followed a great lecture on how it was the optical performance of the lens that mattered not the outward appearance and that knowing the previous owner like they did this lens had probably been to Bagdad or Kabul and you couldn't expect it not to be knocked around in those conditions!!! Well thanks so much for the talk but what planet were you on when we started this sale and assured me it was spotless??
So we left the conversation with her promising to take photos of the lens and send them to me so I could say yes or no. That was two days ago and surprisingly I have heard nothing. Thanks.
Anyway I have found an absolute minter at Camtech, OK its the older AF-S model but it is bloody immaculate, so thanks Camtech and :razz: to Fixation
Sorry for the rant and here is the new beast
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