35mm Double Aspherical by Boris

[JimmyCheng]

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I was recently searching for a good condition double aspherical and came across this eBay post with a lens ending in 555. It’s sold by Boris (who has mixed reputation which I’m aware of ). But the lens overall seems fine and price seems fair in today’s market after a bit of negotiation.
 

However, he ignored my request of sending a video of the lens with a light source shining through the lens elements.(he did send me all other angles, but I mentioned specifically that). Do you guys think it’s a warning sign? 

Edited October 26, 2024 by JimmyCheng

[hjddd]

He accepts returns， so I think it is fine

[jakontil]

Why wouldnt he do as requested reminds a mystery 

for those of live in the other part of the world.. returning is quite a mess

[pedaes]

3 hours ago, JimmyCheng said:

Do you guys think it’s a warning sign? 

Thats not an easy video to do, so it might just be his judgement about how serious you are versus his time.

Why not go back thanking him for what he has sent and say you would really appreciate it if he could do video of elements. Personally I would think the video could only show extreme issues anyway, and I am sure he would not be selling it with such issues.

Good luck with you decision making!

Edited October 26, 2024 by pedaes

[JimmyCheng]

38 minutes ago, pedaes said:

Thats not an easy video to do, so it might just be his judgement about how serious you are versus his time.

Why not go back thanking him for what he has sent and say you would really appreciate it if he could do video of elements. Personally I would think the video could only show extreme issues anyway, and I am sure he would not be selling it with such issues.

Good luck with you decision making!

right, the thing is: I have actually sent him a sample photo of how I want the photo/video to be. And after he failed to take a photo of the lens with a light source (he's taken all other angles), I requested a video, which he did do and sent to me, but again omitting that request. I don't know, maybe he thinks it's not worth his time to do. But with a lens worth 20000 euro, I would expect any customer to be cautious and make such request before purchasing (if cannot see in person). 

[JimmyCheng]

2 hours ago, hjddd said:

He accepts returns， so I think it is fine

I was thinking purchasing from his website so not sure how willingly he would accept returns without eBay's protection. 

[pedaes]

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42 minutes ago, JimmyCheng said:

worth 20000 euro,

I agree, I would want to be 100% sure of what I was getting for that money. 

Rare and expensive old lenses were built as standard items, so it seems to me they have exactly same vulnerability to age related problems as any other old lens.

[jc_braconi]

What Boris is famous is that he is not cheap, for the rest you can trust on him, I got some experience so I can speak about 

[JimmyCheng]

49 minutes ago, jc_braconi said:

What Boris is famous is that he is not cheap, for the rest you can trust on him, I got some experience so I can speak about 

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah considering his store is actually Leica authorized, I would expect it to be at least accurate in description. But it is hard to say given his reluctance in giving me what I wanted. 

[wlaidlaw]

10 hours ago, jakontil said:

Why wouldnt he do as requested reminds a mystery 

for those of live in the other part of the world.. returning is quite a mess

I had to return a faulty MOOLY-C to Arsenal. No problem with them but I never got back the £315 of VAT and customs duty I paid, in spite of submitting the forms three times. Licensed government theft!

Wilson

[Biotar]

Perhaps you will have the opportunity to meet with him in person? I have always met him regularly at fairs in Berlin and Hamburg and would simply have him bring me the lens for a personal handover.

[wlaidlaw]

He is not a great correspondent. I have twice emailed him about parts for an R9 but no reply. 

Wilson

[JimmyCheng]

4 hours ago, Biotar said:

Perhaps you will have the opportunity to meet with him in person? I have always met him regularly at fairs in Berlin and Hamburg and would simply have him bring me the lens for a personal handover.

Unfortunately that would be impossible for me as of now. My wife is pregnant and we live in Vancouver. It would make everything so much easier if I could handle this in person. 

[JimmyCheng]

4 hours ago, wlaidlaw said:

He is not a great correspondent. I have twice emailed him about parts for an R9 but no reply. 

Wilson

Hmm, he was actually quite responsive to me. It’s just that he didn’t answer what I wanted. I just msged him and he says he’s on vacation and will do so once he come back. Fingers crossed. 

[kaya]

I know well Boris since years and I bought many items from him. Apart the high prices, is a very correct and reliable person.

[jc_braconi]

On 10/26/2024 at 7:19 PM, wlaidlaw said:

I had to return a faulty MOOLY-C to Arsenal. No problem with them but I never got back the £315 of VAT and customs duty I paid, in spite of submitting the forms three times. Licensed government theft!

Wilson

You agree that this money never goes in Boris purse

[wlaidlaw]

JC, 

Not Boris' fault at all, wholly down to the incompetence or intransigence of HMRC (His Majesty's Revenue and Customs), so it is: "Charlie give me my money back". In fact at the German end, the customs there were equally intransigent and wanted Boris to pay import duty and VAT on a returned faulty item - double thievery!

As I specifically made very clear  in my post, "licensed government theft". I  posted this for the benefit of non-EU buyers to be wary of the problems in buying used expensive photographic items from the EU, where there is a risk of them being faulty, as the buyer will then struggle to get import duties and VAT refunded on re-export /item return.

Wilson

[jc_braconi]

Wilson,

You have a French address so why not use it to get some items from Austria ? After that, if you want to carry them to England is not a problem, I think.

 

[wlaidlaw]

18 minutes ago, jc_braconi said:

Wilson,

You have a French address so why not use it to get some items from Austria ? After that, if you want to carry them to England is not a problem, I think.

 

I want to use this extender during my trip to Vienna this coming week-end. As I am travelling with my mobility scooter, I want to carry the minimum of equipment, so just the M10-R, 50 Summilux IIISE and 21 Biogon ZM. The Komura 2X extender gives me the option of a 100mm/f2,8 lens for the weight penalty of just a few grams and is small enough to go in a pocket. For me now, every gram of weight matters. Normally I buy stuff from the EU, while at my French house but as I was in the same location as Jo Geier over this week-end and he has already sent the extender to my hotel to await my arrival on Thursday, it just seemed too good an opportunity to miss. 

Wilson

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Hallo,

Look here: Interesting Leica gear

[jc_braconi]

Have a nice trip to Austria, say hi for me to Jo.