Is this Scratch acceptable ?

[Jeff S]

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21 hours ago, mottykytu said:

Dupplicated

Exactly

[DadDadDaddyo]

Let's put it this way. 

If it were my lens and something occurred to cause that scratch, mark, crack, I would carefully check the images produced by the lens.

Given the location shown, well, there are much worse places for such a defect to be found (such as the rear element, for example). So if the images seemed alright I would keep the lens. I'd keep it in service. I wouldn't sell it simply because of its appearance: not until I found a visible defect in the images. 

At that point, I personally would probably keep the lens anyway, simply to avoid the potential, perhaps inevitable, hassle that would follow any attempted sale. 

You never know when you might need a spare screw, or diaphragm blade, right?

[farnz]

Perhaps consider how difficult it would be to sell this lens on if you decided to?

The other thing to consider is that the scratch or crack is on the rear element and it looks like there is a hair trapped inside the lens, which would indicate to me that the lens has been opened but not by a professional (no attention to detail) and other unmentioned, unknown, or unrecognised problems could arise later on.

Pete.

PS, I note that there is no mention of the other scratch at 3 o'clock much closer to the centre.

Edited April 20 by farnz

[DadDadDaddyo]

5 hours ago, DadDadDaddyo said:

Let's put it this way. 

If it were my lens and something occurred to cause that scratch, mark, crack, I would carefully check the images produced by the lens.

Given the location shown, well, there are much worse places for such a defect to be found (such as the rear element, for example). So if the images seemed alright I would keep the lens. I'd keep it in service. I wouldn't sell it simply because of its appearance: not until I found a visible defect in the images. 

At that point, I personally would probably keep the lens anyway, simply to avoid the potential, perhaps inevitable, hassle that would follow any attempted sale. 

You never know when you might need a spare screw, or diaphragm blade, right?

Oh shoot. I looked way too quickly! Didn't see the flange...

Yeah. What everyone's saying. 

It's the rear element. It's not where you want things like that.

No reason to take it on...

If it were mine already, and I'd done that somehow, I would never sell it. I'd keep it as an object lesson to myself in lens handling...

[jakontil]

7 hours ago, Al Brown said:

Rule of thumb: 

Scratch on FRONT lens: insignificant for images anywhere below f/22
Scratch on BACK lens: Avoid at all costs.

 

This, at all costs

[nitroplait]

If buying this V4 as-is you are going to question yourself forever if you actually are getting the results that brought the V4 to fame. It will not matter that the shown scratch will likely affect less than 1% of your images, you will feel the doubt in every picture.

If you decide to sell it, your buyer will have the exact same concerns as you.

The 35/2 v4 only has the current value by hype - not by actual merits. 1500 is already too much IMO if considering all the great alternatives that can be had for less.

35/2 v3 is also a Mandler lens, better made and no one will be able to see the difference in your resulting pictures.

Don’t know if it still can be had for less than 1500, but it could last I checked.

[pgk]

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The 35mm Summicron v.4 is one of Leica's older lenses which can suffer significant internal damage if subjected to shock. The plastic internals can crack, separation can start andboth may be difficult to see and very expensive (perhaps impossible) to repair. With some lenses such a scratch wouldn't bother me; if the price was appropriate. With this one (35mm v.4) I'd just walk away from it, unless it was VERY cheap.

[mottykytu]

On 4/21/2025 at 6:11 PM, pgk said:

The 35mm Summicron v.4 is one of Leica's older lenses which can suffer significant internal damage if subjected to shock. The plastic internals can crack, separation can start andboth may be difficult to see and very expensive (perhaps impossible) to repair. With some lenses such a scratch wouldn't bother me; if the price was appropriate. With this one (35mm v.4) I'd just walk away from it, unless it was VERY cheap.

It is too bad , so I think run away from it will be good decision