About the Item Condition Rating

At our shop, we assign an ‘Item Condition Rating’ to each product using our own unique grading system, as outlined below.

 

[Grading Levels]

Near Mint (NM)… In near-new condition

Excellent+++++ (E5)… In very good condition

Excellent++++ (E4)… In good condition

Excellent+++ (E3)… Standard second-hand item

Excellent (E)… Second-hand item showing signs of use

 

[Grading Method]

We will assess the item across the four categories of ‘Appearance’, ‘Functionality’, ‘Balsam Separation’ and ‘Optical Performance’ in accordance with the following assessment criteria, and the lowest score among these will be taken as the item’s final rating.

 

‘Appearance’

No scratches…NM

Minor scratches…E5

Significant scratches…E3

 

‘Functionality’

No functional issues…NM

Issues that do not affect photography…E3

 

‘Optics’

The presence and extent of ‘fungi’, ‘haze’, ‘lens separation’ and ‘dust’ shall be assessed as follows.

Please note that where any of these defects are present, the assessment categories are as follows: for ‘fungi’, ‘small fungi’ and ‘fungus’; for ‘haze’, ‘thin haze’ and ‘haze’; for ‘lens separation’, ‘slight lens separation’ and ‘lens separation’; and for ‘dust’, ‘small dust’ and ‘dust’ respectively.

None of the above…NM

‘Dust’ only (regardless of whether ‘small dust’ or ‘dust’)…E5

‘Fungi’, ‘thin haze’ or ‘slight lens separation’ (regardless of the presence of dust)…E4

Shows ‘haze’, or any two of the following: ‘small fungi’, ‘thin haze’ or ‘slight lens separation’ (regardless of the presence of dust)…E3

There is ‘fungus’, there is ‘lens separation’, or there is a combination of ‘small fungi’, ‘thin haze’ and ‘slight lens separation’ (regardless of the presence of haze or dust)…E

 

Please see this page for information on how ‘haze’ and ‘dust’ are assessed.