Fixing scuffs/haze on a rear lens element

[nateyb93]

I purchased a used Olympus 45mm f1.8 off of eBay; lens came as described, thought I was getting a bargain but I neglected to consider the effect the scratches described in the eBay listing might have on pictures taken using the lens. Granted, the scuffs were a bit worse than the eBay pictures would have led me to believe (it would have been difficult to capture them in a product image). They are lots of tiny shallow scratches that form something of a haze over the rear element; borderline unusable at small apertures, and softens all the images taken at wider apertures considerably.

I've just gone and purchased a new version of the lens so I don't have to deal with the hassle of buying another used copy (no returns to the eBay seller anyway) but I was wondering if there's anything I can do to salvage the rear element. It looks like the scuffs only exist in the lens coating (they're not very deep), is this something that I or Olympus, or a local camera/repair shop can repair? Or am I the proud new owner of a fancy silver paperweight that happens to render pleasant bokeh?

 

[glassoholic]

Normally you can return a lens if it was not as described (severity of the problem). Raise a case issue with EBay and they will see that your money is refunded. It is highly unlikely Olympus can replace the back element economically vs the cost of that lens... maybe for a lens costing over a thousand dollars a charge of a few hundred would make sense. There is no cheap fix... replacement of the back element is the only solution.

 

[JakeJY]

On eBay, even when the seller has a strict no return policy, if the item does not match the description, eBay typically sides with the buyer regardless of the seller's return policy. Other threads have talked about this before. You just have to open a dispute officially through eBay.

The 45mm f/1.8 is frequently on sale for $250 brand new and used available for $200 in excellent condition. I'm guessing just the minimum labor alone at a service center would probably be over $100. That said I have heard Olympus has a flat rate service. Doesn't hurt to ask how much it would cost (presuming the eBay route doesn't work).

 

[nateyb93]

I don't think the eBay listing was intentionally malicious but the condition of the rear element is really poor, beyond the point where I would have listed it as "Used - good" condition. It feels a little wrong to go back to the seller when the listing wasn't entirely out of line but I'm not sure they understood the true condition of the lens they were selling. Thanks for the suggestions, I've gone and reached out to the seller about a return. Sounds like it's too much if a hassle to fix but I'm curious if others have any sort of home remedies to share that could possibly help in milder cases for fixing these types of scuff marks.

 

[TheEye]

I don't know about the construction of the 45/1.8, but on many lenses, the rear element/group can be simply replaced by unscrewing without any lens disassembly required. You may want to call Olympus service and ask about replacement feasibility and cost.

 

[Skeeterbytes]

It's possible the damage is to the coating and not the glass, but I'm not aware of any product that can restore damaged coating, which is usually a series of layers (multicoating). Have you tried a lens-cleaning solution to remove any contamination, such as oil?

Sounds as though the lens rattled around in a bag without the rear cap in place. That's a shame!

Repair would mean replacing the rear element then ensuring correct alignment and focus. A more expensive lens would warrant that but probably not this one.

Rick