February 2026
When I first started building this site, I tried to come up with a way to normalize the lens condition ratings. Each seller has their own method for rating condition, but I thought I could get them all onto a 5 point scale ranging from mint to poor condition. That would have made for easy comparison of lens condition between sellers. It isn't that simple...
I still think squeezing the sellers ratings into a 5 (or even 10) point scale is a good idea but there are issues that make doing it nearly impossible. Some sellers like to free-lance the ratings using terms like EXC++++ and MINTY in the descriptions. There are others that seem very precise, with nice numeric scales and brief supporting commentaries. Fitting both of those sellers into a normalized box that allows comparison is not a straightforward translation. There are other sellers that don't provide a rating, but have detailed descriptions that are every bit as valid as a rating.
I'm still working on this and hope to improve it over time.
For now the condition rating is only a basic reference and it is directly from the seller. I would only use it as a reference point, not as a decision maker. I wouldn't put too much effort into comparing condition ratings between sellers either. Always read the descriptions, and scrutinize the photos. From those two things, you can decide whether the condition is suitable for you.
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