Old Worn Lenses - Are The Best Lenses! I have a theory about this that stretches back to my Music days.  All the really good sounding guitars were always well played and worn.  They were worn because people used them all of the time because they were the best performers. Lenses are the same way.  You probably have a couple favorite lenses that you use all of the time because they always seem to provide extraordinary results.  These lenses get used more often and therefore exhibit more wear and tear than the lesser performers that stay in your camera bag. Oddly enough, people stay away from the worn lenses and gravitate and pay inflated prices for the Mint examples.  On the other hand, in the Music world, people gravitate towards the older worn instruments and pay inflated prices for them.  Professional musicians always go for the older worn instruments that play and sound better.  I believe that photographers should awaken to the same philosophy.  I know many professionals that exercise this philosophy already because they are in the know. Think about this for a moment... If you buy lenses and plan to use them as a photographic tool, you can buy worn examples, that you know are excellent performers, for currently a fraction of the cost of a mint example, and it has a proven performance record!  Some of the lenses I use are worn examples with rich, long histories behind them.  I like these lenses as they exhibit character and above all, are excellent proven performers. So next time you see a worn lens for sale, think about whether you plan on using the lens or sitting it on a shelf to collect dust.  In the mean time, until everyone catches on, we can have a field day acquiring the better performing equipment for less money! Hints on Condition:  The outside of the lens Does Not affect the performance of the lens.  Small imperfections in the coating or even small scratches in the glass Do Not affect the performance of the lens.  Fogging, Fungus and particles inside the lens do Affect the performance, but in most instances these lenses can be cleaned, at a moderate cost, providing you with a great useable lens.  If a lens has elements that are separating, this usually starts on the edges and the lens can be successfully used stopped down past the separation.  Sometimes they can be repaired.  If they are separated real bad, stay away from them,  although I do not see these very often. And...  Always remember to use the correct Hood with the lens, or use your hand to block out the extraneous light.  Flare is the Number 1 reason for poor lens performance.