Should You Buy a Scratched Lens?
It seems like a scratched lens would produce poor images, but as Markus Hofstaetter shows, it can be hard to tell when looking at the photos themselves. Scratched lenses are typically relatively cheap to purchase second-hand, and they can represent a fantastic bargain.
Unless scratches cover a large portion of a glass element, the damage’s impact on image quality can be minimal. Hofstaetter himself mixed up a wet plate image he shot with a pristine lens and an image captured with his new scratched lens. There is practically no difference between the two.
Hofstaetter chatted with Denis from wetplatedreams.com about scratched lenses. Denis is an expert in historical photographic equipment and restoration, so he sees many lenses with varying degrees of damage, including scratched front elements. Photographers frequently ask him whether it is okay to use a scratched lens, and often, it is.
“Unless you have an element that is really scratched all over the glass elements, like covering them about 50% of the lens, I would bet that you wouldn’t see the difference,” Denis explains.
Denis also recently started a YouTube channel for wet plate photography enthusiasts.
While a scratched lens is seemingly no issue for wet plate photography, what about digital photography on modern, high-resolution cameras? Lensrentals did a deep dive on front element scratches last year, and lo and behold, scratches sometimes have no noticeable effect on images at all. The location and intensity of a scratch can matter, but if someone gets minor blemishes on their lens, they do not necessarily need to throw the lens away or pay for an expensive repair.
However, that does not mean photographers should hop on trends that suggest they scratch their lenses with rocks.
As Hofstaetter points out, realizing that a scratched lens can still take nice, sharp photos opens many more possibilities for photographers scouring the used market for gear. Not only are scratched or damaged lenses commonly found in photo shops or online, but they are also relatively more affordable than near-mint condition alternatives.
To illustrate this point, consider the two images below. Which one was shot with the scratched lens? Hofstaetter reveals the answer at the end of the video featured above.
More of Markus Hofstaetter’s work is available on his website, Instagram, and YouTube.
Image credits: All images © Markus Hofstaetter
