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Buying from Yahoo Japan auctions

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  1. #1

    Buying from Yahoo Japan auctions

    I am specifically looking at manual prime lenses for camera.

    How much viable is to get stuff from Yahoo Japan auctions compared to buying locally from MK/Carousell? Also which service provider to utilize to bring goods here ?


  2. #2

    Join Date
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    I bought EXACTLY that and Japan is perfect for that.

    When I go to https://auctions.yahoo.co.jp the first AdSense ad I see on top is for https://buyee.jp - I guess you can use them.

    This isn't what I used though, I used Shopping Mall Japan LLC

    vyral_143 and imparanoic like this.

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by flameproof:
    I bought EXACTLY that and Japan is perfect for that.
    May I ask which lens you got for which camera and for how much ?

  4. #4

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    Canon F1, the old one, a 17mm lens.

    Wouldn't mind a Minolta CLE though.


  5. #5

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    Can't comment on Yahoo Japan as I've not used it, but I have bought vintage lenses on eBay from Japan sellers.

    You will find Japanese prices are less than you would in HK, HK seems to follow trend of inflated prices quite closely. Also, Japanese stores tend to be quite stringent on rating the quality of the lenses. A 'B' rated lens is often near optically pristine with one or two very minor dust particles inside, with the outside a little worn, and these are the ones I normally go for.

    There is of course shipping costs on top, but that's usually $100-200 on top. I went to Osaka at the beginning of the year and picked up a Contax CY 35mm f2.8 for HK$1000 less than what I would have paid over here, and tbh, if I had picked up another 1-2 more lenses and then sold them back here I would've gotten my flight ticket back.

    vyral_143 likes this.

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Proplus:
    Can't comment on Yahoo Japan as I've not used it, but I have bought vintage lenses on eBay from Japan sellers.
    How do I found if item location/seller store is from Japan on eBay ? I tried eBay app but confused completely.

    Also which 35/50mm manual vintage Prime lens would you suggest for beginner ? (Camera - Sony A5100)
    Last edited by vyral_143; 04-05-2018 at 06:52 PM.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by vyral_143:
    How do I found if item location/seller store is from Japan on eBay ? I tried eBay app but confused completely.
    Click on the seller (maybe the seller's name has an indication) and read their description. These 2 Japanese sellers I have previously purchased from:

    https://www.ebay.com/usr/japan_no1_c...88.m1543.l2754

    https://www.ebay.com/usr/global-supp...88.m1543.l2754


    Also which 35/50mm manual vintage Prime lens would you suggest for beginner ? (Camera - Sony A5100)
    Firstly, my GF has that camera, even though it is easy to adapt lens onto it, it's not the greatest in terms of stability and you only rely on the LCD screen as it does not have a viewfinder.

    Secondly, it depends on your budget and what you are looking for in terms of character of a lens really. Most people start off with the M42 mount which are easy to adapt and lenses start off cheap. As character:

    - Swirly bokeh: look no further than the Helios 44-2 58mm f2.8 (M42) - google this lens and you will see what I mean with swirly bokeh, going prices in HK are around HK$600-700.

    - Decent sharpness across the frame: the Minolta MD 50mm f1.4 is cheap and decent at around HK$600 (you will need a MD to NEX adapter), a Canon SSC FD 50mm f1.4 is around HK$800 with better flare control with the SSC coating but contrast can be a little low (you will need a FD to NEX adapter), or go Russian and try a Jupiter-8 50mm f2 for around HK$650 (the cheaper version is the L39 mount so you will need a M39 to NEX adapter).

    - Better sharpness and contrast: Carl Zeiss Flektogon 35mm f2.4 or f2.8 at around HK$2300. Great colours and sharpness, has a unique very short minimum focusing distance. For 50mm then you will have a look at the Pentax Takumar 50mm f1.4 which you will find mostly has yellowing in the glass as the manufacturers used radioactive thorium to produce better optics. Unless you put the lens to your eyes, this radioactivity is harmless, and the yellowing can be removed via shining a UV light directly at it for at least several days, expect to pay around HK$1400.

    - After trying a 35mm and 50mm and you find you need something in-between, try either the Konica Hexanon AR 40mm f1.7 (AR to NEX adapter) for $550 or Minolta MD 45mm f2 for HK$500....both has a focal length of 42.3mm but one rounded up whilst the other rounded down.

    - If you want to go a step up in quality then you will need to pay a little more and start going in Contax Zeiss territory. Whilst the Contax CY Planar 50mm f.14 is brilliant, its little brother the f1.7 is still fantastic and affordable at HK$1700. Whilst the 35mm f1.4 version will set you back nearly HK$10k, the f2.8 version can be had for around HK$2300. There is also the 45mm Tessar f2.8 going for aroundHK$1600-2300.
    vyral_143, TheBrit and Apjace like this.

  8. #8

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    Oh, just to add, most lenses will show good sharpness when stepped down to f5.6, but I'm a snob in this regard as when I get a f1.4 lens I expect it to be sharp at f1.4 and not having to step down. For this reason, I have sold off my Minolta MC or MD lenses as I found them quite soft at their largest aperture and all needed stepping down, so now I tend to avoid them.

    TBH, start cheap with Russian lens (the Helios 44-2 and Jupiter-8) as they will have their own character and very affordable. Whenever I buy a lens I don't mind having a few small dust particles inside the optics, but I stay away from scratches to the glass, haze or fungus. I do have the tools to take apart and clean all these, but it can be quite a chore.

    Also, look to see if there is oil on the aperture blades (avoid), and if the focusing ring is stiff. Russian and East German lens used some sort of helicoid grease which didn't age very well and would go stiff, sometimes seizing up. Try to avoid these, and if you do get one don't believe what others online has done by dripping lighter fluid into the focusing ring to loosen it, it will only get worse in the long run and you risk the grease running into the lens itself. Taking apart a focus ring for regressing is easy, but to assemble it right way can take days.....

    There 2 more main lines of vintage lenses but they open up too much of a market and would overwhelm myself so I've steered clear of them:

    - Olympus OM lenses: small and compact but prices reflect this
    - Nikon AI/AIS lenses: there are millions of these like the Canon FDs, just pick a side

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  9. #9

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    Is this the my lense is bigger than your lense thread LOL

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  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by Proplus:

    Minolta MD 50mm f1.4 is cheap and decent at around HK$600 (you will need a MD to NEX adapter)

    Konica Hexanon AR 40mm f1.7 (AR to NEX adapter)
    If I could click Like button multiple times, I would have for your inputs. They help immensely.

    I tried looking for adapters on web. Amazon US has them for ~US$15 each plus ~US$5 shipping. Locally on Carousell, I found only one listing which has them for about HK$70-75. Any information if they are available easily and cheaper in MK Sim city or any other place?

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