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Vent: paid $60 extra for a "hand inspected" used camera and the inspector missed a fungus farm in the lens
So I bought a used 35mm lens off a big online marketplace last month and paid $60 over the cheapest listing because the seller had a "certified hand inspected" badge and like 200 glowing reviews calling him "meticulous." The listing even had a little checklist claiming they test for fungus, haze, and scratches. Lens shows up, looks clean in normal light, but when I shined a flashlight through it at my desk, there's this whole lace pattern of fungus spreading from the rear element. I messaged the seller and he basically said "flashlight tests are unrealistic, most vintage glass has some growth." Cool, so what exactly did the $60 pay for, vibes? I pulled up his reviews again and every 5 star one said something like "fast shipping, item as described" and almost none of them mentioned actually checking optics. Turns out those review badges just mean the seller pays for a service that nags you for feedback, not that anyone inspected anything. Has anyone found a seller or a checklist that actually weeds out this stuff, or do I just have to assume every used lens is guilty until proven clean?
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