LensSeed
The standard

How we grade

Honest grading is the product. Every lens is inspected on three axes, combined into a single letter grade, and sold with its faults disclosed — photographed exactly as it is.

100% authentic inspected & verifiedAs-pictured ตรงปก guarantee90-day warranty on every lens

Three axes, one grade

Optical 50% · Mechanical 30% · Cosmetic 20%

Optical

50%

Glass, coatings, internal clarity — what reaches your sensor.

Mechanical

30%

Focus feel, aperture snap, zoom, mount — how it operates.

Cosmetic

20%

Barrel, paint, glass surface marks — how it looks.

Example
Optical
4.0/5
Mechanical
5.0/5
Cosmetic
3.0/5
BVery goodWeighted across three axes

The grade scale

From mint to parts — no euphemisms.

A
A — Mint / near-mint
Optically flawless, mechanically perfect, barely a sign of use.
AB
AB — Excellent
Optically excellent; only minor cosmetic wear.
B
B — Very good
Strong optics, normal use; any minor faults disclosed.
C
C — Good — user grade
Fully usable; visible wear and/or minor optical faults, all disclosed.
D
D — Fair — flaws noted
Usable with notable faults; for budget or character shooters.
F
F — For parts / repair
Sold as-is for parts or restoration.

Honest defect disclosure

Every lens is checked against these points — and the clears matter as much as the flags.

FungusChecked — Mould growth inside the elements.
HazeChecked — Cloudiness or film on internal glass.
SeparationChecked — Balsam separation between cemented elements.
Oil on bladesDisclosed if present — Oil migration onto the diaphragm.
Coating marksDisclosed if present — Cleaning marks or scratches on coatings.
DustNormal — Specks inside are normal in vintage glass and rarely affect images.
Our principle

AI drafts. A human confirms.

We use AI to help identify a lens and draft a cosmetic grade from photos — but no listing is ever published on an unreviewed AI grade. Optical and mechanical condition are assessed by hand, and a person signs off the final grade before a lens goes live.

Every lens carries a certificate

This grade and disclosure travel with the glass on a Certificate of Provenance & Condition — verifiable on-chain and as a physical card, so the story and the honesty stay with the lens.

CLA'd & guaranteed