Every vintage lens tells a story through its condition. At LensSeed, we use a transparent 3-axis grading system that evaluates each lens across Optical quality, Mechanical function, and Cosmetic appearance — each scored from 0 to 5.
These three scores combine into an overall letter grade so you always know exactly what you’re getting.
Letter Grades Overview
The three axis scores are combined using a weighted formula to produce an overall letter grade:
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| A | Collectible condition. Scratch-free optic and body. Very minimal sign of use. |
| AB | Mint condition. Looks very new. At most a few minor marks, no performance impact. |
| B | Good condition. Works perfectly. May have body wear but no performance impact. |
| C | General second-hand condition. Still works practically with minimal difficulty. |
| D | Poor condition. Heavy sign of use. Works but some functions may need restoration. |
| F | Bad condition. For parts or repair only. Needs repair before use. |
Optical Condition
Evaluates the glass elements: coatings, clarity, fungus, haze, and scratches that affect image quality.
No scratches, coatings complete. No haze, no fungus. Like new.
No scratches, coatings complete. No haze, no fungus. Top mint.
A few hair scratches or tiny marks on the front element.
Impacts picture quality. May cause ghosting, blurry images, or low contrast.
Marks or scratches on the rear element. Will affect the image.
Lens optic is cracked.
Mechanical Condition
Evaluates focus ring, aperture blades, and overall mechanical operation.
Focus smooth, aperture snappy. Works perfectly.
Smooth focus, accurate aperture. Normal wear.
Focus slightly stiff or loose. Aperture works but may be dry.
Aperture blades slow to return. Focus uneven.
Focus stuck or aperture blades stuck.
Mechanically broken.
Cosmetic Condition
Evaluates external appearance: paint, barrel, engravings, and overall body condition.
No scratches, like new. Colors are perfect.
Overall looks new. A few scratches, a few paint-loss spots.
Average wear, some scratches on barrel.
Heavy wear, dents or deep scratches.
Very poor external condition. Still usable as a test lens.
Junk condition.
How We Calculate the Overall Grade
Each lens receives three independent scores (0–5). Because optical quality matters most for vintage lenses, the scores are weighted rather than averaged equally:
| Weighted Score | Grade | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 5.0 (all axes = 5) | A | Collectible / Near-perfect |
| 4.5 – 4.9 | AB | Mint / Excellent |
| 4.0 – 4.4 | B | Good / User-grade |
| 3.0 – 3.9 | C | General second-hand |
| 2.0 – 2.9 | D | Poor / Needs restoration |
| Below 2.0 | F | Parts or repair only |
Example: A lens with Optical 4, Mechanical 5, Cosmetic 3 gets a weighted score of (4×0.5)+(5×0.3)+(3×0.2) = 4.1, earning grade B (Good).
Any axis scoring 0 automatically results in grade F, regardless of the other scores.