Dust inside newly bought lens. Keep it or Replace it?

[Raghav_K]

So I happened to purchase a brand new Fujifilm 70-300, from my usual dealer in Kerala. This time, the lens became out of stock by the time I made the payment, and he arranged for the lens to be delivered from a dealer in Mumbai.

The lens was delivered today in a sealed box. I opened the fujifilm seal, and took out the lens. All seemed fine until I removed the lens caps, and checked the front and rear elements.

Please check the attached images. I found a small speck of dust inside the front element.

It does not seem to interfere optically and does not appear in the pictures.

Should I keep it or return it?

Am I reasonable in asking for a replacement?

Regards,
Raghav.

[Nishit Dave]

Nothing wrong in asking if you've spent a good amount of money. Being Fuji, the lens must be really expensive.

[DeepakS]

I would want it replaced.

[JessePinkmanYo]

There's hardly anything in it Doc - either ways.

I have frequently purchased new lens with dust, sometimes more than what is shown in your image and often from far more credible sources including B&H and Adorama.

If it can allay your fears any :-

(1) Most manufacturers put it in very clear words in their manual that even new samples of their lens can contain dust and that it is often an unavoidable part of the manufacturing process.

(2) I have purchased Fujifilm lens - the 15-45 with internal debris (white piece of plastic 2mm in diameter) which automatically shifted to the side after a few shots and never showed up again.

If all else is ok, I might just avoid going the return route. Remember when you return lenses at reduced prices for a reason such as this, it leaves the seller in a very tight spot and dissuades him from offering those discounts. Had it been something like a decentering issue or even a cosmetic scratch, returning would be easily justified.

But then again its totally your call.

[Raghav_K]

Thank you all for your views.

I have been doing a lot of research on this dust on new lens subject over the past few days.

I am surprised that even significant dust or objects (fly), or even cracks within the lens elements does not cause any optical artefacts.

Couple of Interesting reads below.

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2019/04/removing-fly-from-weather-sealed-canon-70-200mm/

https://wordpress.lensrentals.com/blog/2011/08/the-apocalypse-of-lens-dust/

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2008/10/front-element-scratches/

Anyways, I decided I couldn't live with the lens, so decided to return it, and get a refund.

When the dealer received the lens, he noticed a lot more dust within the front element than I had. Check out the pics. Turned out it's good I sent it back.

[neo2510]

wow! that much dust inside a new lens should be considered a disgrace and embarrassment for the manufacturer.

good you sent it back. even though rare, maybe it will improve their quality control in the long run.

i've got old vintage lenses cleaned and they have never had any traces of dust once serviced.

so it's unacceptable that a manufacturer would make an excuse of some dust being acceptable.