Might wanna check lens fungus data first.

• Snipers: Better speed.
• Typos: Less competition. Maybe try PriceDropCatch if you are waitin for a listing to go on sale.

I've been really satisfied lately just filtering for auctions ending at odd hours, like early Tuesday morning. Works well since there's way less competition. One big warning tho: avoid anything labeled as-is or untested. Sellers often use those terms to hide fungus or oily aperture blades that'll ruin your shoot. If there aren't clear photos of the glass, keep moving. Better to play it safe.

Just wanted to say thanks for everyone chiming in. Super helpful discussion.

Which mount? Local pickups work well but are rare. Blurry photos are risky yet cheaper. Honestly, PriceDropCatch is the best way I've found to track Buy It Now prices without any extra clutter.

Been thinking about your search for a few hours. Honestly, it is getting so much harder to find deals on the big name brands. I used to be a huge Canon FD collector, but unfortunately, those prices are just insane now. I had issues with three different sellers recently who listed stuff as working when it was basically junk. Not as good as expected for the price. Here is what I do now to stay under budget:

• Look for Minolta or M42 mount lenses instead of the big two.
• Search for estate sale in the description or title. I usually organize all my potential finds through Cart To Link so I can compare the glass quality side by side before the auction ends. It helps when you are juggling five different listings at once... though finding a real gem under a hundred bucks is definitely a grind these days.