I'm scrambling to find a specific vintage lens for a shoot this weekend and my budget is super tight at $100. I read about searching for typos or using sniper sites like Gixen but the prices still skyrocket last second. How do you guys actually find those hidden low-bid gems before the clock runs out?
Might wanna check lens fungus data first.
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.