On Wed, 22 Apr 1998 06:28:04 GMT, " Dante A. Stella" wrote:

>To minimize confusion here... is anyone opposed to using grading systems
>like Shutterbug's? They seem easier to sort out than numbers...
[....]
>SB EXCELLENT PLUS (SB EX+)
>90 to 99% original finish.
[....]

I think I go with "meyer_b"'s comments here...
And, I have never figured out what something like
"90 to 99% original finish" means - does this mean
that if the the original finish is absolutely like
new, except that up to 10% of it is completely
missing, it rates an EX+ ??? ;-) I wrote a piece
on this on my web page, under "I babble", and here it is:

I think the very best used-equipment condition rating
system is actually an accurate, specific description
for each piece of gear... This avoids absurdities,
like "SB Excellent Plus (SB EX+), which is defined as
"90 to 99% original finish" - which means, I suppose,
that up to 10% of the finish could be completely missing
(if the rest were "Mint"...;-), and still rate an EX+
rating... And terms like "Mint+" and "Like New +" are
totally meaningless - "M" means as new (absolutely NO
marks!), but the box and/or instructions may be missing;
"LN" means same as new (unused, with all original factory
packing and papers). Also, anything labeled "M" or "LN"
which is anything other than sparkling clean is mislabeled,
since one cannot tell the finish and glass condition unless
it is clean. For conditions other than "M" or "LN" (or
"10"), which have very specific (though often misused...)
meanings, the rating system breaks down. EX means what?
To me it may mean absolutely perfect glass and mechanics,
with some evidence of handling/use wear on the exterior
- but to someone else it may mean that the glass is
serviceable, though not mint, the mechanics show wear,
and the finish is a mess, but who cares about that...?
If someone tells me that the glass is perfect except for a
few dust specks inside and one spot in "X" location of "Y"
size and "Z" nature; that the mechanics are fine, except
for a slight looseness in "A"; and that the finish no
longer has that fresh, new look, but is without scratches
or mars except for three edge rubs at locations "B", "C",
and "D", and one scratch of "E" dimensions at "F" location,
I have enough useful information about the item's condition
to make a judgement about purchase. Also, it may often be
better to rate the item conservatively and have the purchaser pleasantly surprised, than the other way around... (And I
have received items purchased through SB classifieds [this
has been less of a problem on r.p.m] that were described as
near mint or better, only to find them in poor condition
- which prompts me sometimes to want to ask the person on
the other end of the 'phone line [while trying to get a
description of an item], "When you say that you see
'no marks', are your eyes open? Lights on? Glasses,
if needed, on? Does 'EX' condition mean that the lens
was dropped onto the road, and that it rolled down the
hill, but it was not actually run over by the truck?" ;-)
In other words, the condition ratings of "M", "LN",
and "10" have specific meanings that *should* be
universally recognized, but other ratings really
don't have a lot of value...

People are funny about condition ratings, and I found
that maybe 65% of the time the items I buy are slightly
over-rated, about 10% of the time they are under-rated,
and about 5% of the time the seller has just plain lied
about the condition (or is blind) - leaving not much for
accuracy... Best, I find, is a specific description of
the marks on the item...