I'm going to be shipping out a camera lens...  just a 50mm sized.  Are there any thoughts on simply using a box as provided by the post office or maybe Fedex without having to go through the double boxing with padded stuffing routine?

Meaning....  you can now buy a shipping box speficically engineered to send something like a PC hard drive.  It comes with padding already in the box.  I'd much rather find something like that than to have to (again) create yet another box inside a box....

It's a Zeiss lens so I do want it to be protected.

Lenses I've seen come surrounded by closely-prefitted styrofoam that then fits precisly into the lens's box.  I expect those are shipped inside well-protected shipping boxes.  If you don't have that, I'd wrap it tightly in ample bubblewrap and put it inside a robust shipping box -- but I'd ask at a camera store first.  The store may ship it for you for not too bad a price.

 Or get a piece of Styrofoam and cut the shape of the lens out. This would prevent it from shifting during shipping.........

Coytee:

I'm going to be shipping out a camera lens...  just a 50mm sized.  Are there any thoughts on simply using a box as provided by the post office or maybe Fedex without having to go through the double boxing with padded stuffing routine?

Meaning....  you can now buy a shipping box speficically engineered to send something like a PC hard drive.  It comes with padding already in the box.  I'd much rather find something like that than to have to (again) create yet another box inside a box....

It's a Zeiss lens so I do want it to be protected.

Bubble wrap.

Thanx, Russ

Need a mailing address ?

I have rented lenses before and they are shipped wrapped with bubble wrap and then foam pads to fill up the rest of the box.  I have rented a total of 8 times and nothing has ever happened to the lens, then think of the number that they are shipping out like this a day.  So the ideal of a foam padded box sounds good but ship with FedEx, thats what they use.

James

thaddeussmith:

zeiss 50mm ..drool. original packaging is ideal,

Heh...yeah but I've had this since 1980/81 give or take a month.  I can just about guarantee no original boxes anywhere here.  One box that MIGHT have been good for me to keep...  on a whim, I bought their 50th anniversary 85mm 1.2 which was one heavy piece of glass!!  Uses a 77mm filter.

Used it as my normal lens and was essentially bashed by someone saying something like "most people who bought that lens bought it for investment purposes or collecting"

I guess I'm just stupid....  I usually buy things to use!!  As such, OUT goes their box.

Coytee:

on a whim, I bought their 50th anniversary 85mm 1.2 which was one heavy piece of glass!! 

Coytee, what camera did you use that 85mm on.

Coytee:

Used it as my normal lens and was essentially bashed by someone saying something like "most people who bought that lens bought it for investment purposes or collecting"

dtel:

Coytee, what camera did you use that 85mm on.

The Contax camera was originally a German made camera.  I don't know when, but it was then taken over by Yashica as their premium line.  I think the story is, designed by Contax and built by Yashica.  A Contax lens will fit a Yashica camera and vice versa.  If you want an inexpensive way to use a Contax lens (made by Carl Zeiss of Germany) a Yashica camera body with a Contax lens is the way to go.

Carl Zeiss lens are used on Hasselblads, Rollei's, Contax...  probably another one or two but those are the ones I know of.  I THINK the only 35mm camera is the Yashica/Contax line, the others are medium format.

If you look at a digital point & shoot by (I think) Sony!! 

Edit:  I don't know that I really answered your question, I used it on a Contax RTS II.  I also have a Contax 159 body and several more Contax lens. 

Marvel:

A 1.2 is one of the ones to drool over

Drool baby drool...

This isn't a picture of mine per se, I've already sold mine but this is exactly what it looked like.  Is that a hunk of sexy or what?!!

Ya know...  it takes some real oddballs to find the appeal of speakers, camera lens, backhoes.....

I'm just saying....

Coytee:

Ya know...  it takes some real oddballs to find the appeal of speakers, camera lens, backhoes.....

I'm just saying....

Well your talking to the right group !