All Forum Comments
Comment by davidstorm posted on K-1 For Sale - Near Mint Condition, less than 4,800 Shutter Clicks at 19/03/2021 - 13:51
PRYorkshire wrote:
I like all of these, but particularly the fungii growing on the tree on the portrait shot and the teasels, lovely subtle colours.
Disappointed to see the state of the play area at Rother Valley. We take our grandson there for a ride on the miniature railway when we pick him up from Halfway school. However haven't been there since March last year, can't believe how run down it looks.
Hi PaulI like all of these, but particularly the fungii growing on the tree on the portrait shot and the teasels, lovely subtle colours.
Disappointed to see the state of the play area at Rother Valley. We take our grandson there for a ride on the miniature railway when we pick him up from Halfway school. However haven't been there since March last year, can't believe how run down it looks.
Thanks for your comment, regarding the play area, it's been out of use for several years now and has just been left to rot. It's a bit odd, as there is investment going on in other areas of the park, there's all sorts of woodland management, path clearing etc happening. I wonder if Playdales was owned by a separate entity and not by the park, as it has just been left to go to rack and ruin.
Our house backs right onto the park, so it's a regular haunt for me during lockdown.
Regards
David
Comment by davidstorm posted on Some more Cheap Lens shots on the K-1 at 18/03/2021 - 22:55
Hi Mark
I have sent you a private message that may assist you with your issues with this lens.
Regards
David
I have sent you a private message that may assist you with your issues with this lens.
Regards
David
Comment by davidstorm posted on Advice on lens fog... balsam separation or oil condensation? Cost? at 18/03/2021 - 22:51
Hi Mark
Just re-read your post, i.e. that you received it today. Send it back immediately, it's not your risk, the seller should have disclosed it and would have been aware of this.
Regards
David
Just re-read your post, i.e. that you received it today. Send it back immediately, it's not your risk, the seller should have disclosed it and would have been aware of this.
Regards
David
Comment by davidstorm posted on Advice on lens fog... balsam separation or oil condensation? Cost? at 18/03/2021 - 20:52
Hi Mark
I would think that one will be quite easy to dis-assemble. I would be happy to take a look at it if you like, I wouldn't want to charge any money, would do it as a favour.
I'm not a professional tech, but I have repaired lots of lenses over the years and I don't take risks if the lens is difficult to take apart.
If you send it to a tech, you may end up spending a lot of money for no end result.
Regards
David
I would think that one will be quite easy to dis-assemble. I would be happy to take a look at it if you like, I wouldn't want to charge any money, would do it as a favour.
I'm not a professional tech, but I have repaired lots of lenses over the years and I don't take risks if the lens is difficult to take apart.
If you send it to a tech, you may end up spending a lot of money for no end result.
Regards
David
Comment by davidstorm posted on Advice on lens fog... balsam separation or oil condensation? Cost? at 18/03/2021 - 20:49
mark88 wrote:
Thank David. I'm not thinking to fix it myself, I'll look for an experienced tech.
You guess it is balsam separation?
I don't think I will find another lens to get the cemented group, I have never seen another (in good condition) on sell... anywhere... (except Japan)
Hi MarkThank David. I'm not thinking to fix it myself, I'll look for an experienced tech.
You guess it is balsam separation?
I don't think I will find another lens to get the cemented group, I have never seen another (in good condition) on sell... anywhere... (except Japan)
I don't know without being able to see the lens and take it apart. I don't think it's oil, it could be a type of fungus, there are lots of different types that can look like haze, if it is fungus it will be clean-able so long as it hasn't etched the glass. Which exact lens is it, also how long has it been like this?
Regards
David
Comment by davidstorm posted on Advice on lens fog... balsam separation or oil condensation? Cost? at 18/03/2021 - 20:43
Hi All
Following up on my theme over the past couple of weeks, here's a few more 'cheap lens' shots on the K-1. These are all with a £12 + postage (total £15) Sigma DL Macro Super 70-300mm, which was described on ebay as 'AF not working'. I think we all know this is a screw-drive lens, so if it was manually focusing, I was sure the AF would work, so I took a punt and bought it. When it arrived, the focus ring was in the 'locked' position (it has a slight detent after infinity to lock the ring in position), so I moved it out of lock and the lens works perfectly, including AF. It's in absolutely mint condition too. It will never be worth a fortune, but for £12 by God it's good!
Hope you like, all snapped on a walk today in my local Country Park (Rother Valley).
Comments and observations welcomed.
Following up on my theme over the past couple of weeks, here's a few more 'cheap lens' shots on the K-1. These are all with a £12 + postage (total £15) Sigma DL Macro Super 70-300mm, which was described on ebay as 'AF not working'. I think we all know this is a screw-drive lens, so if it was manually focusing, I was sure the AF would work, so I took a punt and bought it. When it arrived, the focus ring was in the 'locked' position (it has a slight detent after infinity to lock the ring in position), so I moved it out of lock and the lens works perfectly, including AF. It's in absolutely mint condition too. It will never be worth a fortune, but for £12 by God it's good!
Hope you like, all snapped on a walk today in my local Country Park (Rother Valley).
Comments and observations welcomed.
Comment by davidstorm posted on Some more Cheap Lens shots on the K-1 at 18/03/2021 - 19:52
My guess would be that it can't be repaired without replacing an entire element group, in which case you may as well replace the whole lens if you can find one.
Might be worth dis-assembling the lens, I've taken quite a lot of lenses apart successfully and have been able to restore them to 'good as new', but this depends on whether it is a cemented element that is causing the problem. If it's fungus or some other surface contamination you can carefully wash in dish soap and clean water, then clean after drying with Ronsonol lighter fluid and a scrupulously clean lens cloth or lens tissue, being careful to leave no smears. Wear nitrile rubber gloves so you don't get skin oil on the lenses.
Re-assemble with care, taking note of where infinity focus is set (this is easy to adjust, usually three screws that tighten onto the focus helicoid, may need a bit of trial and error to get it right).
There should be a dis-assembly guide on the internet somewhere, try Pentax Forums. If it all fails, you've lost nothing as the lens is not usable as it is.
Regards
David
Might be worth dis-assembling the lens, I've taken quite a lot of lenses apart successfully and have been able to restore them to 'good as new', but this depends on whether it is a cemented element that is causing the problem. If it's fungus or some other surface contamination you can carefully wash in dish soap and clean water, then clean after drying with Ronsonol lighter fluid and a scrupulously clean lens cloth or lens tissue, being careful to leave no smears. Wear nitrile rubber gloves so you don't get skin oil on the lenses.
Re-assemble with care, taking note of where infinity focus is set (this is easy to adjust, usually three screws that tighten onto the focus helicoid, may need a bit of trial and error to get it right).
There should be a dis-assembly guide on the internet somewhere, try Pentax Forums. If it all fails, you've lost nothing as the lens is not usable as it is.
Regards
David
Comment by davidstorm posted on Advice on lens fog... balsam separation or oil condensation? Cost? at 18/03/2021 - 19:35
doingthebobs wrote:
The Spotmatics were built to use a mercury battery (PX400/V400PX/RM400)of 1.35v, as were many other cameras of the time. Unfortunately the mercury batteries were discontinued in the 1970's but due to the forethought and good design of Pentax cameras, a bridge circuit on the battery, they are not sensitive to different battery voltages!
As long as it fits ok in the battery chamber, an SR44 (silver)or LR44(alkaline) 1.5v battery will work the meter fine. These are the same as the ones used on the K, M, P and most of the A series cameras. They are a different shape but usually will fit ok but may want a bit of careful packing with a bit of paper or thin card, to keep them central in the battery chamber and in contact with the battery contacts.
There is also a battery replacement for the old PX400 battery called a WEIN Cell but they are expensive and don't last well, whereas the LR44 are cheap and easy to get hold of.
All the best, Bob
To make the LR44's work in a Spotmatic, you have to remove the plastic round piece in the battery compartment, otherwise they do not fit. The plastic can be brittle and can break when removing it. This is why I use the Rayovac Hearing Aid batteries as the battery compartment will take them with no modifications.The Spotmatics were built to use a mercury battery (PX400/V400PX/RM400)of 1.35v, as were many other cameras of the time. Unfortunately the mercury batteries were discontinued in the 1970's but due to the forethought and good design of Pentax cameras, a bridge circuit on the battery, they are not sensitive to different battery voltages!
As long as it fits ok in the battery chamber, an SR44 (silver)or LR44(alkaline) 1.5v battery will work the meter fine. These are the same as the ones used on the K, M, P and most of the A series cameras. They are a different shape but usually will fit ok but may want a bit of careful packing with a bit of paper or thin card, to keep them central in the battery chamber and in contact with the battery contacts.
There is also a battery replacement for the old PX400 battery called a WEIN Cell but they are expensive and don't last well, whereas the LR44 are cheap and easy to get hold of.
All the best, Bob
Regards
David
Comment by davidstorm posted on Battery for Spotmatic SP500 at 18/03/2021 - 00:01
Hi Andrew
We've communicated several times since your last forum comment on this post, thanks for your messages.
Regards
David
We've communicated several times since your last forum comment on this post, thanks for your messages.
Regards
David
Comment by davidstorm posted on FULL FRAME OR APS-C at 17/03/2021 - 23:32
I have a K-1 Mk1 for sale in near mint condition and fully working, together with a free full frame 35-80mm lens (Pentax-FA) to get the buyer started.
The reason for selling this camera is that I have a second K-1, which is a little more 'beat up' and suits my purposes better, as I regularly take these cameras out in inclement weather and they can tend to get bumped and scraped! The one I'm selling has been mollycoddled and has no damage, so I'm moving it on whilst it's in the best condition. The only slight negatives are that it's missing the rubber cover for the grip contacts and it has the tiny mark above the lens mount that used to be caused by Sigma lenses. The camera is boxed with all original accessories and papers. Please see the link below for my current ebay listing and images.
link
It is listed on ebay at £974.50, but I will sell to a forum member for £920 plus postage of the buyer's choice. If it hasn't sold by next Monday, it will be switched to a 7 day auction listing on ebay, as I need to move it on before I go to Corfu for the summer (we leave on 2nd April).
If anyone has any questions, please PM me and I will be very happy to help.
Best regards
David