Wonderful set of photo's from what sounds to have been a magical tour.
I particularly like the Blackrock Climbers Cottage and Castle Stalker, although if you don't mind me saying, I might have experimented with a tighter crop of the latter.

Thank you for sharing.

Pentax is the domain of a race of people with generally higher IQ. A more mindful, spiritual people with a deeper knowledge and understanding of these things. Quiet, dignified and free of ego, socially elite but not aloof.

Other makes are for the sheep fodder and trend followers who know no better. Those who's egos are limited only by their wallets and take DPReview as Gospel, not realsing it's just photographic Jackanory.

Good evening RobL. Well it looks like you have been enjoying the fruits of your new purchase. I hope it's everything you hoped it would be. Judging by your examples, it certainly looks sweet enough to me.

I too have had a little play with my just serviced Auto Tak 35mm f2.3. The wind was howling outside my front door this aft but I managed a quick snap of some flowers between gusts. I bought this lens primarily for it's painterly bokah. It's not to every one's taste but this for me is one of the great aspects of ownership of vintage lenses. Unlike so many modern lenses, they often display great character and idiosyncrasies, they have form, they are tactile and just a joy to behold. Below is a jpeg straight from the camera, handheld in a gale and nowt special but not bad for a sixty year old lens. I hope you derive as much pleasure from your 35 as I will from mine



Cropped



And one from yesterday

Superb set of images.

Well it's good to know there's life out there somewhere. Good evening Gwyn.

All quiet tonight. Is this the calm before the storm?

Ahh, hadn't looked under the more info tab. I discovered with a bit more research though, that the ZF version is the converted model and the ZK was produced with a PK mount. Very desirable and highly regarded. Drooool....

Aye, they've had it for several days now and it's a very zeiss price too!1

I'm not sure though whether it is a native Pentax mount or has it been converted to PK:

As JAK suggested, drop him a line and see what he has to say.

If for any reason Alan Marlow is unable to assist you, you can always try Thin Lizzy's guitarist Eddie Houston, aka the Lens Doctor:- https://www.thelensdoctor.co.uk

However, I have a notion that the latter, though equally talented may be considerably more expensive. It doesn't cost to enquire though. Good luck....

Several weeks ago encouraged by an Ebay discount on top of a sellers discount, I purchased an Auto Takumar 35mm F2.3, a lens I had coveted for some time. On receipt of the lens I discovered that sellers description (the seller by-the-way is a fairly well known photographic retailer on ebay who's name I shall refrain from mentioning here but with whom I'm never-the-less very disappointed)of it was found to be woefully lacking. Whilst It worked, it was barely useable as the body and mechanics of the lens were so loose with excessive play that it almost rattled. I should have returned it but instead I asked Alan Marlow at A.M. Technical Services if he would have a look at it. I sent it to him for an overhaul and I have to say that he has made such a sterling job of restoring it to tip-top working condition, I reckon it's now good for yet another fifty years or so of working life. What is more, the cost for his efforts were so very, very reasonable indeed.

So this is a very big public thank you and unabashed plug for Alan Marlow. If any of you have lenses vintage or otherwise who's working life you would prefer to extend rather than consign them to the trash can, then do consider A.M. Technical Services. It's worth noting though that he is winding down for retirement so don't procrastinate!