Taken by a friend last September while at the Salisbury crags.

Went a while back. Here's a view I have sitting on my tablet.

Oldhat is right in that the motorway is a rather unsightly backdrop. There is a rather tasteful pylon on the other side though

Following your suggestion I popped it on a radiator for a while but there doesn't seem to be any improvement.
I'll keep an eye on it.

I have what I thought was a nice copy of a F 35-70.

Armed with a torch I spent some time peering at my lenses (Sad I know!)and noticed the 35-70 had a problem. It appears to affect a lens element behind the front glass. It doesn't look like the fungus I've come across before.
Looking through the lens without the torch I didn't notice anything unusual.

I've taken a couple of pictures from the front and behind. Also attached a quick shot taken as a test image.

Is this fungus or a different problem?

Thanks
Sam

Many, many thanks Steve

That was the most spontaneous purchase I have ever made in my life and I'm delighted with the lens

Arrived (finally, no thanks to the delivery company) safe and sound.
Lens in fantastic condition as you described and very grateful for your communication during the last few days.
I'm gonna have to do some weight training though cause it weighs more than I'm used to!

Well it's now time to go and take photographs as Sam's camera fund is empty

Sam

Just wanted to say it was a pleasure meeting you today Duncan.
The lens is in fantastic condition and when the weather clears I'm looking forward to see how it performs.
Have fun with the Q when you get it.

Regrads
Sam

Good news! Have got the lens working again and it thankfully wasn't too difficult

However I would like to thanks MattMatic and screwdriver222 for your your research. Have to admit that screwdrivers comment re "googling" made me smile! How many times have I suggested that? Funny how I didn't think this time. Suppose I have faith in the forum!

Anyway: surrounding the front piece of glass there is a ring with 4 slots in it. See pic of one of them below


I rotated this ring clockwise about a turn and now the lens was focussing properly again.

Happy days

and thanks again

Sam

Hi Ken

I suppose the best way to describe this is that it won't focus on infinity.
The lens locks on focus fine as long as what I am focussing on isn't too far away.

I recently used it to take images of "The Rat Pack" at The Playhouse,Edinburgh. Took several hundred photos in a few hours with (what I thought!) great results. Next time I went out I was at Stirling Castle and discovered this focussing problem! I'm now wondering if the extensive use at the gig sort of broke it!

From the lens review section on another forum I got this quote:
"EDIT TO THE EDIT: Ok, with the great posts of some members here, I was easily able to correct the infinity focus issue by simply moving the focus to infinity on the scale, unscrewing the 3 screws around the barrel of the lens, moving the focus on the scale slightly to the right, then screwing the screws back in. Problem solved, now focuses to infinity. I probably doesn't focus as close as it use to, but that doesn't matter."

I just can't see the 3 screws referred to.

Upside is I can still use it in a studio setting as subjects are close enough.

Puzzling though.....

Sam

Hi, I've sent you a PM.

Thanks
Sam

Hi
I recently purchased a second hand Pentax-F 70-210 which I have been delighted with until it developed a problem focussing.

It works properly if I am focussing on a subject nearby. However if the subject is further than ~ 20feet the focus never locks i.e. the focus confirmation light in the viewfinder keeps blinking. Using manual focus does not work either.

Now on another forum someone stated they were able to fix this by loosening 3 screws and turning something or other. However I really have no idea what they were getting at!

Has anyone here experienced this problem and been able to fix it?

I'd be very grateful of any advice.

Thanks
Sam