[Racer X 69]

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I always wonder if some of the dust and detritus can get inside the blower, and - if it can - is there an effective method of cleaning it out... or is it better to simply replace it every few years?

I keep mine in a Ziplock Bag.

In fact I use Ziplock Bags to organize all of the small loose items in my camera bag.

[monochrome]

Having spent the bulk of my professional career at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, I unexpectedly picked up some serious bragging rights last nght

You’re getting some callouts on the other thread. Congrats! Hope they win another.

[jeallen01]

The MZ5 and SMC-Pentax M F1.7 from ebay for £18 inc. P&P arrived today (a day early) - well packed but bits of polystyrene everywhere on the outside! Lens (S/N 6548064) looks clean and don't think it has any fungus (then again, I'm no expert at spotting that). Body looks clean, although it has a few "dirty marks" on the base, but can't check if it works until I get some CR2 batteries (ordered the cheapest I could find on ebay - £4.98 for 2).

Anyway, as I said in the 1st post about the above, it was got as a possible source of a spare "white" solenoid for the K-30 fix - so no real loss if I flog it on for a little less than I paid for it, or even if it doesn't work (but then I might get some cash back from the vendor - and that would be good as I would happily have bought a non-runner in the first place if I could have found one dirt cheap!).

CR2 batteries arrived today and so I checked the MZ5 as far as I could without running film through it - everything seems to work except the pop-up flash doesn't, but can't complain about that as the vendor declared that in the ad.

Will keep it "in the cupboard" until spare solenoid is required (if ever).

[Wasp]

I got myself a K1000SE today, for free. Sadly it is in very poor condition. It sat in a damp closet for many years and is probably good for spares only. The shutter still works, for what it is worth. I know the whole history of the camera and it is disheartening that it has deteriorated to the extent that it has.

The split image focusing screen could be useful in my K200D, but it has to be cut down to size for that. I will have to research that some more. Or perhaps it is worth repairing. It will need a new back. If some internet advertisers are to be believed, a K1000 is a very rare collector's item that is worth a fortune. Yeah, right.

The one good thing is that came with an SMC Pentax M 50mm f/2 which I am quite chuffed with. It is very dirty but looks like it will clean up nicely. It has always worn a UV filter and was (almost) never taken off the camera. One more nifty fifty is always good to have. I now have the triumvirate of M standard lenses: f/1.4, f/1.7 and f/2.

[Marcus Rowland]

CR2 batteries arrived today and so I checked the MZ5 as far as I could without running film through it - everything seems to work except the pop-up flash doesn't, but can't complain about that as the vendor declared that in the ad.

Will keep it "in the cupboard" until spare solenoid is required (if ever).

Which make CR2 batteries are you using? I've had a lot of trouble with the cheaper brands, they don't seem to have enough power for cameras. I think they're intended for vaping inhalers, and don't meet the full CR2 specification.


My day was interesting. It's snowing but I took a chance and went to the car boot sale - it's only a fifteen minute bus ride so no big deal if it's cancelled - and found that it was still happening, though not a huge number of traders. But possibly because it was fairly quiet I did pick up a few things:

A Nikon F55 with a very clean 28-100 AF zoom - Lens is working well, camera turns out to have an AF fault (might just be dirt or something blocking sensors, I need to do some research), but I should still make a profit at £25
A Diana F 120 film camera £5 - A Lomography toy, so should make a profit
A Photax Paragon 135/2.8, boxed and in case, unfortunately Canon FD mount £7 - no idea on this one, depends if anyone wants an FD lens when I sell it. It's in very good condition, so hopefully OK
and a Pentax A 1:4 70-200 for a fiver! Unfortunately all it's probably worth because there turns out to be slight fungus and the push-pull is way too loose, which is why I nearly didn't buy it.

And the job lot of stuff I was expecting has arrived

A very nice Pentax MZ-30 with FA 28-80 3.5-5.6 AF zoom, both working well
A Helios 44-M, mechanically and cosmetically good but unfortunately turns out to have fungus
A clean Prinzflex 80-200 4.5-5.6 with M42 mount
and a Zenit 12xp body that's working well but has a prism fault

Total cost including P&P was £27.50 so I should probably break even or make a small profit - not as good as I'd hoped, but that's that's the risk you take with job lots.

[blumoon722]

Went to the thrift shop today and found these two...paid $20.00. Both are in great condition. Clean glass, no oil on blades.

[Marcus Rowland]

Went to the thrift shop today and found these two...paid $20.00. Both are in great condition. Clean glass, no oil on blades.

Very nice - congratulations!

[Gareth.Ig]

Delivered last night, a used Fuji 50-140 for my XT-1 to replace the DA 50-135 that I had for the K5. The Fuji is much larger than the Pentax version and is missing the DA pixie dust, but it's nice to have a 2.8 zoom to play with again.

[aslyfox]

Having spent the bulk of my professional career at the University of Maryland Baltimore County, I unexpectedly picked up some serious bragging rights last nght

That was not your typical March madness upset

20 points indicates that for that night the better team won

To call it an upset is demeaning

Great job umbc

[tim60]

I got myself a K1000SE today, for free. Sadly it is in very poor condition. It sat in a damp closet for many years and is probably good for spares only. The shutter still works, for what it is worth. I know the whole history of the camera and it is disheartening that it has deteriorated to the extent that it has.

The split image focusing screen could be useful in my K200D, but it has to be cut down to size for that. I will have to research that some more. Or perhaps it is worth repairing. It will need a new back. If some internet advertisers are to be believed, a K1000 is a very rare collector's item that is worth a fortune. Yeah, right.

The one good thing is that came with an SMC Pentax M 50mm f/2 which I am quite chuffed with. It is very dirty but looks like it will clean up nicely. It has always worn a UV filter and was (almost) never taken off the camera. One more nifty fifty is always good to have. I now have the triumvirate of M standard lenses: f/1.4, f/1.7 and f/2.

I have only ever had the M50/2. I really like it as a good to handle lens with nice performance.

[jeallen01]

Which make CR2 batteries are you using? I've had a lot of trouble with the cheaper brands, they don't seem to have enough power for cameras. I think they're intended for vaping inhalers, and don't meet the full CR2 specification.....

I think you are right about cheap CR2's - these are "Camelion" and, yesterday, I did get a low battery icon on the top display at times (took the batteries out and reinserted them, and it disappeared). However, not worried about that because the batteries were only bought to check if the body works or doesn't - and it does.

[ivanvernon]

Went to the thrift shop today and found these two...paid $20.00. Both are in great condition. Clean glass, no oil on blades.

I have the Tak bayonet 135, and it is a credible lens. I do not know anything about the Konica 50, but most of the Konica lenses are pretty good. Good haul!

[Marcus Rowland]

I think you are right about cheap CR2's - these are "Camelion" and, yesterday, I did get a low battery icon on the top display at times (took the batteries out and reinserted them, and it disappeared). However, not worried about that because the batteries were only bought to check if the body works or doesn't - and it does.

I test a lot of bodies and lenses, and these are used in some Minolta and Pentax bodies. At the end of last year I bought two successive packs of two that gave low battery warnings from the outset when put into a Pentax body - the brands were Eunicel and Vapex - same result in a couple of other bodies, so not just a camera fault. The third time I got Energizer - not much more expensive but still working well in all of the bodies I've tried.

It was very cold today (by UK standards) but I went to two car boot sales and got a nice clean Toshiba Tosner 28 / 2.8 in M42 fitting for a fiver, with caps, a leatherette pouch, and a screw-on bayonet adapter. It looks like this will actually allow auto aperture use of M42 lenses, but I can't identify it - it looks a bit like Minolta MD but doesn't fit. I'll post a photo later, see if anyone can identify it.

Later - memory stirs, it's QBM as used for Rolleiflex and Voigtländer SLRs. And there's one identical for sale on eBay here: https://www.ebay.ie/itm/292449989245

The flange focal distance for QBM is 1mm less than for M42, and the metal of the converter is 0.9mm thick, so this will probably let lenses focus to infinity. But I don't have a Rollei body so I can't test it. Good news, anyway, it may end up selling for more than the lens!

[Jonathan Mac]

I have the Tak bayonet 135, and it is a credible lens. I do not know anything about the Konica 50, but most of the Konica lenses are pretty good. Good haul!

I was looking into some Konica lenses not long ago, though I didn't buy in the end, and I understand that the Konica 50/1.7 is superb.

[monochrome]

Bought this from Fred Sherfy.

Working Zeiss Ikoflex lla Type 862/16

• Taking Lens: 75mm f/3.5 Zeiss Opton (red T) Tessar. Serial Number – 579559. Glass nice and clean and clear – no scratches, no haze, and no fungus.
• Viewing Lens: 75mm f/3.5 Teronar Anastigmat. Glass nice and clean and clear – no scratches, no haze, and no fungus
• Shutter: Compur Rapid Shutter – Speeds B, 1 second ~ 1/500. All speeds sound accurate.
• Aperture; f/3.5~f/16. Aperture moves smoothly and aperture blades are clean
• Focus: Focusing knob rotates smoothly and front standard moves smoothly
• Viewing: Viewing to focus is good, but not as clear as when new – I suspect there is some dust and age on the mirror. However, you can easily turn the focus knob and see the point at which focus is sharp
• Exposure Counter: Exposure counter moves from 1 to 12 as needed for individual exposures. The double exposure prevention works properly.
• Sports Finder & Fine Focus Magnifier: Both work properly.
• Flash Synch: Tested and works properly
• Exterior: Trim and leather wear
• Interior; Very Clean