[NZ_Ross]

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My people were farm workers in the 'old country' and probably none could read or write. The church records for Baptisms etc shows a few variations in the spelling of the name. This was likely due to the way the church clerk understood the spoken voice to be saying.
Baptism records were usually within the first three weeks of a birth. Also if a child died, the next born of that sex was given that deceased child's name. The second born son usually was named after the mothers father. Gets bloody confusing.

Yeap, we are the same. At least there are records

[Kiwi645hauler]

I didn't even know there was one in NZ. They are a very rare lens.

If memory serves me right, i believe there was 2 or 3 of them here in NZ, my old boss always used to talk about them (he was a Pentaxian from Asahiflex days) and how they were rare but he knew of at least 2 here. On a side note there is an as new example on ebay with a frightening value on it.. 2824#GC smc Pentax FA* 250-600mm F/5.6 IF&ED Lens Near Mint | eBay or this one is cheaper
smc PENTAX FA * 600mm f/4 ED IF Excellent+ | eBay

---------- Post added 08-20-17 at 02:10 PM ----------

Does not look like fungus to me. Hard to tell with the low quality photos, though.

Possibly some of the dirt is inside the lens. Not having the filter tray inserted would explain how all that stuff could get into the lens. Pity to see such great equipment being handled with, shall we say, some lack of reverence.

I agree, its not typical fungi look on glass, most often fungi starts as a spider web like look and then the center 'grows' but with the small images, its pretty hard to tell, to me its lost of dirt/dust that has accumulated without the filter holder in place. It should be able to be cleaned, maybe greg at CW could clean it, but then i would probably send it to Pentax to get cleaned in a factory service centre.

[NZ_Ross]

maybe greg at CW could clean it, but then i would probably send it to Pentax to get cleaned in a factory service centre

I am going to be talking to Greg today and see what he says

If memory serves me right, i believe there was 2 or 3 of them here in NZ, my old boss always used to talk about them (he was a Pentaxian from Asahiflex days) and how they were rare but he knew of at least 2 here

Thanks, that is useful information, who knew

[MarkJerling]

My people were farm workers in the 'old country' and probably none could read or write. The church records for Baptisms etc shows a few variations in the spelling of the name. This was likely due to the way the church clerk understood the spoken voice to be saying.
Baptism records were usually within the first three sundays of a birth. Also if a child died, the next born of that sex was given that deceased child's name. The second born son usually was named after the mothers father. Gets bloody confusing.

This was taken before 1883, My GG Grandmother. The father of my Grandfather never hung around and Annie Maria died 3 weeks after Grandad was born.

How nice to have such an early photographic record. Our lot were clearly too cheap to have photos taken or they've not been passed down. I don't even have many photos of grandparents.

[MarkJerling]

Emigrating gave ordinary folk to opportunity to make a new start, save, own land, build capital, and make a better life for their families.

Often these opportunities were not available in Europe or the UK.

So while we may not have complete family records, we have the legacy of hard working strong and stubborn folk who made the best of their new homes for their families.

Very true Ross.

And the sea journey was perilous too.
My ancestor Johann (Jan) Jacob Jarling left Texel, (Where the Enkhuisen house of the VOC's deep sea port was located) in the Netherlands, on Friday, 11 September 1772 on the ship, Beemster Welvaren, one of 235 persons on board. The ship arrived at The Cape of Good Hope on Thursday, 18 February 1773, with 218 people on board and 16 people disembarked at the Cape, the rest sailing on to Batavia. (There were 17 deaths on board during the sailing from Texel to the Cape.)

[NZ_Ross]

And the sea journey was perilous too.
My ancestor Johann (Jan) Jacob Jarling left Texel, (Where the Enkhuisen house of the VOC's deep sea port was located) in the Netherlands, on Friday, 11 September 1772 on the ship, Beemster Welvaren, one of 235 persons on board. The ship arrived at The Cape of Good Hope on Thursday, 18 February 1773, with 218 people on board and 16 people disembarked at the Cape, the rest sailing on to Batavia. (There were 17 deaths on board during the sailing from Texel to the Cape.)

Definitely not for the faint hearted

[Class A]

It should be able to be cleaned, maybe greg at CW could clean it

What is "CW"?

I used to know Phil Jacobs as someone to turn to for lens repairs but sadly we lost him a while ago.

[Kiwizinho]

How nice to have such an early photographic record. Our lot were clearly too cheap to have photos taken or they've not been passed down. I don't even have many photos of grandparents.

It's too easy to take photography for granted. My wife only has one very small b&w image of her as a baby. She grew up on a farm in Brazil with no running water, kerosene lamps for light, and had to walk kilometres to school or if she was really lucky, sometimes got a ride on her father's horse and cart.

I commented to her that her childhood sounds more like that of my great-grandparents, yet there's only 9 months difference between us in age.

[MarkJerling]

It's too easy to take photography for granted. My wife only has one very small b&w image of her as a baby. She grew up on a farm in Brazil with no running water, kerosene lamps for light, and had to walk kilometres to school or if she was really lucky, sometimes got a ride on her father's horse and cart.

I commented to her that her childhood sounds more like that of my great-grandparents, yet there's only 9 months difference between us in age.

That's true. My grandparents lived under those conditions. (Farms, no electric light, horse and cart) It's easy to forget with all the modern conveniences we have!

[Kiwi645hauler]

What is "CW"?

I used to know Phil Jacobs as someone to turn to for lens repairs but sadly we lost him a while ago.

CW services in Timaru, I send most of my repair work (unless its factory warranty) for customers to them. Greg is fantastic, unfortunately there is a bit of gear he doesnt do these days such as Medium Format, but he is pretty darn good, we had an early spotmatic serviced by him earlier in the year and my customer is stoked that it runs so nicely now.

[NZ_Ross]

CW services in Timaru, I send most of my repair work (unless its factory warranty) for customers to them. Greg is fantastic, unfortunately there is a bit of gear he doesnt do these days such as Medium Format, but he is pretty darn good, we had an early spotmatic serviced by him earlier in the year and my customer is stoked that it runs so nicely now.

Gentlemen, I have had a yarn to Greg at CW Services today, and he has also checked with a colleague of his who does more Pentax lens repair work. Greg does not think the marks on the glass are fungi - more likely to be dust.

The consensus of these two highly experienced camera techs, is that if the lens needed repair - then it would have to go back to Japan.

I have sharing this in the spirit of honest disclosure, as I know many of you will be interested in this lens.

This is all I know, but I found the information helpful in terms of determining how much I am prepared to risk / pay for this particular lens.

Cheers

Ross

[Kiwi645hauler]

Gentlemen, I have had a yarn to Greg at CW Services today, and he has also checked with a colleague of his who does more Pentax lens repair work. Greg does not think the marks on the glass are fungi - more likely to be dust.

The consensus of these two highly experienced camera techs, is that if the lens needed repair - then it would have to go back to Japan.

I have sharing this in the spirit of honest disclosure, as I know many of you will be interested in this lens.

This is all I know, but I found the information helpful in terms of determining how much I am prepared to risk / pay for this particular lens.

Cheers

Ross

Cheers Ross, Still highly tempting... the dust shouldn't be an issue if it is in the lens when capturing images, as they will be out of the focal plane. just looks a little untidy

[awa355]

I have not had any luck making contact with the seller. Will keep trying, altho' I can't remember when the auction closes.

Re family history, Up untill the 1920's, everyone had the right to be buried. If the family could not afford a grave plot, one was provided, but the family were not allowed to put up a headstone while the grave was unpaid for. According to my grandfather, his mother (the one in my photo) was wrapped in a canvas sheet as a coffin was too expensive.

Another grandfather was buried in the Kaiori Cemetery, then dug up by the council and re buried in 'common' ground as the family never paid for the original plot.
There are no records of where James Raven is.

[NZ_Ross]

I have not had any luck making contact with the seller. Will keep trying, altho' I can't remember when the auction closes.

Hi Awa, thanks for trying. The auction finishes on Thursday evening.

If you are able to make contact with the seller, the three pieces of information I would like confirmed if possible are:
1. does the lens autofocus and manual focus ok?
2. are the marks showing on the lens dust or fungi?
3. in one of the images the seller has provided there looks like a reflection or crack - it is hard to tell in the photo?

If not, then all it is going to do is lower the possible price anyone is prepared to pay for the lens.

Cheers, I appreciate you even trying.

Ross

---------- Post added 21-08-17 at 06:33 PM ----------

Another grandfather was buried in the Kaiori Cemetery, then dug up by the council and re buried in 'common' ground as the family never paid for the original plot.
There are no records of where James Raven is.

Old photos become really important in those circumstances.

As Mark and you have demonstrated, they can be copied very effectively with a DSLR and a good lens.

[Kiwipixter]

I have sharing this in the spirit of honest disclosure, as I know many of you will be interested in this lens.

Good on ya. I can say I won't be bidding, its not even on my watch list which there is now 55 watchers. How many of these watchers are lurking in this thread? Its not like this thing can be adapted to other, i.e. mirrorless, cameras.