Is there a good home for a good but damaged lens?

[ChrisR]

As I've mentioned here before, last year I managed to drop my camera and tripod on a rocky beach at South Queensferry; dented the tripod, smashed the finder on the camera, and slightly damaged the lens. The tripod was a £5 charity shop special, so I've now got a more serious one. The camera has been serviced and I've bought a new finder. The lens is a Pentax-M 35-70 zoom; it's a lovely lens and still works in 90% of its functions. Focus still works, if a little stiff, likewise the zoom. Images are nice and sharp... except it just doesn't quite focus to infinity. Miles said the helicoid is damaged, and didn't think he could repair it.

I'm not sure what to do with it. I'm sure @excalibur2 might suggest throwing it in the bin, but that doesn't seem right. I've had it on the evil bay for a few weeks at £15 or offer, but no interest.

Is there a good home for damaged lenses? I'm thinking maybe as donors for spares?

 

[droj]

£15 - you must be joking, Chris. You've got to give it away for nothing, to give it a chance of being anything other than landfill. Your pocket has had it, just give the environment one last best offer.

 

[Kevin Allan]

Recently I've bought a few Tamron Adaptall Lenses and I have seen 35-70 Tamron Adaptall lenses for sale at £15 (I have two of these already) without any declared issues, so I doubt if you'll get any buyers on a lens that doesn't focus to infinity unless it was something really expensive like a Leica that was worth repairing of using for parts.

 

[JonBowles]

I have the autofocus version of this lens: I never used it since switching from Pentax. I removed some screws from the lens to repair my SEL 24-70mm f4. I have never bothered looking g for screws as I have a Minolta 35-70mm that works with an af adapter on my Sony cameras.

If the screws are the same on your broken lens then between us we have the makings of a working af 35-70. I would be happy to get rid of my lens for postage costs if it means a lens will live again.