Fairly quick test outside and the 18-55mm Mk2 easily beats the Flektogon particularly in the corners (test at f/8 only) where the Kit Lens has been reported to be weak. This one certainly isn't

The Flektogon does have nice out of focus areas (wouldn't call it bokeh) It goes OOF a lot quicker than the Kit Lens.

I'll have to step up a gear on the next test to the 43mm Limited

You sound like a fan of £Emili*£ £Art*£ Doug. I prefer to call em
rip-off merchants

I would expect Ricoh, considering that they expect to expand very quickly to start planning what they will be designing and manufacturing from 1st Oct. within the next few weeks. Hoya on the other hand won't be planning for anything beyond 1st. Oct. so the two are going to have to work closely together in the meantime, possibly in a Pentax factory. There will also be a lot of visits to Pentax by Ricoh management.

It's slightly different, but normal practice with new buildings to allow the owner access before the handover date for planning, deliveries etc.

IPA = Indian Pale Ale?????

I was looking at my Mk2 today and doing a few test shots. I have been thinking about buying a 16-45mm, but the 18-55mm is excellent. It's supposed to be poor in the corners, but it seems very acceptable to me at f/8 which is about the aperture I would always use with it.

When I looked at it before it was better than my Pentax A 24mm f/2.8 so I sold the 24mm. I now want to test it against my CZ 35mm f/2.4 Flektogon.

I also have the Canon IP4500 and it is excellent. Discontinued long ago and I think the IP4600 is as well. Looks like the current model is the IP4850.

I'm sure that you will find this to be an excellent lens.
Looks very good even wide open and the bokeh looks nice.

I'm not sure, I've been looking for a new Pentax 16-45mm (not Samsung) which is discontinued anyway so it won't affect that if I find one.

I would expect some statements from Ricoh of their intentions well before Oct. 1st which seems a long time away for the handover of a company continuing to trade. Nothing to stop Hoya letting Pentax take on new management in the meantime.

For storage this IcyBox link enclosure looks absolutely brilliant.

It has it's own docking bay on the PC and can also be pulled out and used anywhere else as a normal eSata USB enclosure.

I've got a similar one without the docking bay that I just use on an
eSata or USB (+power supply)leads. To change HDD's I just open the front flap slide the chassis forward and change drives. link

eSata is about 5x faster than USB2

Wouldn't LiPo's be a bad idea in this instance Gary, were the
unit is not going to be used that often and they would be stored
almost 100% charged? Also the life of them is probably only 3-4 years.

I've some AA Cadnica's from about 10 years ago that still show full
capacity after quite long periods of storage and use in flashguns
and cameras.

It concerns me that nearly everything you buy now has Li-ion batteries
in it and replacements probably won't be available in 3 years time.

I've still got drills and a Bosch cordless hedge trimmer with Ni-Cads
still going strong after 10 years intermittent use.