Thanks everyone - since the lens's failure to focus this morning, I have had it on and off the camera innumerable times trying to coax life from it.

Without success until the last occasion, about an hour after I posted here, when, for no obvious reason, it responded. I'm not sure I quite believe yet in its resurrection - it seems noisier and slower than before - but it'll have the benefit of my doubts tonight and I'll try it out properly tomorrow.

I will certainly take David's advice to use it a lot from now on. I would just add that if a problem does arise, posting on the forum about it seems to stir the Pentax gods in a benevolent way

I bought a 50-135 off a forum member in July. It arrived in good and full working condition. Alas, after use on only a few occasions, the motor has packed up, with no warning. It simply wouldn't focus when I attached the lens today. This is no reflection on the seller at all, who will not have known any more than me that the failure was round the corner. And, for my part, I was certainly aware of the reputation SDM motors had for premature death -- before today, I'd have added something diplomatic like 'deserved or not', but right now I don't feel many doubts.

So, I gambled and lost, and lens failure is not quite the end of the world .... But it is quite expensive to put right and I just wonder whether anyone on the forum has tried the firmware fix on the lens that allows it to use the camera's screw drive and, if so, whether they've any particular advice to offer. I am a little reluctant to invest more money in SDM, since I imagine any repair would only carry a 6-month guarantee.

Did I mention, it's a brilliant lens. But not one I fancy focusing manually.

The complexity is in the programme, not in the use of it. I would not say the same of Photoshop, which is not intuitive and to a far greater degree has to be learnt.

By all means comment on what interests you, but I think it's fair to suggest that without direct experience of a program there is a limit on what you can usefully say about its intuitiveness (or otherwise). For my part, I was simply passing on my view, not proselytizing for Lightroom.

Ever heard of a comfort blanket or publishing opportunism? That's tongue in cheek, but I can assure you that you do not need those books to understand Lightroom.

Lightroom is intuitive, to the degree that you can just get on with everything. I rarely find the need to use Photoshop, which cannot be called intuitive, whatever its virtues. Both programs handle various plug-ins, making everything pretty seemless.

Very pleasing all round: photographs and website. I had to chuckle at your predicament: wanting to specialize in coastal photography yet finding yourself in the Limousin. Living as I do in a part of England pretty much furthest from the sea, I sympathize...

I agree with the last post. The girl in the red dress is a strong image; the rest aren't. West Wittering with skies that suit a family holiday is never going to provide the richest of pickings for the photographer. The visual monotony of the dunes needs a counterpoint.

effective use of fish-eye; nice pic

Are you sure you can't?

A sales receipt should be sufficient if you need to make a warranty claim.