I'm going to have to look at windscreen camera mounts when I buy the K-r. I'll definitely want to try attaching it to the car and driving some of our more interesting local roads (look up the Abergwesyn Pass to get an idea!)

That would also be why I was asking how hyperfocal settings perform on video - f8 would be quite feasible in daylight and with my K 28mm f3.5 that gives you a pretty impressive depth of field.

Hmm, ok, I'll try it that way around!

The one complaint I had about the ballhead was that mine didn't include instructions, but I've now figured out how to use it properly.

Starting from the bottom the first knob you come to locks the head to stop it panning. Moving up you find two on opposite sides - the larger one is to set the friction on the ball so that you don't have to worry about it flopping over, then a slight tweak of the smaller one locks the ball in place. The very top one opens the quick release.

Just don't over-tighten anything as you can do serious damage. Mine locks solidly with the knobs turned until you feel resistance, it isn't like bolting a car wheel on!

Yep, but just try finding one! Genuine hoods for most Pentax lenses seem like gold dust.

Sounds rather like a Monty Python sketch really (or one they would have done if they'd had the idea)!

My experience with Jessops Hereford and Pentax (while they weren't stocking the brand) was a sales assistant saying "oh..." when I explained that I was just having a browse of what the other brands had to offer for the same money. I think that was short for "Oh *%^*, I can't sell this bloke anything!"

Meanwhile the independent camera shop around the corner is now stocking Pentax, and when I was last in there I heard a presumably new assistant waving a K-x at someone who'd come in looking to buy a DSLR. They didn't seem too clued up on precisely why you should buy a Pentax over any other brand, but they were at least showing them off.

To be fair, if you buy the 35/2.4 then decide you'd rather have the Ltd then you probably won't lose much from selling it on. This most likely applies the other way around too!

I think I know where that was...

If it's the one I'm thinking of their cinema screen was bought by a local cinema after the hospital moved to new buildings and is still doing sterling service!

That's annoying - I could do with one for my 35mm f2.4 but if the seller's a crook I'll have to keep looking. Do any honest ebay sellers have the same item (given all the HK-based dealers seem to buy from the same factories)?

My ME F has a scratched focus screen and dented baseplate, but everything lights up as it should including the focus confirmation lights. I'll probably have a play with it sometime this spring/summer after I get hold of a parts donor.

Well you could probably get a nice ME F to go in said box, the AF zoom might be trickier!

Really must get hold of a tidy but dead ME F to do some parts transplanting with my slightly scruffy working example.