Well I need to leave it a few days and then test it again, but I think I've sorted the ME. I just removed the winder lever and put a drop of oil where the winder shaft comes up through the centre of the film counter dial, it now works properly.

Lens pen, spare batteries, and memory cards. The only things I carry apart from the lens(es) I've decided I'll need.

You'll have to get a Pentax into her hands as soon as she's big enough to hold one!

Well I do tend to shoot buildings in B&W, but I'm partly doing this for a History teacher friend who wants to do some sort of project about the Dambuster connection and I doubt he'll be quite so keen on monochrome images. This will be more of a site visit and documentation than artistic photography, although I'll probably end up throwing a few pretty landscapes in under the guise of demonstrating the fields of fire available to the defences.

Plus I've got a small pile of Boots slide film which expires in the next few months, so I need to get on and use it!

The black ME has arrived. It's absolutely gorgeous, perfect condition, very clean, and included the original manual. I've already put a roll of HP5 in to test it when I get a chance.

They're not that complicated. I can't remember about the Super A but on the ME I shouldn't need to remove the top plate, just the winder lever. The only odd part about that is that the cosmetic cap and the retaining nut underneath are reverse thread and unscrew clockwise.

Yep, hence the Elan Valley appearing in so many of my photos!

Going up there again in a couple of weeks with a plan to document the pillboxes built near the sluice tower immediately after the Dambuster raids (when someone realised that the Germans would not be happy and might attempt something similar). There are three left of an original four, and as a fair bit of scrambling around will be needed I plan to use an ME Super and colour slide film. Much smaller than digital and less expensive if I manage to slip over and land on it.

Will it come with a K mount?

I'm about a hour's drive inland from Aberystwyth and went to uni there. Great place although I saw more incredible scenery than pubs as I discovered it was cheaper to commute than rent a flat closer to campus. Plus with the A44 listed as one of the best driving roads in the UK it wasn't exactly a difficult choice!

I really must go exploring again this summer, I get to Aberaeron occasionally via the Abergwesyn Pass, also Llyn Brianne.

I've now got what used to be an FA 28-70mm. On the plus side it did come with a working MZ-10 and the whole lot cost me a fiver!

I could probably get the focus set up properly and clean the elements, but it looks as though the rear elements are suffering from the dreaded separation problem as there's some sort of cloudiness (not fungus).

I don't like Morrisons due to their habit of treating all their customers as thieves. Safeway (remember them?) over in Aberystwyth turned into Morrisons and immediately became a much more intimidating place with barriers everywhere and not enough staff.

Choices locally:

Co-op - surly miserable staff, zombie customers

Aldi - friendly but businesslike, good for odd things (waiting for them to have canvas-effect photo paper again)

Tesco - have done wonders by shredding the local abusive monopoly on fuel prices, offering a wider range than the competition and having staff who regard it as a job, not a social club!

I know the arguments about Tesco destroying towns but to be honest the only shops here worth going to sell things Tesco don't. We still have a proper Ironmongers for example - Tesco don't sell lamp wick by the metre or have cast iron firebaskets in stock.