With regards to the subscription idea:

The Murdoch media empire recently decided to try this with some of their newspaper websites. Their visitor numbers dropped dramatically!

I just don't think a subscription-based forum will ever work nowadays. People will simply join a different forum or set up a Pentax group on their favoured social network site. Users of a forum already make contributions which could have a monetary value in the form of information, how to guides, etc which would probably make them a few quid if published by a paper magazine.

If it was an Italian box I would now be sorely tempted...

Why? I just got the frame counter on my ME to work! It's an unusual example in that it has a chrome stud on the front more or less level with the PC socket, which from what I've read was found on examples sold in Italy. I've no idea how it ended up on ebay from a UK-based dealer for a tenner but it unjammed with a squirt of lighter fuel and seems to work ok.

I'm always a bit uneasy when I see "cliched subject matter". It isn't the individual's fault that everyone else has already taken that shot, in fact I suspect many of my earlier efforts were taken from more or less the same spot as a thousand others (as it was close to the road).

Everyone should have the chance to shoot that scene, the trick is making your version look better. I see getting the map out and working out where to go to get a different angle on the same subject as the next developmental phase.

The tab is to allow you to rotate filters - things like a polariser or graduated ND where the effect changes as you turn the filter in relation to the lens.

I have a Velbon CX540, cost well under £80, doesn't weigh much and is pretty solid when deployed. It's a bit bulky though, so I'm more inclined to take my ancient Slik 500G (£8 on ebay, works fine). The latter can struggle with longer lenses and high winds but has proved well worth what I paid for it.

Slik also make some very nifty mini tripods which can be handy for minimum space travel use. If you have a handy car roof/bonnet/picnic table/stone wall it can match much larger tripods in terms of putting your camera where you want it.

I'd agree with the "just post a link to it" school of thought. Providing it isn't a Rickroll-style trap anyway!

I know, I know, a 50/1.4 for £50 is a completely unrealistic expectation...

There's one listed at the moment with a fungus problem. Doesn't bother me as I'm pretty adept at dismantling and cleaning shorter lenses (the f1.7 on the MX at the moment is a fungus survivor and works perfectly), so I shall watch with interest in case it puts others off bidding.

Nope, but I'm not a collector and I don't have a mint ME...

I'm not sure whether cameras attract the "mint in the box, never been opened" mentality but this seller clearly thinks they do!

If they included an M 50mm f1.4 and 100mm f2.8 I'd be interested, but given that it's an MV1 my guess would be:

Pentax-M 50mm f2

Generic 28mm

Generic 80-200mm zoom

Keeping my eyes open for a 50mm f1.4 for about the £50 mark, I fancy getting one for my MX.

It's a long word to them...

Just found an "interesting" listing

No previous selling feedback, only a library shot (which is of the wrong camera)... It may be completely legit but I wouldn't be inclined to buy without some proper photos of the items for sale.