I don't think you'll be able to find an adapter for these, sad to say.

The problem is that the lens needs to be at a specific distance from the film plane in order for it to focus properly. Generally an adapter would move the lens further away, meaning you'd lose infinity focus and be unable to focus on distant objects. About the only workable adapter for a K mount body is the one to fit the older M42 screw mount lenses, which fits flush with the lens mount and therefore keeps the distance correct. I'm not sure if you still have your ME Super manual (you can find one as a free download via Google if not) but this adapter is covered in there.

You can buy adapters with extra elements to correct the focus, but they tend to be expensive and won't be as good quality as just buying a K mount lens instead.

Thing is though, is an "expert valuer" really worth anything if they can't follow market prices? I'd say not. There's no point in having your price guidebook which says a lens is worth £xxx when the same lenses change hands on ebay daily for £xx. Charity shops aren't exactly in a position to accept returns or provide the services which a camera shop would in order to justify their prices either.

Dealers charge those prices in order to cover their overheads as well as buying the stock in the first place - they may well have had to clean, service or repair the item after taking it in P/Ex.

MC generally just means Multi Coated. As opposed to SMC, or Super Multi Coated!

I suspect your lens can be seen here in a scan of a 1985 Argos catalogue! You might be able to find a broken one with a K mount and swap some parts over, but TBH I doubt the images would be worth it anyway. You can find better for not much outlay, especially as you've got an ME Super and can therefore use all the classic lenses which are a bit restricted on digital. Try the Pentax-M 75-150mm or Pentax-M 80-200mm, both are great performers and the 75-150mm is wonderfully compact for a zoom.

"It'll polish out" takes on a whole new meaning!

I'm pretty sure the white gloves would get grubby too. I wonder how many of the gold LXs have ever had a film through them?

I suspect your pro has a full frame camera and doesn't realise that 50mm is actually rather limited on APS-C sensors.

Keep the kit lenses, they're solid performers when stopped down a bit and will be perfectly acceptable stop-gaps until you decide where you want to spend your money. My digital kit is now the 18-55mm, the 35mm f2.4 and a DA* 50-135mm f2.8 (in ascending order of cost). I'm not terribly bothered about replacing the 18-55mm as I very seldom use anything wider than 35mm, although I'd quite like to add the 21mm Ltd to my bag for when 35mm is a little too long.

I've seen a few photos of those. I don't think it'd take kindly to being slung over my shoulder as I scramble up a hillside in search of a trig point which I suspect has a good view of the valley!

I see little point in collecting kit that you don't use. If I find a spiffy example of a camera or lens it gets used, just rather more carefully (like my black ME, which only goes out if I can guarantee it won't get rained on or bashed). I keep a couple of battered but fully functional "rat" bodies and easily replaced lenses for situations I won't risk taking the DSLR into.

That's more like my approach. I'm after shapes, textures, buildings. Not people!

Plus postboxes don't get stroppy about having their photos taken...

I tend to use the camera's SR if I borrow a Bigma with OS. Mostly as it's easier to turn the OS off than rummage through my camera menus for the SR option!

Pentax SR seems pretty bombproof providing you don't ask ridiculous things of it, I'd rather they left OS off and made the lenses cheaper.

I'm just thinking: Might these actually be a sensible investment?

Shares and whatnot seem to be at risk of market collapse caused by incompetent bankers, but these will always be rare and have a value.

Not my style though - if I had £300 to spare I'd be after an LX and 50/1.4!

Yes they do have valuers, but I suspect they're suffering from the difference between value and market prices. That 500mm Takumar is pretty rare but it isn't worth more than a new DA* 50-135mm! Apparently they aren't keen on ebaying stuff as they lose money to listing fees and Paypal.

I ended up valuing a load of old kit for the local branch a few days ago, it had been accumulating for a couple of years and the manager didn't want to chuck it as she thought it might well be worth at least a few quid. I reckoned the whole lot would probably make £80-£90 locally (£5 here, £10 there as it were) at sane prices which might hopefully tempt buyers.

Nobody is likely to walk into a charity shop and pay £40 for a lens. They might well hazard a tenner.

If there had been anything genuinely rare I would have advised them to ebay it instead, but it was mostly generic lenses and low-end camera bodies. I did value the two Pentaxes at ebay levels but only because they both had faults and "spares or repair" lots tend to be very low-priced. I hope the balky SV with dented 55/1.8 finds a buyer able to restore it, I ended up bringing the ME Super with a mouldy 50/1.7 home in exchange for a donation and my time valuing the rest. I've since cleaned it out and replaced the grotty panels with a spare set of black ones, it doesn't look half bad now and I'd call it a fair deal.