To be honest I would say to buy the DA 35mm f2.4 rather than a 50mm, but it won't solve your exposure problems (I get exactly the same results from that as from my kit lens, just sharper, with a brighter viewfinder and a physically smaller lens). It's cheaper than the DA40 and has a more useful field of view IMO.

I did try my M 40mm a bit but found it too long for digital, it is however very handy indeed on film and explains why Pentax picked the focal length of the FA 43mm Ltd.

The kit lenses should be able to produce properly exposed images straight from the box - does the problem persist if you shoot in green mode and make sure that you haven't accidentally set any exposure compensation (this is controlled by the +/- button and the thumbwheel - press button then turn wheel to dial compensation)?

I very seldom use any lens wide open, I like faster ones because you get a brighter viewfinder which is easier to use and they tend to lock focus faster and more reliably.

I've just been looking at photos and videos of a pay and play off road site. Hopefully it isn't all quite as extreme as they suggest, otherwise the Forester will be staying at camp and I'll be sidling up to anyone with a spare passenger seat!

On my K-m it sets it to 1/45 or so, which is ok with SR.

To be honest you'd be better off finding the max sync speed and setting the camera to that in manual mode, it'll be faster than 1/30. I know I've used an AF160 before now, just setting the camera to what the flash expects and letting the flash's own sensor deal with the rest worked well enough. I think I was able to find mine on the Dimitrov K mount site's page for the camera.

The flash sensor can't cope with bounce or swivel as it's unable to work out how much light will be reflected from whatever you're using to bounce the flash. In those scenarios you can adjust the aperture to improve matters or switch the flash to manual too and adjust the power output.

It's interesting. I do keep my eyes open for the old Asahi Pentax filters but that's mostly because the K and M series lens caps don't fit over generic filters terribly well (they tend to be a fraction of a millimetre too fat for the cap to fit easily). But I don't find myself looking for the genuine accessories from the current range.

Honeywell were the US distributor for Pentax for a while, as a result cameras sold there were badged Honeywell Pentax for some time (I think during the screw mount era - I've yet to see any K mount bodies with that branding). Lens caps were also stamped with the name.

I would wonder if there was a specific ES II case but it's incredibly rare due to the expense of the cameras at the time. Just thinking about how few K2s you see for sale (and even fewer of the cases), as I know the ES II and K2 were both the top spec Pentax bodies of their respective eras.

If you set the K100D to P and the flash to one of the two Auto modes then it should work as a fully automated program flash, with the aperture being set according to the ISO you pick.

You can also use those modes with the camera in M, in this case you set shutter speed, ISO and aperture to what the flash expects and the flash's own light sensor will determine the correct output.

I'm not sure what the max sync speed on the K100D is, on my K-m it's 1/180.

You wouldn't necessarily need to hammer it. I've got a screw-in ground spike here which I use for a bird feeder in winter, it was really intended for a clothes dryer I think. Comes with a length of steel bar which you put through a couple of holes in the top and use as a T bar to screw it in.

I don't see many locations being terribly keen on the resulting holes, however!

I know of a few surviving examples around the local reservoirs. A friend who's into hill walking reckons that many are being removed due to people attempting to stand on them, falling off, breaking something and needing mountain rescue or the air ambulance to come and get them (or alternatively this is what the cotton wool brigade think might possibly happen)!

I haven't looked at them too closely, next time I'm up there I will try to find all three in each location. I did see a team using them a few months ago, believe it or not.

About the only value I find in these is seeing the actual size of the item and what you get in the box. Apart from that, I'll agree that they're pointless!

Well I can undercut them! Anyone want a near mint working K1000 with 50mm f2 for £200?

The K1000 seems to attract a lot of silly prices. While well made, I'd rather have an MX for similar money. The MX is far more user-friendly, has a more informative viewfinder, and can be fitted with various accessories if desired.