The only snag is that it's often very unclear what is public and what is private, especially around new developments. What we need is a legal precedent that unless there is a clear sign and barrier then land must be assumed to be public in terms of our rights and responsibilities. For example, my garden has a fence and a gate. This clearly denotes it to be private. Meanwhile many shopping centres have privately-owned pedestrian areas which have nothing to differentiate them from the public street next to them.

In a vaguely related situation, IIRC some motoring law contains wording along the lines of "Public rights of way or land to which the public has access". This is why you can't legally let your 13 year old have a go at driving in a supermarket car park, as while it's private land everyone has access. Meanwhile it's fine in legal terms for farmers to teach their kids to drive in the fields providing there aren't any public rights of way running through them.

How about a similar clause to protect the rights of photographers?

That does sound like a fault to me, I think your best bet is to take it back to the dealer (or contact Pentax directly) and ask their advice.

It's either dark blue or black. Quite hard to tell, but it definitely isn't dark red!

Thanks for that info - it would seem that the T2 fronts are for the M series as I just came across another auction. There seem to be quite a few of these floating about as new/old stock at the moment. I don't know if I'll bother as the first thing I tend to do with an ERC when using the camera is unhook the front and leave it in the car. The back half does protect the body and makes it a bit easier on the fingers in the depths of winter though!

Am I right in thinking that the ES can still use the older Takumars with stop-down metering? I know the ES II and Spotmatic F could.

You could also look for a Takumar 35mm. I had one bundled with a KM and M42 adapter a while ago which has since been reunited with a Spotmatic, it's a little diamond of a lens with unbelievably smooth, precise controls. I really must figure out the Spotty's metering and shoot another roll with it as the last lot came back overexposed by a stop or two.

You need the SMC Tak 28mm f3.5 now to complete the set!

I quite like having one or two cameras about which have obviously seen heavy use. They're handy if you want to go scrambling about in the wilderness without worrying about putting another scrape or dent on them.

Yep, it should fit perfectly. The only thing to think about is whether you're bothered about having the case from the same era as the camera, as Pentax changed the lettering and logos on the front part of the ERC two or three times.

I have seen the following variants and think these are in date order:

"Asahi Pentax" on front of lens snout and cast AP badge on front of case (roughly where the camera name lettering is on the camera body).

"Pentax" on front of lens snout and cast AP badge on front of case.

"Pentax" in chrome on front of lens snout, no AP badge

Mind you, knowing what camera dealers can be like I fully expect someone to chime in that their ME S came with one of the earliest design cases from new!

When Nikon users fall over, they fall face first?

It's a well-known fact that people associate weight with value. I really wouldn't be surprised if there have been conversations along the lines of "Make it heavier, it doesn't feel like it cost £1k" in R&D departments.

That's part of the problem - aside from being slightly wider it does look identical to one of the ME-type cases! I don't think you could tell from a photo unless the two bottom halves were side by side.

The interior felt is a dark blue/black colour, while my ME type ERCs are dark red inside. I think this might be the only reliable way of spotting them, given that they both have the cast metal badge and "Asahi Pentax" stamped on the front of the lens snout.

I did spot a T2 case front recently but I've no idea what it was intended to fit. It looks like it belongs with an ME Super but could equally be from a Super A.

Hmm, see, I find it doesn't echo as much outdoors!

It is useful with lenses like the M 35-70mm to balance the camera, but it rather misses the point of the MX being tiny. I spent a few days with the scruffy one and an M 40/2.8 which made a superb little camera, so I can see the 43mm Ltd working just as well.

Now I really must save for an M 100/2.8 and K 50/1.4 to fill a couple of gaps in the collection!

Diecast ballast weights to make it feel expensive?