I presume this is because you will have rotated the lever at the rear of the lens away from the actuator on the camera that normally holds the iris open?

35 - 70mm: I couldn't agree more -- either a manual 'M' series or 'A' series one (but get the bigger, constant f4 version even though it's slower) or the F series auto focus. The whole lot of them are fantastic performers and they all come up on Ebay regularly. Also, if you see one, the 'A' zoom 35-105, "stack of primes" is just as good but it weighs a ton and has a huge 67mm filter ring, making a suitable hood hard to find.

I've just gone through the whole lot on mine. It works as detailed above. The only other thing I can think of is, what is the program dial set for? (The big one on the top on the left). If it's an all-manual lens it might need to be set to M ?
I just put an SMC M 50mm onto the camera. I turned it on and nothing appeared on the back screen, F-- was in the aperture LED and the shutter speed varied automatically as I waved the camera around. Nothing changes on either Av or Tv, the green button won't work and nothing changes if I turn the lens aperture ring (including the iris). Now I have changed it to M. If I wave the camera around, the speed remains unchanged and F-- is still displayed. The front E dial will change the speed as desired. Press the green button and the correct speed is set according to what value is set on the aperture ring. When I press the shutter release, the camera will close the aperture automatically and use the speed discovered by the green button. The difference if you use an M42 screw lens with an adapter is that you can't get a reading with the green button since the camera has no way of closing the iris. In this case use the iris manually and set the camera to Av, in which case the speed will alter according to the light coming through the lens. You can check your own camera (set on Av) by mounting a Takumar lens with an auto/manual switch. Toggling the switch to open and close the iris should produce instant changes of speed on the LED panel.
I hope that was helpful?

Lucky beggar!

You've made me get the dust off an SP500. Now I need (maybe not) a battery for it. The shock was that I left the last film in it so that might be interesting.

I offer to drool over it 'cos I certainly can't afford it!

I can recommend the 35-70. And it's the better one of the two versions of it. Snap it up quick !

If you get the chance, join an official tour and go inside one of them. Only then will you appreciate the design and engineering skills that went into creating them

You find notices put all over the place. Here are a few I found worthy of notice during a recent trip to the United States ....

You couldn't miss these. They were to be found all over the town. No tatty plastic things here



The local railway station had converted the waiting room into a cafeteria cum takeaway where commuters rattled
the keyboards of their laptops and smartphones as they do anywhere else: so why the crazy WiFi code?



This one looks a bit odd to us in the UK, but boy, does it snow over there - and occupiers are obliged to clear it away



My mental rejoinder to this one made me chuckle at the time, so ladies, please forgive me:
After having read the notice, add on, "But it probably won't when you wash it."



And finally, If you only have one corner, cram it full -- (student events, Princeton University)

The other common element seems to be Chrome. I have never had anything but trouble with it (particularly "page unresponsive") and won't touch it with a bargepole any more. Firefox has always behaved perfectly - he says, crossing fingers and toes!