Not exactly a strange new problem, is it? Capacitor needs re-conditioning.
1 - Put in brand new, or fully charged, batteries. Switch on, and leave it.
2 - After a day, take the batteries out and ckeck the voltage - it will probably be way down on all of them.
3 - Repeat step 1 until the ready light comes on.
4 - Press the test button an the flash should flash.
5 - Put in brand new, or fully charged, batteries. Switch on, and listen for a whine as the capacitor recharges.
6 - Back to normal.

I have had several guns do this over the years, always stored with the batteries out, and it has taken as much as three days to cet the capacitor back to condition.

Geoff

A wider angle would have helped.
The top of the spire is cut off, and there is not enough of the main structure showing to show that it is a major building and not just some little church.
If you have actually caught the lightning, then I (personal preference) would have tried the shot as a monochrome one, and then brightened it up a touch.
Others may have a different view.

Geoff

And I am another fan. Have one permanently fitted to my K20.

Geoff

Scam is one word. A better one might just be fraudulent.

At first, I thought it was just another "penny auction" site, then I looked more closely: the time counters kept resetting but the amount of the new high bid did not change.
OK, so these could be just examples, but not very good ones.
Then I clicked on the tiny little Union Jack icon and got a huge range of countries - like no penny acuction site that I know of deals with that many countries.

At a guess, it is an e-mail address harvesting site, since they do not appear to want payment until you win an auction - but if you have to give Credit Card details when opening an account, then that could be what they are really after.
Well spotted Ciaran

Geoff

And you can change some data (including date/time( in PhotoMe.

Geoff

Another alternative is to press the lens - and hence the filter - down onto a mouse mat. Then grip the lens firmly and try to turn. Of course, if the filter has its own rotating front element - all bets are off.

I have had success removing a cross-threaded filter by running the blade of a very sharp knife round the gap between filter and lens (with some pressure applied) so as to wedge the filter back into its correct position. This might also work as a loosening measure.

Geoff

For data on flash trigger voltages, look at:
http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html
OTOH, the ISO spec for cameras (ISO 10330) says that they should accept up to 24 volts - and we know that Pentax and Canon say otherwise. This spec may have been replaced by a later version.
I have used a 14V flash on a K20, and it still works (the K20, I mean) - but I won't do it again, promise!

Geoff

Lens arrived today.
Very well packed indeed (I needed a scalpel to open the box!)
Just as good as described.
Thanks, Graham.

Geoff

PM sent
Geoff

Personal experience says that Elements 10 will do just about everything that I want to do.
Paint Shop Pro X4 does some things differently, and may be better when it comes to working on RAW files. Certainly, its "Artistic" filters could maybe produce a better Pencil Sketch.
With either, what you get out will depend on how much time you put into learning how to do it.
Geoff