There are chargers and there are chargers. Most use a timer to decide when the battery is charged (Energizer, Uniross etc chargers). What you ideally need is a charger that is intelligent. When I bought the BL700, it was like the secret of the universe had unfolded before my eyes, and suddenly batteries that were lasting half a day int he K100D were now lasting for several days (your mileage may vary). Also consider the batteries. Uniross hold their charge for the longest, but generally fail much quicker than other brands. I have got through three sets of Uniross 2500mAh to one set of Duracell 2100mAh (and still counting). Have a look at the charger I mentioned here

Again, your mileage may vary.

I still get a very warm feeling when I see an old screw mount Pentax. Right up to about four years ago we had several attached to microscopes, where they'd been for probably 25 years. I frequently took one home at weekends and used it with a 35mm f2.4 Flektagon. They just handled so well and had a feeling of total precision.

I reckon even Leica would have been proud of making a camera like that.

Would it be fair to say that the magazine is worth the subscription, then? I ask as I've been trawling the news racks for the last few weeks looking for a mag worth the cover price. ie offering lots of inspiration and not just being a showcase for one particular vendor. I'm noticing that for a given month, many of the mags have remarkably similar articles.

So, gushing and smoke-blowing aside, is it worth the subscription?

And that is a genuine question

Graham

Not too far off topic I hope, but does anyone else miss the Jessops of old, when it was owned by the Jessop family? I really miss the 'Jessops List' that used to occupy half a dozen or more pages in the back of AP. It was so extensive and tightly packed, they even sold a little fresnel magnifying glass to read the list with In those days, they were very competitive in their pricing. I miss the Jessops of old

Hello everyone,
Just a quick hello from Norfolk. Been into photography since I was a kid in the mid-70s. Started out with the compulsory (but dreadful) Kodak Instamatic, progressing to the equally compulsory Praktica in the early 80s. My first Pentax came in about '84 in the form of a K1000, adding an ME Super in '86. My photography has been 80% amateur and 20% professional in that I've used it extensively in my work both in IT (web sites, etc) and as a Lab Tech (technical photography, macro etc). I did spend some time in the mid-late 80s assisting a wedding photographer, wandering around with the K1000/ME Super taking informal pics (which were very popular for reprint orders). None of this means I'm any good, but I do thoroughly enjoy it! Presently using a K100D with 'standard' 18-55. Getting used to it slowly, but have to admit I find it pretty bulky compared to the old film bodies. I have a great interest in experimenting and trying new stuff, and in particular making camera and lighting gadgets - you know the kind of thing; flash diffusers from plastic milk bottles, light tents from bed sheets, string monopods etc I'm presently based in the southern half of Norfolk, UK and probably the focus at the moment is trying to get half-decent photos of my three dogs (who seem capable to remaining blurred despite high ISOs and shutter speeds!) Also dipping my toe into panoramic. Anyway, look forward to making a few aquaintences and eventually perhaps bringing something positive and useful in exchange for similar. All the best for now, Graham.