Ok, I've done that and...

Tidied my lens drawer

Cleaned all my lenses

Cleaned all my filters

Hoovered my gadget bag

Polished my tripod

Paced up and down...

Butcher, rather than Houghton. These were a range of German-made roll film cameras which will date up to 1914 when they stopped using German stuff. It was at around that date that they pooled with Houghton. It probably has a removable back for using plate adaptor too.

Edited to say I can now see the pic with the plate carrier, missed that first time round

I feel a little sad that the whole situation leaves me cold. That is to say, I feel nothing at all.

Once upon a time I would have felt devastated at the thought of losing Jessops. I had a truly good relationship with them and on more than one occasion I've had phone calls from them to say things like "We've got a used lens in that I think you'll love!" That of course was in the days when Jessops was a privately held Company, staff turnover was low, and the people behind the counter invariably knew their subject [and I know at least a few remain].

Since becoming a PLC things have gone down hill. They are no longer your 'local camera shop', just another large national chain selling the stuff with the biggest margin and the best marketing back-up from the manufacturers. They are trying to be all things to all people and failing miserably at it.

I'll be neither happy nor sad at their inevitable demise. I'll feel the same for the employees as I did when Woolworths closed - absolutely gutted - but for the Company itself I'll feel nothing.

Let's face it, they bought Jessops for the brand and the high street locations. They steered away from the successful formula that the Jessop family had developed over decades. They f****d it up. It didn't work. Sad, yes; inevitable, maybe.

Next will be the AA. Once a not-for-profit club, lately a debt-ridden PLC. The formula just doesn't work in a less-than healthy economy without really smart cookies at the helm.

Sadly Jessops seems to have no smart cookies.

I've frequently toyed with the idea of getting an old *ist and a Spotmatic and seeing what I can come up with. It would end up with a fairly bulky back and no built-in LCD screen, and I haven't yet figured out the exposure control, though I'd probably restrict it to manual with a top-mounted external meter. LCD would plug-in via a data cable for setting the camera up (ISO, etc etc) and then once set it could be removed. Memory cards would have to be non-removable inside the camera (but changeable back at HQ). Battery would be remote with a thin flexible cable going to the camera. It would be just like using an old manual camera, even the the point you won't see the results until you get home. Well, that system worked for over a hundred years

It's an itch I've had for over a year, I might just scratch it this year

Get a thumbs-up from me, certainly for the web order I placed. It arrived almost before I'd finished ordering it (or that's how it felt)

The only caveat for me is that they never respond to sales enquiries by email (three so far). That's pretty poor from my point of view given I only use them online. That's a bit like not answering the phone to customers enquiring about stock who want to go in and buy something.

But trustworthy, I'd say a definite yes.

Graham

No Pentax dealers within travelling distance from me, so I have no choice but to buy everything online. My own fault for "going bush" I suppose. No lens review in the world can tell you what an item feels like, and on more occasions than I care to count my purchase has been the wrong one

LCE advertise them mail order only. £249 with 18-55 lens and 2Gb memory card. They are, however, currently showing as out of stock.

Only alternative I can think of is a refurb direct from Pentax. They usually have them on their Ebay shop at £194 "Buy It Now".

HTH

graham

Right now I'd give anything just to have a camera! Come on pay day


But apart from that, I'd have something full-frame to make the most of my favourite old lenses. Probably a Nikon in the absence of something from Pentax in the foreseeable future.

Is anyone else reminded of a certain George and Mildred sketch? Or does that just give away my age?

Sounds interesting Don, please keep us posted!

graham

It's a solid month 'til payday. The K100D fetched more than it's worth on Fleabay. I have nearly enough to buy a K-m. But I have to wait a month, just so I don't compromise myself when choosing a second lens. It's unbearable!