The idea is sound - without the glass all you're doing is moving the lens away from the body, which is all extension tubes (and bellows) do after all.

Not all of it, but it's worth bringing a body to try out any new lenses etc with - then you can take the results home on your own memory card and study them at your leisure.

I'll be there at some point but I don't know exactly when just yet - should become clearer later in the week

If you need somewhere to stay while you're there can I put in a quick plug for my friend's place?

http://www.manoirdelariviere.net/

I go there a couple of times a year and never had trouble taking photos, I don't tend to use a tripod because mine's huge and heavy so it's more for studio work - I'd be very suprised if I did have any problems using it though.

Nice part of the world, the scenery is pretty and the people friendly.

On the differences between 1.4 and 1.7 versions; I've had a few of each pass through my hands now and (without backing it up with anything like serious testing) I have the distinct feeling that the 1.7 versions are sharper from wide open up to around f2.8 where the two are about even, then the 1.4 versions tend to be better performers from f4 downwards. By better I mean they are equally sharp but the 1.4s just seem to produce a "nicer" picture somehow - hard to put my finger on exactly why.

As I only use mine for low-light handheld work then it's the "wide-open-quality" that interests me the most; hence my keeper is an M50/1.7 rather than the 1.4, even though the latter allows for an extra half stop of speed.

I don't think you'd go too far wrong with either though.

The FA 43mm Ltd.

Fast, lightweight, reasonably close focus. A great focal length on film and digital and I could do with shedding a few pounds so zooming with my feet sounds like a good idea to me.

I'm guessing you don't keep figures on Sunpak 36 FD flashes but I'm willing to bet I got the highest price ever paid for one (£21.02) on there last night!

You wouldn't be the first! I've had more than one listing nicked word-for-word in the past. Still, it's quite flattering in a way so I don't mind...

You learn something new every day! I must have missed that memo, I assumed that sending to an unconfirmed address still meant you had no comeback - and people with unconfirmed addresses are usually the best bidders...

Maybe I'll look into insurance in future - see if it effects the prices I get in any way with higher international postage charges. Cheers for the tip though.

Yeah but what fun's life without a little risk?

I can't remember the last time I sent something overseas to a buyer with a confirmed address so the PayPal protection wouldn't cover me regardless if it was insured or not. I seem to specialise in zero-feedback buyers from Asia and South America right now - probably because nobody else will let them buy, hence I'm getting 10-20% over market on most of my sales.

It's always been my policy on eBay and the only buyer ever to give me grief was one in Belgium with 500+ positive feedback. Just shows you can never tell...

The 135 (and the M50) both went to buyers in Spain incidentally