A couple of days i received the following Email from Pentax user:

Hi,

Just a quick note to remind you that your Pentax User Plus subscription ends in two weeks. At that point all plus features will be disabled. We hope you have enjoyed your plus membership and we would like to invite you to renew here to save losing out:

https://www.pentaxuser.com/subscribe

We'd also like to take this opportunity to thank you for your support and hope you continue to enjoy the website, whether you renew or not.

Kind regards,

The Pentax User team

So far so good. It still makes some sense.

But when Clicking on the link, things get very strange:

The headline: Become A Pentax User Plus Member.

I am already a Pentax User Plus member

Then the clincher : You must join Pentax User before you can become a Plus Member.

This really confused me. Having joined quite a few years ago. However I think the Pentax User Administration is even more confused.

There is no way to just renew my membership. Until now, it was automatically deducted from my account.

Maybe some of you can enlighten me.

Regards, Horst

obione wrote:

You don't need all that if you still live in the dark ages.
I bet you don't have a GPS in your Austin A30.

As soon as I can afford it, I will buy a K1. FF has only advantages and no disadvantages, unless of course you bought all your lenses for APS-C use only.

Regards, Horst

It seems to depend a bit on the camera itself.
I bought a K5 about 5 or 6 years ago and I have quite often spots on the sensor.
However 1 year ago I bought a K5IIs secondhand from Japan and I never have any spots on the sensor.
I change my lenses regularly inside the house and outside in the field.
After all what is the point of having an interchangeable lens camera and a few lenses, if you can not change it.
Maybe Pentax manage to make things a bit more dust proof.
But I never use live view.

Regards, Horst

Hi, I am writing this to show how contrary to the trouble some of you had with Pentax (Rico) in England it can be done by the Australian sole Pentax Agent C.R.Kennedy in Melbourne.
I owe a Pentax K5 and a k5IIs.
The K5IIs suddenly developed a fault: The autofocus was badly hunting. It finally locked in, but despite the green light showing in focus, the image was not sharp at all.
I contacted C.R. Kennedy and "wait for it": A live person answered the phone. She transferred me to the service department. The manager told me, that it would take approx. 1 week before I could receive a Quotation for the repair.
Last Monday, I posted the camera to Kennedy. it arrived next day. Today exactly one week later I received a phone call to tell me the camera was ready to be picked up.

The cost for the repair was: Nil, no cost, nothing, zilch.

I then picked the camera up and they told me at the service department, that a small piece of plastic was covering the focussing part of the sensor. They showed me the piece of clear plastic. It must have happened during a lens change.
The camera works perfectly again. The camera was not under warrantee.
The personnel of C.R.Kennedy was extremely helpful and courteous. They listen to my problem patiently.
I had dealings with the company since my first Spotmatic in 1970 . Nothing has changed, They where extremely helpful then as now.

Contrary some dealings I had with Canon. Canon has a big places in Sydney and Melbourne.
I changed my Computer operating system and needed to reload the software for my Canon photo scanner.
However I could not find the installation disk.
I telephoned Cannon, or so I thought. The call went to a call centre in the Philippines. The operator hardly spoke or understood any english. Nothing I asked made any sense to the operator. Finally I hung up.

After about another 5 tries I asked how to contact Canon in Australia directly. I was tod that there is no way that this could be done.
After I requested to speak to the supervisor, I was told that somebody from Sydney would contact me.
This did really happen. The person from Canon Sydney understood my request and transferred me to a person who then helped me to my satisfaction. I was told, That it was not normal that I could talk with anybody direct at Canon. everything had to go through the Philippines call centre. no matter if they spoke english or not.
The whole episode took 2 days before I received the help I required

Now I know, that I never ever will buy another Canon product.

When it comes to cameras, I will stick 100% with Pentax

Regards, Horst

imacardie wrote:

I was married in 1970. This was also the time when I bought my first Pentax, a Spotmatic.
A few days after my honeymoon, after arriving home from work, I found my wife in tears.
She tried to do the right thing and cleaned my turntable and also the Ortofon SL15 Cardridge.
The turntable was nice and clean and the Stylus and cantelever of the cardridge was missing.
However the honeymoon was not over and I gave her a big hug. After we made up in a most pleasent way.

Regards, Horst

John Riley wrote:
I dont think in the last 5 Years, at home and during my travels, I have seen more than 2 Pentaxes.

I would say either Denton is where all the Pentax users live, or John hasn't removed that Pentax transparency stuck on his glasses.

Regards, Horst

Johnreiley wrote:

John, this is true, however the latest models of the Asahiflex cameras had also a M42 mount.
Same looking and type of lens, but with the larger mount.

I had on of these, but stupidly sold it.

Regards, Horst

Talking about compact cameras:

In my earlier days, I possessed a Leica 3C camera with a collapsible f2 Summitar lens.
This fitted in to my trouser pockets. Despite being so compact, the picture quality was as good as any other 35mm camera. Of course later on Rollei released the 35S, an even smaller 35mm with Zeiss lenses.
Regards, Horst

I own a fair amount of M42 and KA lenses, I love them, but to be very hones to myself,
I have to say, that the few modern lenses I have, really are better than the older lenses.
Also there are quite inexpensive new type lenses.
EG. the DA35 f2.4 . It is a simple looking lens, but very nicely made . no wobbles. The picture quality is just outstanding and I believe beats any of the non AF 35mm lenses. The cost is low, you can get it for about $125 -175 on Ebay in like new condition.

I had it and used it for a while, but then sold it and bought the 23mm f2.8 Macro lens. A really outstanding performer. A friend of mine owns the DA50mm f1.8 lens and swears by it. it is also quite inexpensive.

My FA43f1.8, 77f1.8 and F35-70 f3.5-45 are also outstanding lenses . All are later designs then the M42, K M and A lenses and I believe better.

Regards, Horst

Here is the Ebay number for a 37mm to M42 adapter. this is from the USA.

172065622736

Regards, Horst