The best next option if you can't get it repaired in the UK is the legendary 'Eric' in the US. The US forum rate his work very highly, here's a link to a discussion:link

I'm not sure if he looks at 645s though.

John.

I'm annoyed by the 'HD' marketing, it means nothing to me and reminds me of HD video (1920x1080 at best - or just over 2MP). I think it's used because 'HD' is seen as a buzz-word despite being meaningless in still photography terms. Even if the coatings are 100% better (unlikely), this would only be useful if you regularly shoot into the sun.

I recently bought an FA43/1.9 (in black), having known about it since the '90s I realised it might be my last chance to buy an SMC-Pentax version. 'HD' doesn't necessarily mean better - just different (and more expensive) - to me.

John.

EDIT - As a film user I'd buy the FA77 instead - BJP stated it was one of 'the best compact full frame portrait lenses ever made'.

I've got a non-working one but the Super-A is similar but better having shutter priority as well as M, Av & P and is more of a classic (European Camera of the year 1983).

Billingham stockists listed for the North

http://www.billingham.co.uk/acatalog/The_North.html[/quote]Thanks Steve, I had looked but the only two that are convenient are Wilkinson (who used to have Billinghams in Preston but don't now) and LCE Manchester (who don't have Billingham on their website).

It seems that some (most?) shops only have one or two brands of bags and most of the ones I've seen are full of Velcro type fastenings. I went to the Photography show but didn't see anybody with Billingham there either (which surprised me) but one or two had shed loads of Think Tank bags. I'm happy with my current Nat Geo bag (no Velcro) but would prefer something a bit bigger and more weatherproof.

John.

I used to use a traditional Cobra shoulder bag but changed to a LowePro Orion Trekker in the '90s when obvious camera bags were a target for thieves. Now I'm back to the old bag because it doesn't look like it has a tablet/laptop in it (it hasn't) unlike most rucksacs these days.

If I need something a little more discrete when traveling I use a Nat Geo Explorer and my P6x7s live in a LowePro Pro Trekker 400 AW. I'd like a Billingham but I've not seen one in a shop for years and I won't buy a bag without seeing it first.

For this kind of job I use an old LowePro Orion Trekker (although mine can't easily take a tripod apart from using the compression straps). It needs to be taken off your back to access the camera part but the top section holds a lot of 'walking' kit.

IMHO when it comes to backpacks for walking/hiking, either use a good daysack with a suitable insert or a LowePro - they get the 'rucksac' bit right. I can carry my Pro Trekker 400 AW quite easily with 2x P6x7 bodies + prisms, 4 lenses and all the other paraphernalia I need - the bag weighs 3kg on its own but the harness is superb.

John.

Me too, though I've seen it described as 'wood' and 'composition wood' (which I took to mean laminated).

Never seen one but they are carvable - un-carved ones pop up on ebay from time to time with high prices. The plastic ones are really useful and probably better (depending on how skilled you are at carving).

I wouldn't worry about manual focus lenses on a Pentax DSLR with the standard screen. I wouldn't bother with a cut down screen for another system, you'd have to align it to perfection for any benefit. I'd worry far more about my technique - that is much more likely to be a problem.

As for EVFs, I'm not interested, an interchangeable finder that could be replaced with EVF or OVF options would keep everybody happy.

I'm trying to think back to when I first heard of 'street' instead of 'candid' - I seem to remember 'candid' was much more common in the '90s.

My view is that a portrait (usually but doesn't have to be a person) is a way of getting into the soul of the subject(s) as the photographer sees it. Street photography is about capturing the essence of the 'street' so that the viewer gets a feel for what it would have been like to be there in that moment.

The best street photos have something different happening in them, I've tried it but can't usually find a decisive enough moment to make it worthwhile.

John.