I'm sure you're right and Pentax don't make batteries, but we've been here before. They are better made than other offerings though simply because Pentax decide on the specification. They also deliver their specification.

Not everything in life is a rip-off just because it costs more.

There are a few different ways of looking at this. Over the years, I've bought all sorts of lenses and accessories that were not Pentax, but eventually concluded that I would save a fortune by just buying Pentax. This is because the tools are the right ones for the job and I enjoy the fine engineering. Everything fits properly, everything works well.

All the other items fell into the category of buy cheap and buy twice, or three times...although to be fair I have had some good if rather clunky lenses. The Soligor 105mm f2.8 was quite nice, but preset and probably technically having limitations.

These days I pay the price if I need the item, but it's only rarely that the price is out of step with reality. There's always eBay.

That's very interesting Smeggypants, so are you saying that all publishers became corrupt? If so, what form did this corruption take and what was its purpose?

The lead on question from that would be, how do web based publishers (of which you yourself are one, having your own website, as do I) differ? Or do you not see any difference?

It is a global adjustment on the K10D. The K20D and later provide the option to adjust for up to 20 lenses via the regular menu system.

For very tiny flowers a macro lens may well be needed, but if you want full folwer head close ups then it won't be necessary.

A tripod is really needed and the standard 18-55mm lens will do very well, perhaps stopped down to f11 or f16.

If the flowers are further away, as for example in some wider flower beds at stately homes, then th 55-300mm zoom is excellent. This gives superb flower close ups at reasonable distances. Again, perhaps stop down to f11 or f16 for best results.

My EPZ portfolio is full of flower images taken in this way.

http://www.ephotozine.com/user/johnriley1uk-22471

e-mail addresses in forums are picked up by spiders and spambots and you can end up with a lot of unwanted e-mails, some benign but some not so benign.

Better to use the PM system.

I know Stefan, but the question is from someone trying to understand something and we don't want to confuse the issue do we?

Too expensive for a first dabble in prime lenses Stefan. Excellent, certainly, but not necessary as a beginning lens.

I've removed your e-mail address to save you from being innundated with spam.

They should give the same exposure so they won't be darker or llighter. It is possible for one lens to be sharper than another though.

In general, better lenses are more expensive, but in a general sense all the Pentax range will give excellent results.