The Pentax 18-55mm is a very good lens. It focuses close, very close, it has a nice softness at open aperture (good for portraits) and it sharpens up very nicely by f8 or f11. It's light, it's cheap, it takes the same 52mm filters as the 50-200mm.

It's a very good option.

It's done.

Pentax K10D
SMC Pentax-FA 100mm f2.8 Macro

I seem to remember a scene where the castaways have filled open coconuts with some other fruit juice and are all busy stirring the contents to produce enough current to run the radio and send for help....

It probably means we will need a troup of islanders in grass skirts to stir the coconuts whilst we connect the output via a long wire to a K10D.

Indeed that is so. However, the point is that you could make even a shutter if you had to. A simple lens cap can suffice, or a gravity-driven slit. All these things are in the realms of DIY and photographers used to do this sort of thing.

You could make a film holder, make a wooden camera, the list is endless really.

But I don't think either you or I will do these things and indeed convenience (and quality) will win out.

I was really musing about what we could do to continue photography if the manufactured items were no longer available to us.

For those that might remember, on Giiligan's Island I recall they made batteries out of coconuts. I wonder if they were Pentax branded...

We can always develop our own films, mixing our own chemicals if needs be. We could even make emulsions and coat our own glass plates...but I don't particularly want to.

This is one way that things have dramatically changed though, because we can't manufacture our own CCDs...

For quite a while yet I would think. When you consider that you can still find film for antique cameras with obsolete formats (if you know where to look) then 35mm and 120 film have quite a way to go before they expire.

Although most amateur photography might now be digital, there is still a need for film in many fields.

You are probably right, George.

I don't think personally I'd be wanting to use many older zooms (too big and heavy even if they are good) but the idea of using primes, especially macro lenses, could be very appealing.

I know there will be some who think well, we can do that now, but the extra convenience of using the lenses without restriction would be very nice!

Restoring the full KAF mount capability would be something that would persuade me to upgrade immediately. It could be a very good move for Pentax as I'm sure a lot of us would feel the same.

It seems that all types of Pentax lenses and cameras are getting very good prices at the moment on eBay.

I could not believe that, earlier on tonight, I saw a Spotmatic II in black going at £205. That is an incredible price. I would have expected no more than maybe £60.

Lenses are also doing well, but not only the A series and later that are so useful with the DSLRs. There seems to be quite a demand for K and M series as well.

A good time to sell, but I'm not so sure that it's a good time to buy!