I'm sure you've done the right thing, and it isn't such a minefield once you realise that you can happily use any Pentax lens from the manual focus A range onwards, through all the autofocus lenses!

The only difficulties, if they are difficulties, lie with earlier K and M lenses that do not have a "A" setting on the aperture ring, and they require that you set one of the *istDS parameters accordingly, and then follow a simple but slightly less convenient method of working.

If you are using Pentax autofocus lenses, don't worry about it at all. If you want to use earlier manual focus lenses, my advice is stick to the "A" series for convenience.

The MX used a new, more compact shutter than the KX. Although they are not the same shutter, the specifications are the same, that is, a rubberised silk, horizontally moving focal plane shutter speeded 1 second to 1/1000 second, with purely mechanical timing.

These shutters are robust and reliable, and I have never had a problem with one, unlike electronic ones!

You're quite right to point out that memory cards should be formatted in the camera they are to be used in.

There can still be problems after that is done, and, for example, Fuji are keen to point out that not all CompactFlash cards will work in their cameras. Why this should be I have no idea, but if it can apply to Fuji cameras it may well apply to others as well.

This is definitely a potential problem with all memory cards. We got a CF adapter to use the SD cards with the Phototainer, and some SD cards will work and some won't...

Does anyone know a website where the info is available?

I agree with KimC, stick with Pentax lenses.

Choose the one that best fits your needs in terms of specification, and enjoy your trip!

Andy, you name looks very familiar, where have i heard of you before?

I agree, the Pentax 24-90mm is a superb lens. A bit of barrel distortion at the wide end, so not ideal for architecture (in common with a lot of modern zooms) but overall excellent.

An 85C will be a colour correction filter - no auto white balance on film cameras so you adjust the colour temperature by use of filters.

The red/blue is an effect filter, to give red filtration to one half of the picture and blue to the other half. For colour film it will give colour casts, for black and white film it will act as a red (darkens skies) and a blue (increases haze) but why you would want to is down to whatever creative effect you are after.

All filters absorb light so need an exposure increase. A single colour filter will be compensated for by the camera's exposure meter, but the dual colour one would need different filter factors for each half, probably. Try it and see....

There are some good books on general photography that will cover filters, so it's well worth a trip to the local bookshop to find one that appeals.

I've just tried it out on an ME that was handy, and it focuses just fine at settings of 24mm upwards, in fact it doesn't look as though there is that much vignetting from that point onwards.

At 18mm there is severe vignetting (the corners go almost black) because the lens is designed to cover the smaller CCD format, but it does still focus and the split image screen works fine as well.

I'm glad you mentioned it, because I will now give it a go with a film camera body on slide film, and the darkening of the corners might well be quite acceptable from about 24mm to 55mm.

What I can say is that the viewfinders of ME series cameras do require that we can focus our eyes at the appropriate distance, although they do have built-in -1 doptre eyepiecses, which will help. I use my computer screen glasses with M series cameras, to ensure I can see the screen easily. I don't know if this might be a factor for you or not, but I just offer it as a thought.

You probably need to return the camera for repair, but under the circumstances if you have purchased from a good supplier it just might be worth asking them if you can borrow a camera whilst yours is away for repair?

This is not unheard of, so it's worth a try. It's a valuable thing to buy from a reputable dealer that you can communicate with in person.

Congratulations in advance as well, hope all goes well!