Batteries need to be charged fully before first use. Then they will gradually improve in performance, reaching their peak after a few recharge cycles.

When I am on holiday, shooting images all day, then a K-5 battery will generally last me 2-3 days. That would be about 500+ shots. When shooting in the studio the battery managed 260 shots, but then the camera was literally switched on all day without much of a break.

Yes, when the light goes out full charge has been reached.

Once you get into these hidden menus and start making alterations, you are on your own. I suspect that warranty would be out the window as well.

It would be interesting to know how many cameras are returned that have been hacked, for want of a better word. I'm not surprised if Pentax have made it harder to get in to these areas.

These sort of calibrations are best done by those who have the equipment and actually know what the procedure is. I wouldn't try adjusting a lens mount by guesswork.

Cameras are precision instruments and really should be calibrated by the repair houses that are properly equipped.

It's a great travel lens.

If everything needs adjusting, then clearly time to attend to the K-5. I would imagine that calibration could drift, but I think I would expect it to be more wear and tear than anything else.

For example, the lens is spinning along and has to stop accurately. If it was a car then we'd adjust the brakes from time to time, and eventually replace the pads. Maybe not an exact comparison, but the area of mechanical wear is what I am thinking of.

Likewise lenses might wear as well over long periods of usage. To be fair, the instructions tell us to have an overhaul of the camera every one or two years to maintain performance. I know we never do, I certainly don't, but with the number of frames we shoot compared to film cameras, maybe we should think about it?

Yes it is indeed, very enouraging.

And another removed as I just did an almost-final run through the images. Please make sure the monthly competition images are shot within the month of the competition.

Also, please don't comment on competition images (any) until after the judging. This is intended to avoid any comments, however benign, influencing the judge.

It does fir the K-5, the fitting has been the same since the M series of cameras in 1976.

I did wonder if it would recycle to 1, but clearly there are enough digits available.

To convert a body, just use the Pentax Adapter K in the way it was intended - left in place. Then you can mount and remove screw thread lenses as you wish, just as if it was a screw thread body.

Metering will be stop down and focus manual, but M and Av will work.