I assumed the body used would support SDM, hence the question about options. If there's no SDM support then there's only one choice.

It's a bit of everything really - many are real bargains, quality is superb, anything can be used fully if it has an A on the aperture ring (otherwise still can be used with some limitations), it's fun to experiment, it's fun to collect....it depends on your interests.

In a practical sense, maybe I couldn't afford a new macro lens but a manual focus one would be just as good but a fraction of the cost. Maybe I could find an old fish-eye lens to try out. Perhaps a fast 50mm.

Anything not liked or found to be useful can always go back on eBay, with little or no loss in the process.

Win-win really.

I'm afraid not. SDM overrides screw drive when both are in a lens.

QuckShift means manual focusing is possible when autofocus has been locked on. It enables fine adjustments to be made manually to the focus position.

I use it mainly with close up photography - I can keep the tripod in the same position and move a new object into the field of view. I use AF, hold it with a half press on the shutter release and change the point of focus if I want a different part of the subject to be focused upon. It's quicker than using manual focus only as AF doesn't need to be switched off for the odd correction.

Yes it is so, and very useful too.

There is a motor in Pentax bodies that drives a screw drive to focus most lenses.

Some lenses have a motor in the lens, and the camera knows this and uses that option instead. This should be both quicker and quieter.

It's a paper, printed magazine and the review doesn't seem to have made it to their website yet.

Yes, not bad at all, although I felt the writer ran out of steam part way through.

Still the great unanswered question though - K-5 II or IIs?

It's what you make of it really. The Q punches way above its weight and you can now see lots of great examples on here and elsewhere. It's also very versatile with everything from fish-eye to ultra-telephoto thanks to the adapter.

However, depending on what you want to do, Pentax also offer the X-5 bridge camera and soon the MX-1 quality compact. Don't forget the WG-2 either, wihich definitely extends the repertoire.

As for other makes, they don't have that Pentax colour. To delve into those marques though you need to browse ePHOTOzine and similar sites that are not brand-specific. It's not that we're biased here, it's just that other makes are outside out remit.

A few more shots, usning the SMC Pentax-D FA 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens at around f/11 and f/16.

First a close up of the skin of a rotting apple:


And at half the distance, almost the closest focus of the lens:


An extra shot of my project Decay, but I may have nudged this long exposure slightly:


And finally the one I'm most pleased with so far: