I think the OP should maybe clarify if he's looking for opinions on film, digital or both.

I shoot MF film because the cameras are (really) fun to use, they can produce shallower depth of field than 35mm cameras and because their resolution is higher, giving sharper images with better tones.

I'd be interested to know how much they charge for the cog change on the mirror motor of the MZ-5, did they mention a price?

Some of you may have seen this already but I'm surprised it's still there. I've read that this lens is fantastic and I've never seen one in good condition for this price.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/192494131199?ul_noapp=true

Is that 40 just in the M range? Bear in mind a number of K lenses continued to be made during the M period - the K series 28mm f/3.5 Shift was officially listed until 2004!

I would say that yes, they do, but bear in mind that camera prices are rising and will continue to rise, due to lower sales volumes. Brexit and global economical instability will make matters worse but the era of really cheap DSLRs is gone and will not return. When it comes time to replace my K3 I expect to pay at least 20% more than I did for that camera.

I had expected to see more reviews of the old standard 50-55mm lenses on the K-1 when it came out so this is good to see. The 55mm f/1.8 and f/2 are great lenses on APS-C and it seems they're just as good on FF.

Thanks for this John and may I suggest more reviews of the vintage 50mm lenses would be interesting for K-1 owners.

You should always check any new (or used) lens for focus issues and edge-to-edge performance either before buying or at least before your option to return it expires. This goes double for third-party lenses such as Tamron or Sigma - if you get a good one then it should be fine but I've experienced problems myself and read a lot of comments online too, so always check.

The ideal situation is to go to a physical shop where they have multiple copies and try before you buy, but that's not always possible (especially with Pentax).

I can't say if there's any difference in this respect between Tamron and Sigma, I doubt there's much. I've had the occasional problem with Pentax lenses too but I'm still more wary of the third-party ones.

The Sigma 17-70mm gets good reviews too, though I like the constant aperture of the f/2.8 zooms and am prepared to sacrifice that extra 20mm for an extra stop of light.

I think the Tamron 17-50/2.8 zooms the same way as Pentax while the Sigma zooms the opposite way. For what it's worth, if it's within your budget and you don't mind the extra size and weight, the Sigma is overall a better lens, though the Tamron is no slouch.

I used my Tamron 17-50/2.8 in Vietnam and can offer a couple of pieces of advice. In the evening, when you're back in your air conditioned hotel, leave camera and lens(es) open and unmounted so that any accumulation of moisture inside can evaporate. Secondly, your Tamron won't survive five seconds if it gets caught out in a south-east Asian torrential downpour - they are impressive and can swoop in very fast, especially in the early evening (I went in May). Not even a WR lens and camera could survive one of them, so take cover and wait them out and make sure that camera bag/backpack has a well-fitting plastic cover to keep your gear dry.

It sounds like an electric contact problem - have you cleaned the contacts on both the lens and the mount?

If so, then it could be the motor or some other electronic component in the lens, though the DC motor in this lens is reputed to be very reliable. The best way to check would be to try it on another camera body.

Can it be focused manually? If so, is the movement nice and smooth?

Back up to £36.99 now