[quote]I think the reason they have to ask is that there is a requirement that you are a UK taxpayer - I used to be a student tax-dodger and had to turn them down when they asked for this gift, it got quite a few rather cold looks from some of the National Trust staff![quote]


Hi Matt,
That certainly makes sense, they must get many foreign visitors as well as non-tax paying students.

7dayshop split the orders into numerous packages where possible but obviously can't do that with single items of high value.
I originally ordered from them years ago after seeing their ad in photo mags and used to order by fax. Now I and many other people obviously order via the internet so their volumes must have increased and it's not surprising that customs have been keeping a close eye on them.

I've bought from 7dayshop and MX2 for years and have had no problems whatsoever and I can also recommend Dlab7 for slide development.
7dayshop now indicate which items will be sent VAT free ( valued below £18 ) and which ones are sent UK tax paid.

Incidentally, I've just visited Chatsworth and find it strange that they ask you to 'gift' the admission fees to them so that they can reclaim the tax.
As a registered charity, it's all in a good cause and I was happy to do it but why should they have to ask?
Surely the government could relax the rules for charities so that all admissions are tax exempt - although I guess the inland revenue may lose too much that way!

That's dreadful bad luck, obviously some sort of electrical short and I've never heard of it before - at least not to the extent that the camera gets hot!
I hope there's no serious damage and you manage to resolve the problem.

My name is also Kim and I like the Z1-P.........so there, ner!

I can't see traditional film disappearing for a long time, there are loads of brand new film cameras still being produced and what about all those handy disposables that are so popular at weddings and the like?

It seems to me that we always go full circle and embrace what once went out of fashion. In the 80s and 90s, touch buttons, slide controls and black polycarbonate bodies were all the rage but we've largely gone back to 'old fashioned' dials and chrome finishes.

The dedicated 'retro' fans will demand traditional styling and functionality for many years to come, I'm sure!

Hi Simon,

I look forward to hearing your comments after you've had a chance to give the lens a good workout.
Personally, I would try a range of normal everyday type shots with varying lighting conditions and focal lengths. I don't rely too much on test results by photo mags and the like as it is the opinion of real photographers in the real world that really counts.
Technical testing is a great way to know which lens is best but where the differences are not really discernable to the naked eye, then factors such as handling characteristics and price become more important.

A simple test that I like to perform is to tripod mount the camera above a newspaper page and look for edge to edge definition.

A 24-50F lens recently sold in the states (ebay) for almost $200 and one here in the UK for around £50 - would that be yours Simon?
If so, then I think you've bagged yourself a real bargain even if it's not one of Pentax's best!

Reports I've read suggest that these lenses are mediocre at best in terms of performance - I sometimes think we expect too much from zooms!

Does anyone have personal experience of either of these lenses?
If so, I'd appreciate comments good or bad with a view to possible purchases.

Thanks
Kimbo.

Oops, forgot to log in for that last post!

Just to clarify, I have only owned one Ricoh lens - I didn't mean that I only had one that worked (just in case you were wondering)!

There is one small downfall with the adaptall system, but it's pretty insignificant.
Advanced cameras with dedicated lenses often have MTF functions and actually 'know' what lens is fitted. The auto program shifts according to the exposure and focal length being used.
For example, with the SFX, the CENTIC icons shift from wide angle through standard to telephoto when zooming with the 35-135mm F lens and the programmed exposure settings shift accordingly.
When the Tamron adaptall system is fitted, the camera has no idea what focal length has been selected and cannot therefore compensate automatically for the lens characteristics.

On an MV, the lens will function exactly like an M series except that the focussing ring will turn the opposite way to infinity.
It is indeed a superb lens and although you can't use the AE setting on the MV, I'd suggest looking for a KA mount as it'd probably cost the same (£10-15 or even less) and then be suitable for a more sophisticated camera such as the ME Super or Super A should you ever wish to use one.
Also, keep your eye open for a Tamron macro extender (gives 1:1 repro) and the SP flat-field 2x teleconverter - often available quite cheaply on eBay!
If you had all three, you'd have an excellent portrait/short tele lens with 1/2 life size repro capability, a high quality 200mm telephoto lens and the ability to reproduce an image at full 1:1 macro.

If you're not too familiar with the adaptall system, you can either leave the mount on the lens or fixed to the camera body. The SP extender and converters are universal (like the lenses) and do not have their own mounts. You'd fix the extender/converter onto the lens where the mount would usually be and then fix the mount between the converter and the camera body.
It sounds complicated but is actually very simply and works a treat.

This has turned into a most interesting thread, I've a fair collection of lenses myself but as yet, I've not picked up a 35-70.

I think it may be worth pointing out that 35-70's are often considered standard and as such were supplied with cameras. This lens could well be the only lens bought by the original owner or at least the one that spent most of the time on the camera and therefore is likely to have seen a great deal of use, which could explain the relatively high number of worn and sloppy examples.
I've known of AF zooms that seem a little sloppy due to their design but in the case of A series models, I would think it's largely down to wear and tear.

Thanks for the comments, I would have thought that the owner would have paid for the repair had it been viable and obviously he couldn't do it himself.
I couldn't resist posting the link though, especially at the current price and I'll keep an eye on it just in case I fancy a last minute bid.

Incidentally, a few years ago I dropped my SFX c/w 35-135F lens (Malaga departure lounge - fortunately at the end of a holiday!) and the lens inner barrel became loose.
Despite being housed in a padded holster case and only falling a few inches, the entire inner barrel could be completely unscrewed (as if focussing) and removed.
I could replace it myself and the lens would function perfectly although it felt loose and there was a risk of it falling out when extended so I sent it to Pentax for repair.
The cost was about £75 and I'm very pleased to say that it's still as good as new.
From my personal experience, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Pentax UK for repairs although I have heard of other people having problems.