ok, so I am amazed at the prices on ebay and I want to actually see the stuff (cos two bargains off ebay have been a little dissapointing) but I am struggling to find any local camera fairs - or indeed many fairs at all, Nanites are the only guys who list quite a few but nothing close to me

An hour or so from Sheffield M1/M18 would be fine, I get to Bristol and Plymouth often enough that I could pick the right weekend

Any top tips for a camera fair virgin mostly interested in M42 wierdness to use on Digital ?

Tim

thanks for your concern, wasnt planning on buying this one as I already have a minty new pentax one, got it BIN off ebay before I (and seller possibly) realised the prices had gone up a bit (been looking as a spare would be handy)

have PMd hk300 on mflenses for an internally flanged one too, never know if it might come in handy - and I always prefer reversible changes to kit

Tim

exactly the info I need, and more - thank you

sounds like I can go after the glass I like the look of and deal with the consequences one way or another (so long as I avoid Ricohs with pins)

joined the Mflenses forum too, more to explore

thanks again

Noticed the price of M42 adaptors has been getting silly in UK so been looking elsewhere - if anyone has any other good ideas please let me know

Emailed a few of the big US stores, two listed them in stock at $25 but not managed to get a delivery price yet (one declined to deliver Pentax to UK due to contractual arrangements) B&H wouldhave been great as they sort UK taxes before dispatch (and save £8 post office handling)

This chap has them at $15 and even with postage and taxes they will be ok price in UK:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270536983460&rvr_id=&crlp=1_2...

thanks Tim, that it pretty much what I have found with my Tamrons (and why I prefer the earlier ones)

but what about non Pentax M42 lenses, suppose I buy a Schneider Krueznach without a switch - can I only shoot wide open ?

I have a strange desire to try some old M42 lenses on my K10D, the less mainstream stuff seems to be pretty cheap in charity shops and the like

but I read on Steve Gandys Cameraquest website that most M42 lenses (other than Takumars) have a sprung aperture that stays open, so does this mean if I have an f2.8 lens and set it to f5.6 the aperture springs back ?

My only comparison is my Adaptall 1 CT135 has an M switch and works great, my Adaptall 2 103A does not. The CT135 works ok in Av setting but the 103A has to be used with the green button in M

Sorry if this seems a complete newb question but I am unfamiliar with the more arcane forms of photo kit

info source here:
http://www.cameraquest.com/adaptslr.htm

sort of lens I like the look of here:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150421879415&ssPageName=STR...

thanks for link Hardgravity, with all the stories about variable quality on non Pentax adaptors I have been looking for a good deal on a genuine Pentax one, my limit has been £25 and on ebay most of the recent sales have been thereabouts

US prices are still much lower than UK (though some US pentax dealers wont ship Pentax outside US because of "contractual reasons")

My 'new in the bag one' arrived this morning. Cost £25 which seems plenty for what it is, even with 'value in use' pricing £65 seems a bit steep

Need to win that M42 lens I have my eye on now . . .

hi zealousdp, pretty new here myself

dont know your budget or if you know the good used dealers worth a look:
Ffordes list an unused K110 at £250
Mifsuds list a boxed K100 at £200
Ace in Bath dont have anything right now
LCE has been mentioned

my guess is at those prices (and the fact new ones can be had for £300) suggest ebay and forums are the better bet, good luck with the hunt

sorry, forgot SRS do used now, they list couple of ist and a solid K10 at £275

being a student again, I find my life priorities have shifted to avoiding unneccesary expense - and having a bit of time to play on ebay . . .

One item I really could do with is a photo edit quality monitor. Old CRT and less old LCD flat screen stuff is on ebay all the time.

stuff like panel search is all very well BUT I cant find out what the good older models were
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/panelsearch.htm

Any models/names to look out for ? 15" non widescreen is plenty big enough but I really need something better than I have (Acer TN panel)

sorry to head back on topic . . .

got in touch with B&H in US for an M42 to Pk adaptor recently (and Calumet, Ritz, Pentax USA etc) and got an interesting reply:
"Thank you for contacting the sales department at B&H Photo Video and Pro Audio. Pentax has taken this item out of the market while they upgrade the item. They are doing this so that it will work with the new generation of digital cameras. It will be posted again on the web the minute it comes in. Please let us know if there is anything else we can assist you with."

ok, so anyone know what they might have changed for the money ?

For those who dont know, B&H let you pay the VAT/Duty stateside so for small items they can be very good for price.