It seems it would have been a good idea to have trawled the 'net looking for lens mount cleaning options before going ahead with it.

Most advice I can find advises against using WD40, consistent with the views expressed here. I'll not be using that any more.

I've now cleaned my cameras and lenses again using the method most often advised, and that is IPA or methanol on a lint free cloth. I used IPA. Actually, most advice says use a cotton bud. I didn't like the idea of the possibility of loose fibres being left behind somewhere, hence the use of a lint free cloth.

I used tissues left over from the days when I serviced Pertec & CDC disk drives where we actually did clean the heads and platters regularly to prevent head crashes. Yes, the tissues, made by Texwipe, are very old, like me.

I've also switched the roles of my 2 K20D's to even out their use, one of which is my general walkabout body, the other is a dedicated macro body.

It remains to be seen whether or not I get the problem which lead me to clean them in the first place, which was the cameras refusal to fire the shutter.

Thanks for all your opinions. I have seen the light.

It's good to learn something occasionally, it makes you realise you really don't know everything.

Because the internal elements of the T/C move to provide AF, hence it's name (AF Adapter).

See it here.

Don't expect it to turn a K-500mm or K-135-600mm zoom into AF, it won't, I tried.

Note to self: Read all replies first to avoid duplicating information.

If you have about £200/£235 to spare, the SMC Pentax-F 1.7X AF T/C is excellent as it provides AF to MF lenses. IQ is fine too.

As for SDM/HSM, I can't help.

Higher cost connectors/contacts are gold plated, as in K20D+DA* 16-50mm lens. Gold does not oxidise.

Well done. I too have considered buying a CANON 5D as a supplementary system, they are good value now that its successor is available. I say considered because of the AF and low light frustrations I have experienced with my K20D recently.

I think (fingers crossed) I've fixed that now so I'll certainly be keeping my Pentax gear anyway.

I might just buy a 5D just to play with it. There was one on ebay last week with a 24-105 IS USM L lens. went for about £1300.00 I think. The lens alone is £800+ new.

Good luck and enjoy your new kit. Canon/Nikon LBA is a lot more costly that Pentax though .

I feel compelled to raise a glass too, although I never knew the gentlemen, he seems like a good sort.

Take pleasure in what you have, whilst you can. You never know how long it may last. That's the mystery of life.

You can mention it here, unless you're already ashamed of it that is

It's always good to know why somebody moves from one brand to another and which brands and models they are, so do tell, and let us know which of the K10D issues are overcome by your new camera.

Don, if you seriously believe you can make millions, buy the right kit that is available, tried, and trusted, right now. Don't wait for Pentax coz you won't be able to sue them for lost earnings by not being able to use something that they don't/won't/can't make.

Well of the votes cast so far, it's pretty obvious that most of you never clean your camera/lens contacts. Frankly, I'm amazed.

I can understand them never needing to be cleaned if the lens is never removed from the camera but I rather assumed most of you owned more than one lens, and changed them periodically.

Thanks for the discussion and for taking part.

That'll work, but you may need to fit the flashes to small ball heads to get them aiming at the subject in order to light it properly, especially as you're using a 50mm lens.

The bracket itself will not turn inwards enough without modification.

To modify it, take it apart and file off the edges that bind. When you get it, you'll know what I mean.

I have one, and it works fine, but it wll only support relatively light flashes so my recommendation is to get a couple of auto flashes that quench the light using an onboard photo-cell. Don't imagine you can hang a couple of AF540FGZ's from it, because it's too flimsy.