Sounds like the camera has suffered a pretty dramatic trauma. I think it unlikely that you'll fix it, but well done for trying.

From your description, the camera behaves differently whether a lens is attached or not.

From that we can conclude that there is some electrical continuity between lens and body, but probably not all. I suggest investigating the electrical connections to the body mount.

Thing is, if the body has suffered a big enough impact to rip the mount from the body, there is a high probability that something else other than just the mount is damaged.

Whilst I have a collection of gorgeous primes, I take them out only on special occasions with a specific task in mind.

My 'go everywhere' bag has a SMCP 12-24 (could be replaced by the Sigma 10-20 or 8-16), DA*16-50, DA*60-250 or Sigma 70-200, Sigma 150-500, and my D-FA 100mm Macro. Jobs a good good'un, every eventuality covered.

The focal length gap between 50 and 60/70mm is not a problem for me, I just get closer, or further away from my subject as necessary. If that doesn't work, I crop.

If you are in need of a local camera shop, don't move to Spain. I have none anywhere in a reasonable distance to me.

I grew up and lived in High Wycombe until my move to Spain in 2006. In my early years I had the choice of around five well stocked shops dedicated to photography, not in the actual High Street, but close by.

In 2006 when I left High Wycombe and the UK, Jessops was the only one left, and it's still open.

NB: I don't count Curries, Dixons, et al because their core business is not photography products and/or services.

I think that if you have to ask that question, you probably won't.

Only part of a photographers work is actual photography. You'll also need reasonable skills and knowledge of advertising, salesmanship, accounting and probably other business disciplines.

You can also convert any existing .PEF files to .DNG using adobe's standalone converter.

To avoid any condensation issues going from the cold slopes to the warm and moist hotel/cabin/whatever, take a few ziplock plastic bags. Before moving your gear from the cold environment to the warm moist one, remove the SD cards so you can download the images if you need to. Place the rest of your gear in the plastic bag(s), remove as much air as you can and zip them shut. Don't remove the gear from the bags until they have reached the ambient temperature of the room.

If your cable looks like the one below, a Pentax 4P synch cord C, that adapter should work fine. A PC synch socket is universal to all cameras.




However, looking at the link you provided I think you may have a 4P synch cord A which is for the Pentax LX camera.

What you really need is a Pentax 4P synch Cord B like the one below




Here's one.

There are links to all of the Pentax 4P (4 pin) cables here.

There are Pentax 50mm AF lenses available from the film era that work perfectly well with all Pentax SLR's including digital.

Notably, those from the smc Pentax-F and smc Pentax-FA series.

See them all here.

You have a choice of maximum apertures of 1.7 and 1.4, the larger aperture lenses being more expensive.

There is also a 50mm macro lens in both series with a max. aperture of f2.8.

Shoot raw, take a couple of test shots when you get there and set an appropriate exposure compensation to avoid washed out whites. deal with the rest in the comfort of your hotel or home.

Oh, wear a helmet and stay on piste.

I think you might need one of these to make that work.