Sounds like they were avoiding a huge loss, rather than making a "bigger profit margin".

Sure, you were unlucky, but that doesn't make this retailer a rogue in my opinion. There will be plenty of retailers going to the wall in the current financial situation, without them selling good kit at a loss.

Has anybody else noticed that Roscoe's comments in this thread, including the one that started it, have disappeared?

Perhaps Peter Roskilly didn't like some of the questions we were asking.

I wonder why?

This page shows the current firmware version for all Pentax DSLR's & compacts that have had an update.

To check your DSLR firmware version, see my first post in this topic.

I'm on my third copy, which seems to be a good one. S/N 902XXXXXX

Both previous faulty lenses were changed without question by SRS Microsystems. Perhaps the best advice I can give is to buy from a reputable Pentax Pro dealer that values your satisfaction as much as their profit.

I've used R-Studio to recover data from failed drives. You'll find it here.

There are also 'Auto' tubes which have no contacts. Auto refers to the mechanical diaphragm linkage and not the pass-through contacts.

I have a set of Kenko P-AF tubes and guess what . . . they don't handle AF.

There have been various versions of this handbook over the years. Most are available for download from www.pentax-manuals.com

Don't hold your breath waiting for another firmware upgrade. Pentax's first DSLR, the 5+ year old *istD, has not had the benefit of any upgrades since it was replaced by a newer model.

SMC Pentax (with no suffix) were the original K mount names and are commonly referred to as 'K' series lenses. Then came SMC Pentax-M, -A, -F, -FA, -FAJ, -DA, -D FA, -DA L.

'K' series & -M lenses have no 'A' setting on the aperture ring.

-A, -F, -FA, & -D FA lenses have the 'A' setting on the aperture ring.

-FAJ, -DA, & -DA L lenses have no aperture ring at all.

Lenses up to and including -A are manual focus. The rest are auto focus.

There are * and non-SMC derivatives of various ranges also but the aperture ring usage is as per the other lenses.

Only -M and -DA 40mm Pancake's exist as far as I know.

You'd do well to get to know this site.

Mac,

Turn the camera off, press and hold the menu button whilst turning the camera on. The firmware version will be displayed.

SDHC support was added in V1.01 and corrected in V1.02.

If you don't have V1.02, update it.