I wouldn't buy from Jessops. If they are waiting for 13, I'll bet they only get 12.

SRS Microsystems has them in stock at £599 for the body. Order by phone, have it next day.

I have no connection whatsoever to SRS Microsystems other than as a satisfied customer.

If the flash head is showing 'bounce', the range scale disappears.

There is no reason at all why you shouldn't continue using your Weston + invercone. The difference lies in the measurement of incident light (Weston + cone) versus reflected light (any and all in camera measurement systems). Accurate incident light meter readings will always prevail (IMHO) over any camera system including Pentax, Canon, Nikon, Leice, 'blad et al.

It's more likely that your supplier had very little stock, sold it, now can't get any more. Pentax's supply chain is utterley apalling. In this day and age, good product or not, if they don't get their supply hat on straight, they'll be hit hard by defections to other brands.

A big problem for manufacturers in today's selling arena is the 'Iwant it' and I want it now' mentality of the general buying public. If Pentax can't supply, buyers will buy another brand.

You need to obtain the owners permission to use their interlectual property and it would not be appropriate to display it here, or use it in any way at all, without that written consent.

I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong but . . . I think all of the Pentax branded 70-210's are SMC. It's the 70-200's and Takumar branded that aren't.

The SMCP-A 70-210mm 1:4 lens is a superb performer and I'm sure you would not be disappointed with it. If however you were to opt for one of the Vivitar Series 1 lenses, be sure to pick one of the better ones.

There were about five different manufacturers I think and some better than others. I have one made by Kiron and it's macro facility is superb.

I haven't used it on the K10D yet, neither have I used any of my 'older' A series lenses on it but I can see that the Shake Reduction issue might be annoying unless you use a tripod of course, and then the SR would be switched off.

Ditto that. I've described my experience of a noname replacement battery for my Fuji F810 above. For that reason, I bought a Pentax branded spare battery for my K10D.

Noname batteries are cheap for a reason. Now I don't know what the reason is but I'm assuming the manufacturer uses inferior chemicals/materials.

I bought a second (noname 'n cheap) battery for my Fuji F810 P&S go everywhere camera because like most others here, I wanted the peace of mind of having a backup.

I religiously switched them over every few months or so to ensure neither one got more or less use than the other.

The noname battery died a long time ago fter just about 12 months use and I'm still using the original Fuji labelled battery which is now about 4 years old.

The moral of this story:- One branded battery at £x works out cheaper in the long term than 4 x noname batteries at £1/3x (one third x - or so)

Now the next part of this challenge ought to be to get AF working