SRS have the smc-A at £499
Matt

It also depends what you want it for
The smc-F 50/1.7 is an incredibly sharp lens. I found it sharper than the smc-F 50/1.4. However, the rendition is different to the 1.4. The 1.7 has 6 aperture blades, and the 1.4 has 8 - this seemed to produce a much smoother bokeh when rendering out of focus subjects.

If you want to do copy work, then the flat-field 1.7 is superb.
If you want to do portraiture, then the smc-A 50/1.4, smc-F 50/1.4 or smc-FA 50/1.4 are all beautiful lenses (I've had them all - currently have the smc-FA version)

HTH!
Matt

Nigel - fixed your Flickr links
You need to use the Share option on Flickr. Click the arrow next to the Tweet icon, click on "Grab the HTML/BBCode" and extract the link that ends in ".jpg"
Matt

From what I understand it's oil from the mirror mechanism being sprayed onto the sensor. The mirror and shutter is much faster than before.

But I could be wrong...
Matt

Sorry this has gone off topic....
I'll PM you

Most definitely
Have to use Windows for work... but everything play, and half work is Mac now Soooo much better for photography & music production - and I'm much more relaxed
Matt

Note: EXIFtool is available for PC and Mac and works very well.
http://www.sno.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/

It's command line, but GC is just referencing EXIFtool anyway
Matt

If you have a prime lens (e.g. a 28mm or 50mm) you can mount it backwards onto the camera to give very high magnification macro facilities

Ideally you'll have some extension tubes as well - so you might have camera+tubes+reverse+lens

You'll get awesomely close! Great for bugs and beasties

Obviously with this one you'll need a filter thread of 52mm on the prime to make it work!

EDIT: If you want to try it, just hold the lens back-to-front over the K-mount hole in the camera. You'll have to open up the aperture on the lens too (so it'll need an aperture ring)

Matt

I love my DA17-70 as well Incredibly useful range.
Utterly stonking image quality, and the bokeh is one of my favourites!
With the K7 in low light I've even been using the 17-70 instead of the 50/1.4

My only niggle is that it's not as tough as other lenses. When extended to 70mm the zoom mech is susceptible to damage (mine got crunched on the end by one of my kids!). So, look after it - twas tough being without it during repair

Matt

We always make use of the excellent NT restaurants when travelling long distances. When you have membership you can just pop in for an hour or two and grab some lunch! Have seen some excellent places like this

(And have never had a problem with photography & NT).
Matt