You see, this is now cutting to the chase, getting to the core of the original question.... Is the process of repeated card formatting in any way a form of wear and tear ?

I should add that I do myself format every time after filling up a card and the files are copied to the PC and backed up, but I'm no power user, only starting a card fresh every 3-6 months or so.

For copying and incremental "echo" backups I use the free, simple and effective Microsoft Sync Toy.

If you're continuing to use the card again in the same camera then "Delete All" is ok ..... "Format" is often required when a card is introduced after being used in another camera (but not necessarily if the other camera was the same brand /file type)

Presumably he was trying to focus on the grass every time, but the camera kept being fooled and locking on to those damn annoying cars screaming around !

Cononmark now offer a TTL radio triggered strobe system for Pentax ....
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Also the Phottix Odin II comes in a Pentax P-TTL / HSS version ...
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If these aren't enough then Cactus will soon release a lithium battery powered strobe that will fully integrate within it's V6II P-TTL / HSS ecosystem .... link

In terms of professional grade lighting support with Pentax DSLRs, things look very bright!

Thanks John ... I've remembered another one I liked back then in my Viewfinder. This was images of the new Boeing 747, called the"Jumbo Jet", and I remember a great 3D shot looking through the giant open "mouth" of the cargo version. Also a great shot with a low viewpoint along the length of the wing, and another with a man standing inside the engine intake. It all comes back! Obviously, yes, it would have been even more impressive if shot with a Pentax Stereo Adaptor!

Did someone seriously say that there was software to view and convert a digital file taken using the adaptor ...? That would be amazing to see, considering the enlargement on screen or even print that could be done now.

Ah, ok thanks all. So you got the film processed and then put individual slides into the Viewer, hold it up to some light, and with the right sort of subject things could look very spectacular!

I had a Viewmaster and a number of the round serated discs .... As a kid in the 70s my favourite disc was a Star Trek one, with great 3D images of the Enterprise and various scenes from the TV series.

Nice image of some gorgeous old Pentax gear ...... It would be nice to have an explanation of what the equipment actually did, and its purpose. .....

The Tamron 28-75 F2.8 is reportedly a lot of bang per buck. Available new also. But I'd only go for it over the Pentax 28-105 if you'd find F5.6 at the long end a problem. For most scenarios it's not really ...I get close-ups and portraits from the 28-105 at the long end with beautiful bokeh. Plus the DC focussing and quick shift and build put it in a higher class than the old Tamron. But there's a price difference, although both offer very good value for what they are.

The F35-70, very cheap, will give good IQ so long as you use a hood, and don't point it into the sun too much, but focusing can be frustrating as I find it is often reluctant to lock on.

Lennybloke is selling a Tokina 20-35, in an adjacent thread right here ......

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Its a common confusion, I've certainly succumbed to it myself, and have been corrected on this forum. But yes, I believe it is the distance to the subject that determines the 'perspective', not the focal length. So a crop in from, say 14mm to 20mm, will result in the exact same perspective as if the shot was taken with a 20mm lens (assuming the exact same position of the camera).

In terms of visible differences in relation to how much of a lens image circle is captured by a sensor, then something like the 14mm will reveal more edge distortions on FF ..... using a 20mm instead and moving backwards in order to obtain the same field of view will produce an image with less edge distortions .... but a different perspective