One of the great comforts of being a member of this forum is the certain knowledge that we are always in your thoughts, John.

I fear, however, that your fervent desire to spread happiness and good will to Pentax-kind through your words and deeds risks Canonisation

Humbly yours,

Jon

Snappychappy wrote:

Following the link will open the home page for 'Sandboxie' which is a virtual machine(VM)software package. Using this will provide an added layer or security, but not 'total protection' unless used with anti-virus/-malware software and even then remains vulnerable to attack by certain types of malware, as noted in the FAQ. It is therefore little different, IMHO, from any VM and I am not clear what advantages it has over the competition; some of which is free and better specified: e.g. Oracle's latest incarnation of VirtualBox link.

Please note, however, that I do not profess to be, in any shape or form, an 'expert' in these matters.

Jon

David wrote:

I have used both and, whilst I wouldn't say AVG Free is a bad product, I prefer MSE which is more straightforward and less obtrusive in use.

An alternative to both is Avast! free link, which often receives plaudits from the computing media and cognoscenti.

Whichever you decide to use, you should strengthen your protection by not using an account with administrative rights for everyday use and by switching to Firefox, running the 'no-script' add-on, for all your internet browsing. Whilst 'no-script' can be a bit of a pain until you have set the relevant permissions for the sites you use most often and trust, it will force you to pause and think about whether you really want/need to run certain scripts or allow your browser to be redirected; which, IMHO, is no bad thing!

The suggestion that you download and install Malwarebytes on your PC in addition to any A-V programme you have installed is a good one, but you need to be aware is that the 'free' version does not provide 'real-time' protection or automatic updates; both features that, IMHO, are well worth the cost of the full version.

SpywareBlaster link is another 'free' option that can be used to detect and remove nasties after the event. Like MalwareBytes, however, you have to pay for the full version in order to get automatic updates and'real-time' protection.

Both Malwarebytes and SpywareBlaster can co-exist on a system with MSE without problems.

I wouldn't agonise too much over which packages to use, as all have their supporters and detractors and none, certainly when used in isolation, will provide 100% protection. The key thing is have some form of software protection 'on board' and to use common sense when browsing: if one does spend a lot of time surfing the net for 'dodgy' sites (not that I am suggesting you do :blush, one must expect to be more more vulnerable to attack and infection.

Hope this helps: if not with the immediate problem then in the future.

Good luck and best wishes,

Jon

If around £25.00 (rather than $) or less is allowed, then I would want to add an O-ME53 viewfinder loupe or similar for critical focussing.

Jon

Kris wrote:Reading your response, with which I agree completely, was a catharsis of the first order

No longer embarrassed to be the owner of not one but two triple-axis, hot-shoe spirit level bubbles

Jon

54 this year with no hope of retirement in sight (fifteen year-old daughter at private school with intention of going on to university). Left tenured appointment as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bath in 2003 to re-train as a primary school teacher: hardest and longest hours (including evenings and weekends)I've ever had to work Luckily, I have a loving and much better paid partner without whom I wouldn't be able to afford to work as a teacher or have been able to afford the switch from 35mm film to DSLR. Even luckier, however, is the fact that I'm trusted to manage all the finances

Note: my real name and identity have been changed to keep my burgeoning LBA and distinct lack of fiscal rectitude a secret from the main 'engine of growth' in our household economy .

Jon

Algi wrote:A few years ago I was seduced by the claims made for ROR (Residual Oil Remover) and went to the trouble of obtaining some from the U.S.A. (there was no distributor in the U.K. at the time. Luckily, I first tried it on an Hoya Pro-1 filter and not a lens, as it left a 'film' on the surface which, despite my best efforts, I was never able to remove.

That ROR is used by the 'Lens Doctor' (Eddie Houston) suggests that I was probably just unlucky, however, as the saying goes: once bitten, twice shy

Since then, when I absolutely have to clean a filter or lens, I use a small amount of Calocoat optical lens cleaning spray on a Calotherm Microfibre Cloth.

Manixzero wrote:This is what I used when I worked in a laboratory and had access to methanol of extremely high purity. Unfortunately, 'consumer grade' methanol has so many impurities I wouldn't put it near a lens.

Jon

Oggy Wrote:
Like Chris I cannot comment specifically on the camera/lens combination referred to in the post, but I have used the AF-C on the K20D with a Sigma 70-300mm APO DG (not a lens renowned for its speedy autofocus) to capture aircraft (jet and prop) at the Fairford Air Tattoo in 2010.

I found that the key to success was to shoot jpeg (best quality) using AF-C and continuous drive whilst panning to produce a sequence of shots, from which the best were subsequently selected and edited. Using RAW, which I normally shoot, I found the camera just couldn't keep up and would invariably 'lock' mid-sequence.

I agree with Chris A that this works because the stark contrast between the plane(s) and the comparatively featureless background presented by the sky.

Jon

Given your stated needs a model from the Trek Tech Range might suit best. Further details can be found here link

They are more expensive but might be your best option. They start at around £70.00 and are widely available in the U.K. E.g. link

Good luck with your search.

Jon

Well it certainly is lightweight, which I know is important when hiking, but I can't help but feel that it won't be sufficiently robust or stable to meet your needs, particularly when extended.

I have a model from higher up in their range (Pro Pod 600: link) with a Velbon QHD-51Q ball head with quick release plate (link) which I keep as a 'spare', having upgraded to a carbon fibre Manfrotto. Apart from the middle section of the monopod being a 'little stiff',both are in very good condition and I would be happy to negotiate a 'sale or return' (less postage) price with you if you're interested.

Jon