The latest AP includes a photo taken at a boxing match when Randolph Turpin became World Middleweight champion - the same Randolph Turpin Mrs RobL wiped the floor with when he threw our son out of his flat! He did apologise afterwards and peace was restored.

Well Robbie here is your chance!

Has anyone else seen the latest YouTube from Cameraville? Not for the first time he rips into this lens for focus breathing and inaccuracy at 200mm claiming it is more akin to 135mm, also lacking sharpness compared to a similar Tamron lens. He claims to have had four copies so his experience isn’t of a poor version. Normally he speaks some sense but he is now claiming this is one of the worst lenses Pentax has made. I don’t know about you but I find this to be a superb lens and has given me some great results; I don’t know about the focus breathing whatever that is but I get excellent sharpness and as for for the short focal length I will try a comparison with a couple of other zoom lenses at 200mm although the clincher would be the 200mm prime.

Your views anyone?

When George Melly had Alzheimer’s he said the great thing was he met new friends every day!

I was due for a haircut just before lockdown so now I am turning into an ageing hippie, even started using Mrs RobL’s hair conditioner! Now where are my velvet flares and beads?

These are great, I agree that the first gets my vote. The apparently high viewpoint is what makes these unique so if I strap a monopod behind the driving seat.......?

A while ago I bemoaned that our local 100year old bakery was about to close, but with the coronavirus they stepped up to fill the gaps left by the supermarkets, including a drop-off service, and have been very busy since. The good news is they are not now closing down so bizarrely the pandemic has rescued this little business, I wonder how many others have been given this lifeline?

Or join the many thousands ignoring social distancing and putting us all at risk.

That’s very useful, thanks.

I have no problem with high price high quality lenses to give the brand some kudos and credibility, I seem to recall when Sigma stopped making K-mounts Ricoh said they would aim to produce lenses to outperform the Sigma Art range and be up there with Zeiss. Shortly after the new 50mm was launched as the first in that series and I expect on that basis they represent good value. There are lots of things I cannot afford but I am not going to say they are therefore not meeting market demand, cheaper alternatives are available to cover the focal lengths so it isn’t the end of the world. We should also remember Ricoh are addressing a relatively small market and the cost of development has to be recovered somehow.