Say what now? £200 for a framing device?!

Care to expand on that? What are your preferences and why?

Since this discussion has become all serious...

I don't think anyone could reasonably argue that adding the requirement of pushing a button painted green is going to make anyone a better photographer. In fact, the only reason that button is there is because Pentax "forgot" the aperture lever, which is why it's referred to as the "crippled" mount.

My preferred way of shooting is with an aperture dial on the lens and manual focus. This is not so much because it slows me down as because it speeds me up! The ergonomics are better and I don't have to keep second-guessing automated systems in the computer they now call a camera. I change the aperture after considering the light and my required depth of field; it's part of a contemplative decision-making process.

The second part of the process is precise focus and framing, plus waiting for the right moment. All I need here is a shutter button.

Decoupling these two related and integral acts in this way is the most comfortable for me to achieve decent results from the photographic process.

But the green button is just freaking annoying, especially as the metering is always off and, worse, inconsistent. When using Pentax I require an "A" position on the aperture dial. When using Olympus PEN, not so.

Exactly. I don't pack more than three lenses when walking around town either. Not sure which part of this logic is "strange".

Some random tips.

I keep bubble wrap in my bag to cushion lenses. Less bulk, more versatile and lighter than a dedicated bag of any description.

Always have more memory cards than you think you'll need and put them in different places (camera bag, jacket pocket) so no matter what you forget you always have one to spare.

Bring the small recharger and make sure you have the correct plug ends for the countries you are visiting. I find I only need two batteries since I can recharge them each night.

Carry a lens pen for cleanups in the field.

Remember you are there to experience and enjoy, not just snap. This goes double when travelling with family. Your camera should come second, not first. (Though you can sneak out on dedicated photographic excursions when others are sleeping, shopping, or busy in a museum.)

Depends on what you have. My kit used to be the Pentax K20D, DA12-24 and FA77. Now it would be the Olympus E-PL2, Panasonic 14mm and G. Zuiko 40mm. Travelling light is definitely more fun!

As much as I like manual focus, I do prefer automatic metering since it simply saves time. But there's nothing wrong with the old stop-down route so long as you can always take your time to get a shot. Maybe you can upgrade to a fully working K10D down the line.

P.S. How's life in the Wirral these days? Been more than 15 years since I've been there to visit my relatives.

It's always been the case that PhotoShop upgrades provide only incremental improvements for a lot of money. I can't think of any update that was ever essential.

Dead right.

The deviation is far too small.

I find screens usable for shooting only in ideal situations. And even then they are far from ideal. Every decent camera needs a viewfinder. Not just for visibility but for stability, and this is something that does not vary with eyesight.