Stefan - camera or lens is not "resting" on monopod - they're fixed together because all monopods have a basic screw thread. All a ball or pan head does is provide a means of either allowing you to use the monpod as an angle brace, as K10D discussed or allow you to angle the camera up/down whilst keeping the support verticle. Simon's original point was about weight and compatability with a suite case.


S

One of my original lenses - must be well on towards 30 years old now. Won't part with it even though it's not had an outing for a good while. In better nick than either of my original ME Supers.

Think the common classic film kit probably had the 28mm F2.8 and 50mm F2 with the 135mm F3.5 rather than the Matts combo.


Steve

Yeah I thought it was great idea too - until I looked at the images I got with the MZ-S with Velvia 100F on the road down to Mt Cook in early light and compare it to my digital images. Velvia hard to beat.

May change my plans and take an MZ-S - poss as a third body. Doesn't weigh to much and could always sneak it in to one the suite cases


Steve

K10D - not taken as a crit! We all have different experiences and drag around lens combos which refects our interests, weight allowances and space limitations - which is what Simon was looking to tap into I think.

In my traveling pack I usually have only the Sigma 135-400mm with me that has a tripod collar, so lack of Q/R plates only a marginal inconvenience issue. More important to me is a jacket or vest with big enough pockets to take my DA16-50 or 50-135 when I'm changing lenses - don't often have an empty lens case [of the right size] when I'm travelling to put the lens coming off into.

Next overseas trip I'm minded to leave the MZ-S behind and take the K20D with the K7. So I'll have the K20D with the 16-50mm and the K7 with the 60-250mm as the normal set up.


Steve

The Manfrotto has a basic thread connection - ie no ball or pan type head. The Velbon has a 2way pan head with a Q/R plate

Find the direct connection to camera or lens's tripod mount fine. Not been in a position I can recall where using it as a angle brace, as K10D decribes, would have been better.

Hope that clarifies my comment Stefan


Steve

My Manfrotto 681 monopod fits crosswise in a suitcase OK - don't have a head for it, so it's not too bulky or heavy. Has a good weight capacity and been known to scare off low flying gulls when waved light sabre fashion. The Red Snapper monopod's not that heavy if you leave the head behind.

Never found the need for a head on a monopod, so I'd be inclined to use what you've got in it's base config. Other than that, Velbon's UP-4DX II is barely 20inches long and very light. Not a great weight bearing capacity either - but might be worth a look at depending what kit your planning to take.

HTH

Steve

Andy - as a general purpose walk round lens, the DA* 16-50mm is hard to beat. I took one with me to NZ/Aus and it the 6 weeks I was away, it rarely came off the K7. The other lenses are all much more mid range zooms with a wide angle equiv of 36mm at best, 42mm for all the others. Depending on what your planned use for the new lens is, this may or may not be a material issue. My interest is more towards landscape than anything else, so wide angle capability is important. The Pentax lens will give you the equivalent of 24mm - wide enough for most urban landscape shots in my experience.

Some of the early copies suffered from a back or front focusing problem but Pentax seem to have sort this out as the thread covering this has long since gone "inactive".

HTH


Steve

Jetsam - if it's a mint copy, then it's worth spending 56.50 that Harrow Technical quote for a service - but you'll need to speak to Robin first to chat through the shutter problem as it might infuence the finial price. Robin's cleaned 2 lenses for me and repaired an LX and an ist* with shutter problems - so comes with a genuine user recommendation.

Alternatively, ME Supers are easy to pick up on E-bay - but as in all such cases, its an auction and there are no guarrantees. Caveat emptor - buyer beware.

HTH

Steve

Sounds like a chat with Harrow Technical might be next stage. Robin'll give you a steer as to what might be the problem and a guide as to the cost of getting it sorted.

M 120mm F2.8 isn't a v common lens - so if is in good condition, worth getting fixed IMHO


Steve

I don't blame the authorities for locking down our airspace or the airlines for mitigating their liability by refusing to let us check in. The only data we had on ash and jet engines indicated a potentially fatal mix. OK, it was based on a sample of 2, which was never a v satisfactory base to work off.

It's open to arguement as to whether enough was done soon enough to evaluate the risk of this particular cloud, or whether a verticle no fly zone approach should have been applied (ie stay below 20000ft if you're landing in Europe, above x,000ft if not). If I was a 747 pilot, don't think I'd have been v quick to volunteer to test fly in the ash cloud unless my CEO was in the co-pilot seat and my potential widow was guarrantee a v big pay out.

Anyway, looks like I'll be waving Sydney a fond fairwell 18.45 local time. Going to be a big party going on that A340-300 all the wall to Dubai . To my PU mates in NSW - sorry team - looks like we're taking the good weather with us

Steve