The 18-35 is an FAJ lens - ie no aperature ring. It was the lens first bundled with the ist D. Ok for MZ50 MZ60 or *ist - used it with the former and latter in Aus/NZ in 06/07 and didn't get any duff images (that weren't my fault or down to a sticky shutter on the *ist ).

If you want the width that a 20mm offers and an aperature ring, then there is always the FA20-35 F4 - ffords have 2 for sale at the mo - £269 & £299. I've got a copy that I use with my MZSs and I've had no issues with the quality. It's got its place already reserved in my travelling bag for our next trip down under (22 days and counting )

20mm or 24mm primes in any version tend to be relatively expensive compared to the 'standard' 28mm.

HTH


Steve

Richard - yr copyright was acknowledged at the time I first used it

Don't think the Red Lion beer garden counts - may be NT owned, but not in their control. Think we had that honour briefly with Unlocker's tripod and my K135-600 loaded on the pre-release loan copy of the K7 - just needed to swing it round a bit more and we could have cleared the garden

And you may of noticed I finally gave in to the K7 siren voices.... Weather's not been very inspiring, so still 'virgin' and, its 5 Nations time again (and Bath scored 6 tries against Sale - stunning )

Steve

NT will allow you to take photos for non pursonal use - but they will take a substantial chunk of any royalty payment. They have their own photo library which they sell images from - so it's down to the business side of NT trying to make as much as it can from it's best assets so as to fund the non business side.

We all have a view on this - from "reasonable" to "grasping". I suspect the majority here will be shades of "grasping".

Policy is a bit more difficult to enforce if the photo is taken from a public footpath - such as the coastal path between Lulworth and Durdle Dor and in most like cases, NT doesn't 'manage' the site. Any policy on Photographic Rights is also hard to find if you check out the web site.


Steve

Googling one self can prove a bit more interesting than you'd expect - read my own obituary , discovered my face book and phot library sites (OK, not this me, but an American dopleganger) plus all the odd references to my work at the University. Spooky!


Steve

Greg - Pec 12 is expensive, but it goes a long way! I use it sprayed (very gently) onto a cotton bud so as not to "flood" the neg or slide I'm cleaning.

It's the proverbial canine danglers.

If you are going to try alcohol - use isopropyl alcohol. Should be about half the price of PEC 12 (used by the trade for cleaning up old lens and camera bodies - but not the lens glass). Availability might be an issue - only sold by chemists (as opposed to pharmasists). Might work on film, but not as good as PEC 12 which is formulated specially for the purpose.


Steve

Another little bonus point for the FA Ltd - it's got an aperature ring, so it can be used on any K mount body - DA 40 doesn't, so is only good for digi bodies and some of the late MZ series bodies (ie MZ10, 50 & 60).



Steve

Hard one to call this. Probably get more care and attention at an indi High Street photo processor but their machines won't be doing the volumes, so the chemicals may be a older and not changed as frequently, economics of scale etc.

If I've got to get a roll of colour neg processed, I've generally used Boots - the local branch in the town centre where I live and one in Swindon on a retail park close to where I used to work - with no issues on quality. I've generally used the 3 day service. If its B&W or slides, then I use The Darkroom UK in Cheltenham - free post mail order with same day turn around. Pricing is fair for this type of work but they don't compete well with the High street bulk processors.


HTH



Steve

I'd have no hesitation in recommending Harrow Technical - proven track record and used by many of us on this forum. Robin's repaired my original LX and *ist (both with shutter curtain problems) and cleaned 2 lenses infected with fungus.

Price listed for an MES is £56.50 - but as a PU member, there is a discount on this. And he's London based - got space at Pentax House, South Harrow. So think meets the criteria listed.

Replacement batteries can be found quite easily - E-bay's a good starting point.


HTH

Steve

Haydn - Lightroom is an excellant package and comes highly recommended from a lot of people on the Forum. Like most modern software, the printed manual is virtually non existant - so you'll probably need to buy one of the third party/Adobe sponsored books. I find the one by Martin Evening pretty good - also done one for Photoshop CS3 for photographers - another good buy IMHO. Quick browse in Waterstones should help give you a feel for what it can/can't do.

Personally, not had any noise problems that I've needed to test Lightroom's ability to recover - never shot higher than 1600 ASA with my K20 or K10.


Steve

Dave - think its only a mild case .

Bad LBA, coupled with CBA, leads to cupboard loads of gear and adding to it to "complete a range" or because it's "a rare example". Serious cases have to hold their equipment in an MS Access database with separate table for MF and AF prime and zoom lens, MF and AF bodies.....


Steve