Malcolm - if you insert the memory card into the card slot on the computer on its own, does the computer read the card, or does it still tell you to format it?

BTW: which brand of card is it?

The computer seems to be reading the camera itself instead of the sd card. Take the card out, hook the camera to your pc, power the camera up, then in the "run" box (click your start button to access this) type DEVICE MANAGER. You should see your camera, possibly listed as a MASS STORAGE DEVICE, or even better, by name. If you have a yellow warning triangle next to this device, the problem lies with the drivers for your camera. Right-click this, then select UNINSTALL DRIVERS, then wait until they are fully removed. Now, up top of the DEVICE MANAGER box, you should see a tab marked ACTION - click on this, and you should see something like SCAN FOR HARDWARE CHANGES. This should now begin the process of finding and installing a fresh set of drivers. Once everything is installed, uncouple your camera from the USB port, then restart your computer. Once that's done, hook the camera up to it again (it might do another scan for drivers - let it do so). If all goes well, install the sd card, and see how it goes from there.

Here's a shot that I took on holiday in Thailand. I was using a PL-Cir filter to compensate for the very strong overhead sunlight, hence the blue sky. Since it's hard to gauge without shadows as a reference point, I have to rely upon how I memorised the scene. Some of you might think it's a wee bit over-exposed - others might think it's about right. For sure, I don't think anyone can accuse me of under-exposing this shot!!

Edit: you might have noticed the blemish just between the 2 sets of clouds on the upper-left hand side. I've yet to get around to editing the photos that were taken on hol's, since I'm back to working double-shifts this week. As soon as I get some free time, and my mind's fresh, it'll be on my to-do list!!

Martin - lithium, like all alkali metals, are highly volatile and flammable, hence IATA/ICAO have banned the carriage of all of its known forms on passenger aircraft. Having just arrived back from holiday, with no access to my IATA/ICAO Dangerous Goods book, I cannot confirm if it is permissable on cargo aircraft. If it is, it must be packed and certificated in accordance with these regulations. That said - the final decision lies with the pilot whether or not he/she permits any dangerous goods on board the aircraft that they are responsible for.

Standard brokerage fee charged by my customs agent is around 20GBP (I think), and they would apply the correct tariff/CPC combination to clear this. Had it come through our company, our accounts manager would phone you (provided we had a number on the airwaybill) to confirm the charges, and thus provide you with the opportunity to pay by credit card. Where the duty/vat is low, we would pay the fees in advance so that the goods are released to us on the same day as flight arrival (customs permitting), so if we got your prior aggrement to pay, you would have your goods within 3-4 working days from Taiwan. If it was small enough, I'd even get our agent in Hong Kong (that's the hub for us) to forward it to me as company mail, thus avoiding customs altogether. I know that's being a bit "naughty", but customs are only really looking at what's being imported privately and commercially, in order to have some sort of control on things. In over 25 years' in the courier business, I have yet to see an officer examine co-mail.

Ken - get in touch with the company handling this import for you. Tell them (after they confirm the duty/vat, and handling fee) that you give them authority to clear the goods on your behalf. That should hopefully speed things up a bit...

Pity you never purchased from Thailand - I'm due back from there in a couple of days' time, and could have couriered it up on the weekend service to you so that you'd have it by Monday. The money saved on the duty/vat would have been a fair wee bit, and the courier charge would be no more than a fiver, since I only pay wholesale rates.

If you think the charges on the duty/vat are excessive, get the customs tariff number, and the CPC (customs procedure code) number, and I'll check that it was correctly declared to HMRC, so that if you end up in dispute over the charges, I can give you the correct info.

link Flickr have announced some changes, and the great news is that each account holder gets 1 TERRABYTE of storage for their images!!

Pic 1 - I think the no.20 guy and the player in the middle of the shot look good as a colour photo - the rest I'd convert to greyscale.

Pic 2 - I prefer the B/W shot - very "newspapery" in image quality.

I'm here in sunny Thailand at present, and since the missus won't believe me if I told her that I only wanted to get some shots of the gaudy neon lights of the Patpong district, I've had to seek inspiration elsewhere!

As it happens, yesterday I attended the wife's cousin's wedding and took a few photos there instead. I haven't had a chance to properly review the photos yet, and I'm unable to PP until I arrive back in Blighty on 25th May, but be that as it may, here's a few images - C&C's are welcome.



The bride and groom (the cousin's the bride, by the way)



My good lady, and our little niece, Weaw (sounds a bit like wheel).



The bride's twin sister, and their junior sibling.



Another niece. Her name's Peuy (pronounced Poy).



Mum-in-law, plus the two cherubs.

I've loads more pictures, but I'll probably put them up on my Flickr account when I get back, and have tidied them up a wee bit too.

Roger - if it's "oily" fingermarks and the like, I use the little alcohol wipes similar to those used in hospitals, prior to insertion of a syringe. They contain isopropyl alcohol, which will dissolve the oily film, but evaporate without damaging the screen. Alternatively, you could just use a damp, soapy cloth, drying off immediately to prevent further build-up of residue.