Agree about the Technoline charger - best I've used.

Dave

I can't comment on Jessops as I have not used them, but I hear enough to put me off. I know any comments about retailers are likely to be more negative than positive but ....

I can understand you wanting to hold one, though I bought my K5 without handling one, but as I had owned a 35mm film Pentax before, read the reviews and have few old K mount lenses and accessories, I was half way there already.

Hope you find one to try out - I don't think you will be disappointed.

If you decide on the K5 I'd recommend SRS - excellent service.

Dave

It seems HP printers (I don't know if this applies to all HP printers) are linked to a geographical zone (like DVD players) and ink cartridges bought in one zone will not work in printers from another zone.

I know it sounds crazy and I had to look at a few sites before I convinced myself it wasn't an internet joke.

It should not be a problem except you cannot be sure cheap printer cartridges are cheap because they are from a different zone. There is also the possibility that an HP printer bought in the UK is actually from a different zone. I had this happen with a TV/DVD combo once.

Dave

Just get yourself a high-vis jacket or waistcoat and you won't be bothered by anyone.

Hope you get some good shots.

Dave

Scotland is such a marvellous and varied country that listing good locations would crash this forum.

My personal favourites are

generally anywhere north and west of the Great Glen, especially Torridon/Gairloch on the NW coast,

the east coast north of Inverness,

Glen Nevis,

Loch Huorn,

the Outer Hebrides, especially the beaches on Harris,

Ullapool and anywhere north on the west coast,

the north coast,

and Shetland,

oh and I forgot Skye - how could I do that?

Can you let us know when you want to go, where you are travelling from and how, and how long you have to visit?

Dave

I think, though I have to admit I have no evidence to back this up, the best way is, after the photos are on your hard drive, copy them to two external hard drives. For more security one of the external hard drives should be stored elsewhere.

Hard drives, like any other storage media can fail, but the chances of three failing at the same time is, I hope, unlikely, unless they were all part of a dodgy batch.

However, I'll be the first to accept this could easily be quite a chore.

Dave

European Bee-eaters occur in most(I'd guess, every) year in the UK.

In the last few days they have been seen, for example, in Sussex, Anglesey, Suffolk, West Yorkshire, Kent, Cumbria.

However, they are not common and where they will turn up is is a matter of luck.

Check out the online bird guides for more info.

Dave

As owls sometime sit very still a long exposure and high ISO may be possible.

Flash could also be used if the distance is not too great. I'm always a bit wary about using flash with animals as it could easily scare them. The problem is you never know the effect it will have until afterwards. Recently I took some photos of a pine marten with flash and there was no reaction.

I'm guessing the owl was a Tawny. If so, they rest up in trees during the day. It can take a while but it is possible to spot them resting and much easier to get a photo.

When young tawny owls leave the nest they cannot fly but clamber about in the branches. They call for food from the parents so it is sometimes possible to find the little ones more easily.

Dave

If you are looking for something to carry a fairly small amount of gear have a look at these -

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=110009

or

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=777_1&products_id=113324

For slightly more expensive alternatives try here -

http://www.redsnapperuk.com/camera-accessories/Bags_And_Backpacks.html

Dave

Another vote for SRS, Steve.

I have just Googled for "Pentax K5" and while they were not first, they were on the first page.

I think SRS have a good enough reputation not to need to advertise a lot.

I too think you will be very pleased with the K5.

Dsve