Nice! I don't have any P series bodies. Must resist... 😬

That's how I got mine. The Wonderbox was a great idea. I enjoy the competitions too.

I never had children either!

Thanks John. That one is in the wrong place, but it gave me a good link to follow to find something suitable. I've forwarded on the details.

Many thanks all, very helpful.

Thanks Jon, but it isn't for me but for a colleague in South Carolina! The offer is most appreciated, however.

I never learnt to drive...

A colleague would like to get one of those pop-up light tents, i.e., basically a translucent cube of white material, for photographing artefacts. The sort of thing that creates even, mainly shadow free, lighting and helps cut out reflections on shiny objects. I know we have one at the office... but the office has been more-or-less closed for a year.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good quality one? It doesn't need to be especially large.

Many thanks, Kris.

Now that the K-3iii has dual spirit levels in the viewfinder, I can handhold the shift lens and not spend yet more time pfaffing around on the computer...

Getting a shift lens has never been so good...

The discussion regarding focal length, image circle and recording medium size is largely true, and has been since the days of film (5x4 v 6x7 v 35mm etc.).

The issue as to recording medium size is a bit more complicated. The sensor consists of a certain number of photosites. You can have a "full frame" sensor which is 30mpx, and you can have a APS-C one which is the same. The advantage of the full frame one is that it is easier to avoid the electronics creating noise in the image because the density is less. I'm not a a specialist in these things so the reality is much more complicated, but it isn't just about cost. I think of it a bit like film, Tri-X looks pretty grain free when you use 5x4, but less so in 35mm.

The other reality is that sensor technology keeps on improving. My phone knocks spots off a K10D providing you want a wide-angle lens. Where the K10D wins is in its ability to fit a telephoto lens! (and yes, I know there are bolt-on lenses for phones but I doubt the image quality is up with a DA* 50-135).

Although I have a great deal of sympathy (obviously!) with many of the comments, here are a few observations.

Firstly, the idea that phone cameras are only for snaps by people not into taking good photos is no longer true. For example Tim Clinch, a good professional photographer with a long career especially in food photography and still life, now mainly uses a phone camera. He used to use a 5x4 view camera. The current generation of phone cameras are serious pieces of equipment and in the right hands can take fantastic images.

Secondly, although the new mirrorless models are pleasing the gear heads, the fact that changing to mirrorless will also mean changing many/most/all of their lenses is not something creating joy amongst current dSLR owners. Whether the big boys care and will maintain both their mirrorless and SLR lines is hard to say, but the suspicion must be that the SLR line will be phased out.

Thirdly, in the 1950s/1960s everyone predicted that rangefinders were a thing of the past and no one would want one. Leica has proved them wrong. In the first decade of this millennium, many argued film was dead. There has been a major resurgence. The clever marketing strategy for Pentax would be to claim the niche SLR market as Leica did for rangefinders. The K-3iii is a superb camera. Backwards compatibility is one of its strengths. I love the fact I can attach a 60 year old M42 lens to my K-3iii and use it very easily.

Which brings me to fourthly. Pentax have to promote themselves in this way. WE make SLRs with the best viewfinder ever. WE are going to support that corner of the market. WE are going to make legacy lenses a core part of what we support. Rather than making idiotic comments about mirrorless being a fad, shout from the rooftops what we do well. Unfortunately, being the Leica of the SLR world does mean that the prices are going to be Leica-esque as well.

Pentax are a small niche brand. They need to define and consolidate that niche, and be the very best they can at what they do.