Mike remembers his first proper camera — after a series of hand-me-down Box Brownies and Kodak folders — and how much it cost him....

Got a spare £20,000 hanging around and want something unique? American photographer Ralf Nelson is offering to exchange his two sequentially-numbered M4s for a batch of current digital equipment with a rather modest price tag of £18,400. The full deal is listed in Leica Rumors today and it is well worth a read.

There are few things I look forward to with less enthusiasm than putting a protective film on the screen of a camera or smartphone. Bubbles, dust, alightment—everything conspires to thwart your best intentions. And, once bubbled or misaligned there is not much you can do other than buy yet another protective film or learn to live with imperfection.

Every year for the past few years I have had a new iPhone. From 3 to 3S, from 4 to 4S, from 5 to 5S and then to 6 Plus. I regard it as my duty to test them out for the benefit of readers. Now, for the first time on this treadmill, I am wondering if I should take a break. The 6 Plus is so good that it could easily handle another year of use. Event the battery, which in previous phones had begun to lose its mojo after twelve months, is holding up well.