*ist D or *ist DS???????

Hi

I am seriously considering buying my first Pentax digital SLR and am not sure whether to go for the *ist D or *ist DS????
I have been researching both for some time and have found a couple of places where the D is only slightly more expensive than the DS.
My SLR kit has a Pentax K mount but it appears that both digital SLR's would be compatible - unless I'm reading the info all wrong.
Has anyone had any experiences with both models and if so what is your advice?? Any other advice would also be greatly appreciated as I don't want to spend all this cash on the wrong camera!!!

Thanks

Clare

For the *istD: More user options in the menus, uses CF cards.
Against: Higher cost, needs firmware upgrades to be applied for some functions with older lenses.

For the *istDS: Already old lens compatible, considerably better LCD monitor screen, uses very compact SD cards.
Against: Can't think of anything!

The only reservation I had about the *istDS was that it used SD cards, and all our other digital cameras used CF. However, because of formatting cards on a particular camera, it has not been a problem.

The picture quality is excellent.

On the Park Cameras website www.parkcameras.com the two cameras are only GPB 100 difference in price now.

Not much difference.... Read the specs.

Ds has more scene modes but no mirror lock up except in use with the timer. It's also slightly smaller and lighter. It's lovely to hold though, that's why I picked it.
You can find the kit for about £630 now.

Here's a link to another forum where there was a lengthy discussion of the differences. Some of the participants have both.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=12038500

Here are a few things I couldn't do without on the *ist-D (which I believe are not on the DS):

1. Seperate Tv and Av dials. I have just shot a panto in fully manual mode, using spot metering. Having finger and thumb control of both was a real boon.

2. Hyper program. Being able to go with the auto setting, but override the Av or Tv at will is superb.

3. Being able to disconnect the shutter button from the focus system. There's a custom function that stops the autofocus on half press. You then use the AF button on the back of the *ist-D (with the thumb). Absolutely superb for very low light and fast moving stuff. You can prefocus when you have a chance with the AF button, and shoot at will.

4. Compact Flash. I have just got the Lexar 80x WA 2Gb card which is blindingly fast for RAW mode. But then, the *ist-DS uses a faster internal processor... it would be interesting to see a speed comparison

5. Back lit status LCD display. I've used this a few times.

6. Mirror lockup when using 2second self timer delay. (Though there's no reason the *ist-DS couldn't do that - it's just firmware.)

Personally, I don't use the PC flash socket because I use the AF360FGZ in wireless mode (wonderful!!). I'd like to see the faster processor, the larger LCD, and some extra customisation features on the *ist-D.

Maybe Pentax will release a firmware upgrade to the *ist-D to make the divide even larger....

Hope that helps
Matt

And they are both now available for £600 (mifsuds.co.uk for the *istD, cameraworld.co.uk, park cameras and others for the DS)

Having the AF, metering, C-AF selectable on the body along with hyper program and two control dials is for me worth losing the larger screen and histogram in instant review. I don't consider the other improvements in the DS to be that important.

Dan

One important differende to me was the battery grip (D-BG1) that made me pick the *ist-D. It becomes a much nicer camera to hold, and you get an extra trigger and wheels when holding the camera upright, the camera gets some more weight and as i see it, stability, and last you get double the battery capacity, and that is nice for intense photo sessions.

Regarding the *ist DS having only one dial, can the aperture control ring on lenses be used to set the aperture or do lenses always have to be in the A setting? As old lenses can be used, I'd think it should be possible to use the aperture ring, no? 1/3 F-stops would not possible with this, right? Not that this bothers me much.
From a review in issue 02/2005 of the German magazine 'Computer Foto' I understand that noise seems better controlled in the *ist DS compared to the *ist D and also to the EOS 300 and D 70. Has anybody been able to verify this?

Cheers,
Joerg

I was looking at the SanDisk Extreme III SD cards (1GB, 133x).
Am I wrong here or does the *ist DS have an automatic mirror pre-lockup when used in the 2 second self timer mode? The PDF manual of the *ist DS (got it off the Pentax web site) says so at least.

Cheers,
Joerg