istD S

when will it be available for buying in UK?
is it already?
if so where
I thought it wasnt until i seen this best cameras link : [/url]

My local camera shop in London has been promised supplies before the end of October.

G

The linked page states availability November/December.

I do not see it listed on the UK Amazon site, but the US one lists the release date as November 20th.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=photo&field-keywords=ist%252520ds&field-browse=502394&search-type=ss&bq=1&store-name=photo/ref=xs_ap_l_xgl23/102-7394398-0160922

That is right in line with other things I've heard.

Just spoken to Pantax UK. The DS has been shipped!!!!!

Park Cameras have stock and the price is keen.

Got mine yesterday ( 2 Dec 04)

Ordered 6 weeks ago from Camerworld in London , I guess stocks became available 1 Dec 04, arrived well packaged and good price with 18-55 lens.

Excellent bundle, not sure how much my MZ-S will be used now!

Still debating whether the 24-90 from the MZ-S is a good option instead of the 18-55

Personally, with the *ist-D, I use the 24-90mm most of the time. It's a wonderful lens, and very useful. The 90mm end is superb for portraiture. Next to that is the 16-45DA which is razor sharp.

Matt

Delighted to say I picked up my new *istDS today, and the build quality of both the body and the 18-55mm lens are very impressive.

First impressions being very good indeed, we'll see how I get on with making some photographs!

I, for one, will be very interested to hear your views on the lens, which has been dismissed as just another "consumer" zoom in some quarters.

It will also be interesting to hear about the RAW software, which is different from that provided for the *ist D.

Happy snapping!

G

too late

got myself a D70, 18-70, SB600 and 1gb CF last week for 1k
to say I am more than pleased is an understatment

still keepign my pentax stuff though.. well apart form 1 MZ50 body
A friend wants it to learn on. What would be a good price?

I was responding to JR.

George

Although it is far too early to draw any thoroughly meaningful conclusions, my first foray out with the *istDS and its 18-55 lens has been very encouraging.

The camera has produced some nice gentle images, not too contrasty and not too much sharpening in camera, and these perk up crisply in Photoshop 7.

The lens is good to handle and is commendably free of chromatic abberations in most shots, and I have pushed it quite a bit in this respect. It is much cleaner than most I have so far seen - there are certainly offerings from Fuji and Canon that are not up to this standard.

As I said, early days yet, and the learning curve continues...

JR,

Glad to hear you're pleased, especially with the lens. I didn't have many doubts as regards the camera.

George

[quote="mungoray"]Got mine yesterday ( 2 Dec 04)

Ordered 6 weeks ago from Camerworld in London , I guess stocks became available 1 Dec 04, arrived well packaged and good price with 18-55 lens.

Thanks, that was very useful advice - I have just bought an ist DS from Cameraworld whom I had never heard of beforehand. Not only was their price reasonable, but they actually had some in stock (Jessops seemed to have one between their London stores!

Two warnings, though.
a) the online price is £50 less than the one in the shop, so do check this!
b) it will not work without a Secure Digital card - a 512Mb one was another £50

But it is a lovely piece of engineering and I am so far very impressed.