The DA ltd. 40 covers full frame, as does the DA200*, even though they are not advertised as doing so. What I (still) want to know is if the DA 70 has the same properties.

DA lenses can be used in all available modes on a number of MZ bodies, at least 6, 7, 10, 20, 50 & 60 because the aperture can be set from the body.

There are five types of body for these purposes:

1. K/M/LX types - manual or aperture priority auto
2. A/P types with shutter priority and program modes which rely on the aperture ring for aperture priority - this includes most early AF bodies and the MZ3, the MZ5 and the MZS as I recall
3. Later AF bodies such as the MZ6 which can use either the aperture ring or set the aperture via the body.
4. Crippled AF film bodies - the *ist and the MZ30, 50 & 60 which cannot use the aperture ring and can only set the aperture via the body
5. Digital bodies (which are essentially the same as 4 but which have some workarounds built in for the aperture ring)

There are likewise five types of lens (ignoring autofocus as a category)

A. Manual aperture lenses (this of course includes screwmount lenses with adapters)
B. K & M series lenses - Manual focus lenses with automatic diaphragms
C. Manual and autofocus lenses with aperture rings and an A setting - these include A, F, FA and FA D lenses
D Autofocus full frame lenses of the FA J type
E reduced image circle digital lenses - DA type

Now to make a table of compatibility. Y indicates fully compatible. Other letters see the key Obviously by compatible that is in so far as both body and lens share a feature - so e.g for autofocus you need both autofocus lens and body, and on a manual stop down lens you will need to stop down manually on any camera, and for program or shutter priority you need a lens with an A setting (including those without an aperture ring which are effectively locked into the A setting) and a body that supports it. For digital bodies I am assuming that 'allow aperture ring' custom setting has been enabled. Also Matrix Metering only works with the A setting on some bodies - If using the aperture ring only centre weighted and spot metering are possible.

A B C D E
1 Y Y Y a b
2 Y Y Y c d
3 Y Y Y Y e
4 f f Y Y e
5 Y g Y Y Y

a - Not really compatible - they function as if stoped down to minimum aperture
b - as a and they will also probably exhibit vignetting
c - will work in shutter priority or program mode
d - as c but will also probably exhibit vignetting
e - will work but will probably exhibit vignetting
f - won't work at all on most of these bodies, though some treat the lens as open aperture (which means manual aperture lenses will work on those bodies that do this) - Sorry I don't have the data as to which is which
g - compatible using a sort of stop down metering via the green button

The Moral? Own an MZ6 for maximum compatibility
(In fact I have body types 2,4 & 5 and lens tpes B C & E in my collection)

Whether this is Lodore Falls in Cumbria or a face looking up at a figure cowering under a giant white haired hag I will leave the viewer to decide, but it was taken in December 03 on Velvia 100F with an exposure of a couple of seconds at narrow aperture using an MZ6 and a Sigma 70-300 at the long end on a tripod (of course) and (IIR) using a polariser (mainly as a ND filter substitute).

Thanks Garry for the judging and my third place - almost made the coveted 2nd! I only noticed the 'figures' in the waterfall when I printed it.

Clarky is bound to win the next one...

No - you missed the point - we can all enter safe in the knowledge we won't win 'coz Clarky will come up with one of his amazing bug pics and we can aim for that coveted 2nd place...

All three Velvias are listed both at 7dayshop and on the Fuji US site (By 100DL do you just mean the Velvia 100 as oposed to the 100F?)

I used the 100F for a while and was very pleased with it - though I found I got the best results setting the ASA to 125 - at least with the metering on my MZ6

Slightly whimsical this...
Church Lane, Pirbright
Optio W20 (My K10 is in Rome as I had to travel light )
Red channel only (making the grass on the left as unobtrusive as possible)

Thought I would add a couple of daff shots taken two weeks ago in Italy
Both taken on a K10D with Sigma 105 macro at F8


Backlit on the only sunny day we had - droplets of water not added by the photographer. I hadn't noticed the very ocatagonal bokeh of the Sigma before, though I don't find it unatractive.




This - of a quite small narcisus (blooms about 2-3 cm across) - was taken on a bright overcast day. I guess I could tidy up the black dots on the petals

Tamron and Sigma do 24-135 lenses - the Tamron is pretty good though quite bulky (I had one for a while and got some good images from it - but I favoured the Pentax 28-105 once I go it as it was smaller, slightly faster [3.2-4.5] and even better quality). Sigma also do an 18-125 but it has had mixed reviews. Tamron also do an 18-250 which is the best of the crop of superzoom, and also comes with Pentax badging for an extra £50 or so.

I like the composition of no. 1 best but the sky is a little pale. I tried a rough and ready adjustment using curves - keeping the bottom 50% straight but then as it were reducing the gamma of the top 50% somewhat and it brings out the sky better. Mindyou I am currently viewing things on a 12" laptop screen which is hardly ideal. I'm in grey & cloudy Surrey at present and my nice monitor is in Rome.

[edit]
even better - put a contrast enhancing 's bend' into the top third of the curve