The APO version has an apochromatic element (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apochromat for the technical stuff) which makes it a sharper, but more expensive, lens. I have the earlier (Non DG) version of it and its is indeed a very decent lens.

You might want to consider the Pentax 50-200 or its Samsung equivalent, and others say the Tamron 70-300 is a good lens that can be had for relatively little money. The other option is to try to pick up a Pentax SMCF 70-210 ED lens secondhand. They have a very good reputation (which means you will be paying similar money to some of the new lenses I have mentioned).

The Macro function is useful - but as it only reaches 1:2 at 300mm you need a good tripod or a very steady hand! The Pentax/samsung, while not Macro, manages about 1:4, which is pretty good (fills the frame with something 4 inches wide)

The A30 would be nearest to fiting the bill. The user reviews of DPReview are reasonably good.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Pentax/pentax_optioa30.asp
However manaul control is still very limited. None of the current batch of Pentax compacts offers that (the last to offer it appears to be the Optio 60 back in 05)

The A30 is a bit 'old' now (launched a year ago) but that means you might get good deals on it - Amazon are selling it for £130

But to be honest I'm not sure I would buy a Pentax compact now - despite owning a W20 (which produces images Ok for snapshots but even A4 is pushing it in terms of enlargements). The Fuji 50FD seems to be getting most of the plaudits these days. My brother has one and it is so much more responsive and quick than my W20. And reviews say the image quality is pretty good.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilmf50fd/
Amazon have it at £143
The 100FD is due out v. soon and has a wider zoom range - 28-140 I think. I could even be tempted...

Oh well - Now I just need to wait to be thrown off the forum...

It was more washed out actually - I had to bring it up a bit to make the text legible - the same with the ceramics sign. But I did not want to overdo it.

Had four days in Bagnoreggio - the nearby slowly crumbling town of Civita is astonishing. Unfortunately it was grey, damp & misty Thursday-Saturday (which is why I was only carying my compact when I saw the picture). The sun came out on Sunday though.

Thanks for the judging, and congratulations to spirit_of_will

Bagnoreggio, Italy, Friday, Optio W20
I just feel for the people owning the ceramics workshop (laboratorio) - they seem to be in the wrong place!

I have the Manfroto 190pro which with the 360MG head which comes in at about 2Kg altogether and fits on my (relatively small) backpack comfortably. Not sure you would want anything much lighter with the Bigma....

I also have the Velbon Ultra Maxi SF. I have used that with my Sigma 170-500, but only half extended & using it sitting down & with the head slackened off trying to photograph birds. Using the tripod mount on the lens means that the balance is better and so you can get away with a heavier camera/lens combo

It should be noted that Photozone are focusing on a chart of 120x80cm . which with a 10mm (or 12mm) lens means they are pretty close to it - and WA lenses often 'barrel' more at closer focus.

Ny NP400 comes out at 7.9v - the Pentax to 7.7v. Both are labeled 7.4.

There are a number of LiIon technologies - but all produce cells of between 3.6 and 4v. The camera bateries are obviously dual cell - but even so you should not be able to get 8.35v out of one.

For more on LiIon batteries see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_ion_battery

Your welcome. In fact you can make the calculation much simpler. For a pinhole design

M= f/(d-f) where M= magnification, f=focal length and d=focusing distance from film plane

so for a 135mm lens focusing at 1m it gves M= 135/865 = 0.16 more or less

This is only valid if the lens is aproximated to a pinhole design and the minimum focal distance is measured from the point of the pinhole (which for a 135 mm lens is presumed to be 135mm from the film plane). if the minimum focusing distance is quoted from the film plane then the object size becomes
2*(1.0-0.135)*tan(11.9/2) = 180mm

magnification then becomes 29.4/180=0.163

which is rather closer to the 0.17 pentax are quoting. Taking into account that the lens is not a pinhole design and the therefore the optics alter the light path somewhat probably accounts for any minor discrepancy

If you look at the roadmap
http://www.digital.pentax.co.jp/en/lens/roadmap.pdf
you will see there is a 15mm DA Limited projected. I suspect that not many 14mm 2.8s have been sold since the 12-24 was launched...