Very neat Don! How did you get the camera to repeat fire?

Liam,

Interesting and cheaper than this http://www.alanaecology.com/acatalog/SLR_Camera_Aquapac.html which I had been considering.

According to http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Pentax/pentax_istdl2.asp the ISO range for the DL starts at 200, which is pretty much standard for a DSLR these days. If you want a longer exposure in bright conditions you could always use a Neutral Density filter.

But I'd have thought that with bright light you would be able to use nice small apertures for those landscapes!

My pleasure, Sophie. Have a great time in Oz (I'm so jealous!)

Actually I ought to credit http://www.stevesforums.com/forums/view_topic.php?id=55481&forum_id=24 where I cribbed the answer from!


Tim a.k.a King of google a.k.a

Sophie, After a bit on digging on the 'net, I found some discussion on "other forums" about the A90 error message. First trouble shooting step seems to be to navigate the menus and look for a "system initilization" option.

Then, some people suggest if that works, you should update the firmware to the latest release (but you may not have the ability to download files on your travels )

I culled the follwoing from information elsewhere on the web. I cannot verify that it is accurate, beyond the fact that the firmware file exists at that location, and that it is virus free. If you follow these instructions, you do so at your own risk! You could end up with a very dead camera, but if you are resigned to it being "dead" already it may be worth a try.

Step1. Download the firmware from rapidshare (the original firmware files don't seem to be available from pentax any more)



http://rapidshare.de/files/9676896/fwdc110p.zip.html

Take the free option, and at the second page don't be tempted to click the paypal link, just wait. I downloaded the file and checked that it was virus-free.



-fwdc110p.bin works for the S

-fwdc124p.bin works for the S4i

-fwdc130p.bin works for the S5i



Step2. Unzip it and put it to root of the removable drive of the Optio S (the SD card)


Step3. Press MENU+FlashIcon+ON

The screen will show

++ KB341 ++
PR : 03.02.27.16.34
LD :2.00
MI : 111

Step4. Press MF twice

Step5. Press Right OK twice

Step6. Press MENU


The screen displayes Menu with 11 options

Step7. Select ROM UPDATE using the down key

Step8. Press OK

Step9. Select SYSTEM INITIAL

Step10. Press OK

Step11. Again OK

Step12. Switch OFF


Step13. Press MENU+ON

Then the dialog "Program Update (Yes, no) appears

Step14. Use up key to select: YES

Loading message comes on screen followed by

COMPLETE

Step15. Switch OFF the camara

Step16. Switch ON





P.S. Liam, are you hoping for a sales commission?

Moving slightly off topic (and I already mentioned this in relation to sharpness), has the move to digital increased our awareness of things like CA and the sharpness/softness? I think that now we have the ability to examine our photographs in much greater detail than most of us (amateurs anyway) wouldn't have managed by looking at a 7 x 5 print. Are we less tolerant of something that was there all along, but that we weren't able to do much about until the age of digital?

Derek,

Try speedgraphic www.speedgraphic.co.uk they seem to run a wide range of tripod heads, plates and accessories.

John, thanks, but for all the kit I carry around they should have been a bit better. I keep plugging away in the hope that one day I'll get it right!



But in the meantime I have a lot of fun!

I find when shooting sports scenes that it is easiest to use Shutter Priority mode (Tv) and set a speed of 1/125 or quicker. I let the camera figure out the aperture, and since v2 of the firmware for my DS, I let it choose the ISO settings (never more than 800 though).

I take a lot of photos at orienteering events, which often take place in woodland under variable lighting conditions and these seem to work well. A good flash unit if you are close to the action helps as well.

You also need to get into the habit of panning to follow the action, and to keep tracking while you press the shutter button, so that the image remains in shot (unless you want the speed blur effect)

I've a few pictures here http://www.ammonyte.plus.com/galleries/tops/index.html

But hey, you are now only paying for electricity, so shoot lots, experiment lots, play with all the settings and enjoy! Good luck.

P.S. a tutorial about aperture and exposure can be found here http://www.photonhead.com/exposure/exposure.php

I think you need a good graphics card for Vista, the minimum spec is quite high.

I have already decided that my next home PC will run some flavour of *nix.