I just got my istD back from repair for failing to fire PTTL. I first noticed on wireless, but it stopped PTTL communications completely. Oddly, it would fire a dumb hotshoe flash without problems, but the 360fgz and 540fgz were dead as far as I was concerned.

Just saying it may not be the flash.
If you have the option, try another flash. And/or try the flash on another camera.

The URL seems incomplete, but for what its worth, a Google translation link is here:

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.focus-numerique.com%2Ftest-51%2Fpentax-k20d-test-presentation-caracteristiques-1.html&langpair=fr%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8

I'm sure it will be interesting to see the mutated translation anyway...

I like the section on "food storage"...

Yeah thats what I meant. Sorry if I was ambiguous.

FYI, the normal button and the cabled remote allow me to hold the button down and cycle through bracketed photos.
The IR remote requires that I click for each photo.

For extended bracketing (white balance, sharpness, contrast, etc...) I have to press the button each time regardless of how I take the photo (wired, internal or IR remote).

I have firmware 1.30.

Unfortunately not. Because of that I may replace my entry with something new if I get the time to pick up my camera this weekend. I have some ideas, but don't know if I'll be here before Sunday. So I posted something I thought was cool looking anyway.
(Maybe I should not have replied at all until after judging. )

Skyline drive through the Shenandoah mountains would be a GREAT ride on a motor cycle! I don't ride, but I took a day off a couple of months ago just to drive for the day in the car. Still, very relaxing to get away.
If you're in the general area, it would be worth the detour to ride through.

Thanks.

The location is called "Skyline Caverns" in Virgina (USA). It is of course along or near "SkyLine Drive". It is one of the prettier caves and has one large set of very rare formations found in only about two or three other places in the world.


Unfortunately I really had nothing to do with the lighting. They have simply hidden away all those lights that make it look really cool. The rock formations themselves had very little natural color.

Although I did like the green moss behind the purple-lit stalagmites in the middle.

I guess the hard part was getting it all to show up without parts burning out or not showing up at all. The automatic metering didn't do so well in all cases. But it worked out without having to do HDR or photoshop work, etc...


The poor tour guide had to wait for me to take 10 to 30+ second exposures throughout the entire tour. But it was the off-season and I was the only one there that day, so I took advantage of the ability to set up where I wanted.

Meta data,
ISO 100, F9.0, 10 seconds, DA* 16-50mm @ 50mm

FYI,
Skyline Caverns, Virginia
Although only a few inches deep, you could not see through the water.
Except for a few actual stalagmites, most of what you're seeing is reflection of the ceiling above.
Hopefully the detail isn't too lost at 800pixels.

From the sigma page:
http://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/lenses/lens-tech.htm

Sounds in line with what hefty1 mentioned.
I would guess Tamron works in a similar fashion.

Although Easter is not quite here, I'm not sure how much I'll be around for the next few days. So thought I'd wish everyone a great Easter.
If Easter is not your thing, no matter... Hopefully you can still enjoy a photo of a rotty with cute little bunnies.





FYI, really enjoying the Cactus2 wireless remote.
I use one to trigger one main strobe. Several others fire off that one. Of course, getting them all to see the flash can be tricky. Guess I'll be needing some more receivers.

K10D, DA*16-50, f/7.1, ISO 100,
1/125s (fastest my Cactus 2 will sync)