Probably not a left or right focus issue but adjustment of focus point. Not sure of the exact terms, but the depth at which the focus point is located may be a bit off.
My K10D seems to focus at the back end of the focus range.
In other words, you know how when you focus, there is a range of acceptable focus that extends with 2/3 of this range behind the point of focus and 1/3 the range is in front of the point of focus...
Well, the point that my K10D signals is in focus is at the back end of this range. So that point and some amount of the subject forward is acceptably sharp.

I know I need to get it fixed, but cannot do without my little friend for 8 weeks.


Perhaps you have a similar issue?

Try this... take a sheet of news print or a page in a book. Hold it about 45 degrees angle so that the first line is close to the lens and the last line is far away. This will allow you to get some form of measurement to the extent of your DOF -- before and after your focus point.
Open the aperture and get in close to get a good amount of blur going.
Focus on a line in the middle. You should see a couple of lines in focus and blurring as the text comes closer and as text goes further away from the focal point.
Take a photo and check on the computer.

For me, the line I focus on is sharp. Several lines closer to the camera are sharp. The line immediately past the focus point is starting to blur.
This makes some shots difficult when DOF is critical. Argh!

Don't take it too hard. Everyone has to learn somewhere.
A good point was certainly made, so take it to heart. Just don't let it discourage you.
You can get a lot of helpful information from this site.

How low of light? Auto focus works on contrasting lines. So if it is too dark for the camera to determine an area with high contrast, the auto focus may have trouble. You may need to put up the flash to get some flash-assist to help with focusing.
You can try manual focus to get close, then switch to auto to further lock the focus. If the light mildly low, this can help. If it is very low, flash assist might be the only answer... sometimes that won't help. Then just wing it with manual focus.

What do you mean by "poor colours" Color is likely to be a bit yellow in low light. You can correct this to some extent with white balance in post production or in RAW conversion software, but depending on the extent, you may start getting unacceptable noise levels.

Like Transit already requested, perhaps an example will help answer your questions more directly.

Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day.
Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

I normally use Duracell or Energizer. Usually the E2 or whatever they're pushing as their high output cells intended for cameras and whatnot.
(Regular alkaline are quite poor.)

I think, though, that I always shoot at ISO 100 in fear of getting noise. I think if I go to 400, I can get a bit more life.

Although I do have to say that the 2500mAh rechargeables really do a number for the istD. With the istD shelved as a backup, maybe I'll give those a try.

WOW! I usually end up replacing batteries after maybe 40 shots or less. I usually start running into recycle times of 10 seconds or more by then.

Is that perhaps an indication that I am doing something wrong in forcing the flash to use more battery power than necessary? Perhaps I just need to use higher ISO more often?

Interesting device!
With the extra batteries, do you get faster recycle times? Or simply more flashes.

I was looking to get the TR-3? battery pack for the 540. But it appears the flash can be powered from the hotshoe?

As the 4-AAs inside the flash just bleed out too quickly, and the battery pack is pretty expensive, I would love to mod up a constant power supply or a hip pack connecting through the hotshoe.

What sort of voltage does that put out? i.e. Does that hotshoe grip convert the voltage first (like to the 300v for the power input on the side of the 540) or is it taking straight from the 8-AAs?

he, he, thanks.
I suppose as much an interest as anyone else.

Mainly it is a small portion of my portfolio image that I used on ePHOTOzine. (me standing against a wall with this painted on it. I was wearing sunglasses that almost match the eyes. )

Of course my user name on that site is 'anthonym', just to confuse myself.

Well, that sounds impressive.

Hopefully Pentax can shed some light into the delays with the lenses once they are shipping that would make me feel they are anywhere near being capable of production on that scale. Until it happens, I find it hard to believe.

But, fingers crossed.

Of course they are going to need a big marketing campaign if they want people to buy that wide of range of products and allow it to be profitable for them. Of course, this was also hinted by others on the forum.
I'm looking forward to seeing what happens over the next few months.

It may make sense. And emotionally it makes a lot of sense. Logically, not so much.
I bought my K10D in January knowing that some really nice lenses would be out by the end of the month. I did not buy any other lenses and sat back with my old large range zoom lenses (not bad for what they are intended to do, but not exactly capable of producing saleable items in my own opinion.)
So I waited... Then came March, I was getting itchy to buy the 16-45 or other good lens in the mean time, but those new lenses were "just around the corner", so I waited again. Ditto in June, and July. I now have no worthy lens. I am producing images that are of questionable quality and here I again wait on a hint that the new lenses will be out in one to two weeks.... maybe a month... well two at most.

The frustration is enough to make me switch brands.

Basically, if it ain't for sale, don't put yourself in a situation where you simply wait "a couple of months". Life is too short and it will pass you by.