Well the Canon mount has a AF micro-motor in the lens but the nikon version does not so the budget cameras of Nikon (D40, D60, D3000) aren't able to auto focus since they don't have a screwdrive in the body.

As for the problems with SDM it's 15% of the user that voted that had a problem with one of there lenses.
Some have more SDM lenses but only one failed.

Also I shouldn't be laughing since there are coming more and more SDM lenses on the market.

The mouse is put away here and only is used whit some games, the rest is pen only.

It certainly takes some time getting used to but it works so much faster after a while, even with normal handling like surfing and such. And my wrist doesn't hurt any more.

I've used the tablet in Maya creatively and also did some things in Catia.
For CAD the mouse and pen both are equal I believe, you hardly use the pen pressure and such so that's why.

You have paintshop right, that program should work very nicely with a tablet.

They are only screwdriven

I also tried Silkypix but also did not got to terms with it, that's why I'm using lightroom now.

Here give it a try link

Thank you Hefty, within two weeks I know what my budget is so please keep us up to date.

Okay that one

I'm not a B&W expert but give the photo some more contrast get some real whites and blacks in there, that might do the trick to make it POP so to say.

Nope it doesn't, at least not on the windoes 7 64bit 7600 build

Download and installed this driver but it doesn't work link

edit: Okay very strange, spend a whole day trying to get it to work reinstalled everything 6 times and now I thought when posting the link lets try it one more time and now it works

Nothing to be ashamed about Father Ted, I can also spend hours on photos sometimes, certainly when being creative. Also with most projects it's better to spread it out over some days. Many times I've spend hours behind it and then the next morning I see things I could have done differently and better.

Paintshop is not specialized in photo editing, you should try Silkypix, phase one or lightroom. Everything is more at hand and there are also less options you will never use making it more accessible.
They all have a trial version so worth playing with them a bit and see if they make a difference.

Which photos do you mean, it would be easier if you would provide a link or post them here or in the "my photo" section of this forum.

Yes but you still have the edge of his jacket and you did that very sharply, kudos for that.

The right tools and familiarity with them makes the difference.
neat image is almost automatic, I tell what the noise is and he analyse it and removes it. Then it goes into lightroom and you slide and play with the adjustment options.

all in all it was a 3 minute job, playing (fine tuning) taking up most of the time.