Hello Alastair, welcome to the forum.

The DAL is the same as the DA the only difference is that it hasn't got quick-shift, lenshood and a metal mount (the fitting from the lens to the camera).
They have done it to make the lens lighter but in my eyes they also make it less atracive.
You have the DA 16-45 so you know how handy quick-shift is.
The lens hood is handy for protection and also helps against flares.
The plastice mount will wear out over a coulpe of years.

But those are all zooms what about the primes?

here are some full uncropped photos for you to compare.
link
link
Both with the K10D and the D-FA 100mm macro and sharpened in photoshop using Matt's technique (different unsharpen masks on the three colours).

I believe that the pixel sharpness of the K10D is better then the K20D from the photos I've seen from that one, the K20D has some more pixels though so they don't need to be as sharp.

I know Ken.

Just had a look on fleabay and there are some on it.
one for $305 with 75mm f/2.8 and 3days to go... tempting but I also want some for my K10D and save for the new camera of pentax.
I also don't think I'm worth a 645 yet so I've some time to save money for the 645D

also the cost for film and all... although the 75mm would be great for in the studio only need to get a wide angle for landscapes.
It's so tempting you know

Ken that one looks wonderfull.
Yesterday for the first time ever I had a mid-format camera in my hands, they a quite big but oh so nice. Only need to win the jackpot so that I can buy the 645D with some nice lenses

Amin thank you for the B&B but if I come alone I will come with the plane, only need to find someone willingly enough to pick me up.

I know some members have some home make lenses to shoot stars (telescoops), it would be interesting to see some photos from those

Here is one from the Pentaxforum.com link
He shoots one each day for a year long, quite funny sometimes

I know 9 of the photos, quite good hopefully for someone as young as me

Amin

You're right about that and the time the camera takes to check the focus is enough for the SR to settle hisself.

I have the autofocus not under the release button and only on the AF button on the rear of the camera so if I press my shutter release it won't focus so I can press all the way down in one go and it makes a photo without a delay, so it doesn't wait for the SR to get ready.
Then you get in the EXIF "Image Stabilizer : Not Ready"
Since it says not ready it and not off it means it was busy getting ready

I've make it a handeling to keep the release button half pressed when composing a shot so I don't have the problem as much.

I simply spend a lot of time processing them and go crazy in photoshop sometimes.
Some of my prints are on the wall here and we have an exposition sometimes on the organisation where the photo club is from.

Here is a good site to start with link
I myself simply use Photoshop since that can open the DNG file and make a HDR from that so no need to convert to TIFF then.

The problem is that you need to be conservertive with DHR, you really go to fast over the top with it.
You need to find a balance to use it at it's fullest, and use it for a meaning, a purpose. Just making a hdr because you think is fun doesn't work so well.

for the camera setting I use the same as Matt, with raw you have lean in information to have 2Ev without loosing much if not any information.

You get what you're paying for, but that's almost with everything.
Most lenses of them are good for there money, some are a bit disapointing and others are great.
It depends on what lens you're looking at.

The lenses from Pentax have most of the time a better build quality, have more contrast, more lively colours and a smoother bokeh but yes you pay of course for that.

If you tell us what lens you're looking at we can give some feedback on how it relates to the Pentax lens and if it's a good buy or not.