On the subject of varifocal lenses (which is the technical correct name for a variable-apeture zoom) you can only trust the set apeture if the camera sets the apeture, because the apeture blades do not change with focal length.

That's why I stick to constant apeture zooms, they are more complex to make and tend to be the manufacturer's best offerings for zooms.

There was a time I wouldn't go near a zoom. I've relented in my old age.

To get back to the original subject:

woo-hoo!! I found one of the 45-125 lenses at KEH in Atlanta, Geogia. It is in "excellen"condition (which at KEH means pretty much mint, I buy "bargain" equipement all the time and it's fully functional and totally clean. Just some brassing, nothing to effect the photograph).

This is after fruitless searching on Amazon, KEH, ebay in seveal countries, and other odd auction sites. Anyone looking for one go to KEH.com right now!!

In fact they had two, I figured since Bojidar Dimitrov's site lists availability as "roughly once a year" I figured it would be wise to grab it. Now I just need to find the odd double-peice hood!

The next trick is to modify it for matrix metering with the D. I'll just put a body on a scanner and scan the mount, so I have a template.

George, are you saying that if the variable-apeture zoom is set to a smaller apeture than the maximum, it will remain constant while zooming? I've seen lenses where not only the maximum apeture changes during zooming but so does the minimum apeture. That leads me to beleive that the apeture blades do not move at all while zooming, thus making all apetures variable.

More information would be appreciated.

I still want that 45-125, though!

Thanks for the info, I'll start searching right away!

I'm sure they must turn up on ebay once in a while.

It's a fixed apeture zoom, which is the only kind I'll use (flash meter and studio lights, and all that).

Minolta, Nikon and Canon have all at one time offered a 50-135mm zoom lens. I wonder why Pentax never did?

It would be a perfect zoom for the digital SLR's with the APS-C sensor. It would cover basically the same angles as the 70-210 did with the full frame cameras.

How about it, Pentax, it could be a big seller!

When you use an M or earlier lens on this camera, you must put the camera in Manual mode. Set the apeture on the lens, then press the green button to get a center-weighted reading for that apeture.

If the lighting changes, or if you change the apeture, you must take another center-weighted reading by pressing the green button.

This is because they left out the actuator that senses the manual apeture set on the lens, so with firmware upgrade 1.12 you can use these manual lenses in a quasi-apeture preferred mode. It's really not so diffeent from using them on the old M or K series cameras, you take a reading, compose, and shoot.

With "A" series or later lenses, the camera and lens communicate. You use the camera to set the apeture on the lens, and you have all the shooting modes available to you.

The best program available for post-processing photographs is Adobe Photoshop CS2. It has a steep learning curve, but once you get into it it's the most powerful program out there.

The 16-45 is a great lens, the camera is one of the best DSLR's available. I just wish they had a 50-135mm zoom lens, it would function similar to how the 80-200 does on the full frame film cameras.

I've written to Pentax proposing that the next *st D (*st D2??) have a slot big enough for a CF card, but with a removable adapter for SD cards. Such adapters exist, you could buy SD cards and the adapter and slip them into the *st D if you wanted to!

Smaller cards will always have less capacity than larger ones with the same technology. Maybe some sooper-dooper memory storage system will come out allowing 8GB SD cards. but I think if Pentax wants to avoid alienating all the pros and enthusiasts with substntial investments in CF cards, they'd use a dual-slot system or a removable sleeve so the new cameras could still use those very expensive 2 GB and 4 GB (even 8 GB) CF cards!

Read the previous page, at the bottom of the post is this:

They could squeeze 8 or 10 megapixels into a full-frame sensor (preferrably not with a 2:3 aspect raio but something more like 3:4 or 4:5) but even there you run into a limit. Hence the medium format backs.

I have been carrying on for a long time about aspect ratio, but everybody seems locked into the 35mm film format, even with a smaller sensor.

Professionals have been using Penatx MF gear for a long time, and some of us have used the 35mm equipement also.

For all practical purposes, the *st D is a pro-level camera. Minimal menu diving, sturdy construction, DOF preview, and all relevent features. Besides, it's nice not to have a dial cluttered with all those silly icons (scene modes).

It's designed to be straightforward and usable with minimum fuss. That's what a pro camera needs.

So everyone with Pentax MF lenses can now go digital for less than the cost of a small car!!

"comfortable Ferrari" is an oxymoron. Fast, yes, flashy, yes, but comfortable? Keep dreaming!