You mean like my Pentax MX cameras that I''ve been using for years and years? They have this amazing storage medium, it can store gigabytes of data on non-volatile memory as a long strip of material, each image is part of the strip. It's light and portable, and no batteries are needed!

Amazing stuff!

How about buying a fast charger and keeping several sets of batteries on hand? Plus the external battery grip on the *st D gives you almost unlimited shooting time! I can shoot several days, all day, with the extra battery grip and a fresh set of batteries!

So I guess I'm not the only one that turns off multi-point AF! I find that the lens in that mode is always searching and changing focus points.

Just using one point, so you lock the focus and then compose the picture, has always made more sense to me! Fortunately, the *st D has focus confirmation so you can use the AF system like the old microprisim focus aids.

Life is good!

Just take a small piece of Saran Wrap and stick it over the LCD. And keep your fingers off the screen!

When the Saran Wrap peels off, put another piece on!

In practical terms, the smaller formats will give you more DOF for the same field of view.

That's why there will never be much use for an f/1.4 lens on a view camera, assuming one could be built. we have to stop down go f/45 or even f/64 to get a good sharp landscape, even with a normal 150mm lens.

The circle of confusion does not change as rapidly as DOF for the same angle of view. I worked this out some time ago, when using a camera with a really amall sensor.

THe APS-C sensor is not so different from the 35mm film size, so it's possible to still use DOF creatively. If you move up to medium format, you'll find that you are using higher f-stops for the same effect that you get with 35mm or APS-C.

Actually, I spent a large part of the last three decades earning my food and lodging as a photographer. I have used a couple of MX bodies with winders for 35mm work, I have never felt the need for anyghing else. I'm not a "name" who makes his living off endorsments, I make my living off making photographs that will hopefully make you want to buy something!

Many of my contemporaries use Pentax MF gear. It is top grade. I use Mamaya for MF, but when I needed to go digital, I could've bought a Canon or Nikon and spent money on glass, but I already have better glasss. So I got the *st D, which to my suprise, is a thoroughly professional machine. I'm not paying extra for a name that says "pro" to hobbyists, but what do I care? I'm not a hobbyist, I love what I do, and I have *st D to do my work.

I could cough up $30,000.00 US for a digital back for my RB67, but I'm not in an insane market where everybody has go impress the client with a razzle-dazzle big name. I have to impress the client with my results. So, Pentax for digital, Mamaya for big film, TOYO for sheet film.

Thanks, Jester, that is so obvious that I completly overlooked it. Now I don't need go buy a bucket of ND filters, just a ccouple of polarizers.

In all the years I've been using cameras, my two MX cameras (one silver, one black) have been the mainstay of my 35mm work. I tried a Canon T70. Automation was nice, but not as good as the manual MX. K-1000 has no DOF control, so that's out.

I last used my ancient MX cameras (i did put winders on them) a couple of weeks ago. Now I've gone digital, and the *st D is my camera of choice, but I still use my old M lenses exactly as I did on the MX.

It was the first pro camera Pentax made, and mine have served me well with heavy use for many, many years.

I like he *st D, as I get rather bored of scanning film, but I'm keeping thte MX cameras. On the theory of "if it isn't there, it can't break". So I'll always have a top-grade set of cameras ready to use at any time!

Pentax plans to release a digital 645. That should keep both camps happy!

For a price.

Looking at the photo, it seems as if the "lower frame" of the hood is a step-up ring, 58mm to 67mm. These are pretty common items. If there was any width to the item in the photo, I'd say hold out for the real thing.

But if you look carefully at the photo, there doesn't seem to be any depth to the "lower frame" so get a step-up ring and just keep an eye out for the specific part.