my experience so far on using my K10D is that AWB can't be relied on too much and I am glad I shoot RAW and can adjust later.

Take for example the way the weather has been this last week. Overcast one minute, bright sunshine the next. Cloudy WB seems better than AWB when its cloudy as AWB seems to wash colours out. But as soon as the sun comes out again AWB is fine.

I do like the custom white balance approach with white card indoors but sometimes find it's not always right and drains the skin tones of people. When that happened recently I applied the in camera colour adjustment, I think it was a cyan blue filter and that did the trick. I've had my K10D for 8 months and am only now seeing the benefit of the colour adjustment settings. Also indoors after a custom WB setting I will try adjusting to the tungsten setting to see if this is any better or worse. As with the what Mannesty says AWB is not much good in tungsten lighting, but if there's a good proportion of daylight from a window you might be fine.

My advice would be to see what works for you and put the cameras settings to the test. Its always good to try and avoid too much work for yourself so doing things in camera for me is the best way to go. Personally I shoot RAW+JPG setting and for the most part delete the RAW if I am happy with the jpg, if not do some in camera adjustment, then when happy only keep that jpg. I don't want a hard drive full of RAW files I will never need. Like you I started only using AWB then started to do other things. Thats the way of it when you're learning how your camera works.

thanks, the flip-it does seem like a good option, and reasonably priced, and compact for the camera bag. When I get my flash and start using it in anger I'll see whether I then find something more is needed.

Wondering what people think. Seems to be a few people out in different forums who favour this diffuser more so than the Sto-fen as a budget option.

glad to hear it worked out for you, I thought you might be happy with snapfish. I can't find much to separate DScolour labs from them. DS seems to be slightly cheaper but then charge higher postage. DS also have more options in different print sizes and allow you to on screen put a panorama inside a bigger print, with white top and bottom, ready for you to chop, snapfish don't let you do this. DS seem weaker on B&W prints, giving them a colour cast, whereas snapfish were more pure B&W. On the whole for 6x4/5x7 prints snapfish stand out, you will also find they send you credits periodically.

I still find reds a little over saturated in snapfish but its a minor quibble. I don't think as much of the snapfish gifts and use photobox for calendars. Pity as the quality of photobox calendar with the snapfish print quality would be astounding. Even so the photobox calendar is treasured by grandparents, but they aren't as picky as me!

Just getting a Jessops 360AFD and not sure which Sto-fen diffuser fits this, there seems to be 20 different ones on amazon which I assume fit different brands.

if you want to avoid calling 0845 numbers use www.saynoto0870.com and lookup Jessops. I've used it today to find the Birmingham Jessops number.

that was probably the last one, I was tempted but went for the Jessops own one for £50, think it will be fine for me.

by the way what do people think of the : TAM 18-200mm XR DI II
also going very cheaply.

thanks guys - I'm on a tight budget but do need a flash, and the JESSOPS 360AFD DIG FLASH PEN at under £50 seems to good to pass up so have got the Birmingham branch to hold one for me, just need to talk my brother into collecting it for me!

are the deals people are finding at the moment dependant on the Jessops shop, is it worth ringing around to see what my local stores have, I don't get out much you know, but a bargain might tempt me