Sorry Dan i didnt mean to cut your grass

I took the liberty of checking the trigger voltage on that Sunpak flash you have and according the site you should not use it as its voltage is some 203volts. I have been informed that around 30volts is as high as you want to get. But in saying that none of this info is written in stone but i would certainly check the trigger voltage on that flash before i would put it on my new camera, you dont want to fry it.
http://www.botzilla.com/photo/strobeVolts.html

I too have used the Pentax flash (AF200Sa) with no problems

Thanks all for the information. And a special thanks too Glyn for the trouble you went through i think i have a handle on it now Thanks again

Just wondering if someone knows about adaptall adapters. Basically is there a difference between Adaptall and Adaptall 2 adapters. The reason i ask is i have an old CT 200mm 3.5 tamron lens with no adapter and i believe this lens was made pre adaptall 2 era and was wondering if it will fit an adaptall 2 ??? or do i need the earlier adapter : : Thanks guys

Hi Ernie welcome to the forum.
From what you are saying i surmise you still have it set for hi quality jpeg which is the 3 star setting. You need to set it too raw to get up to the 10meg file size you mentioned. There is a button on the camera body which does this.
You need to remember that you will not be able to view these RAW format pics using your basic windows picture viewers as they do not support pef files instead you can use the software that came with the camera or download a suitable Raw converter from the web such as Picasa which is by the way free. Or just leave it on the current jpeg setting if you are not planning on doing any major editing. Good luck.

You need to change the setting in your camera to (i think its called) allow aperture priority. Its on either page 107 or 111 of your manual. sorry i cant be more precise but i am at work and dont have all the facts with me and this will allow you too use those lenses you mentioned.

You can have all of my spare time Matt if you write that guide You did a fine job with the capture one guide which i printed out and it helped me get started. I have been using both Silkypix and Capture One. They are both excellent programs but i lean towards silkypix even if it is a little slow.
Keep up the good work. Your a machine and if i had half the knowledge and know how you do i would be a happy man indeed.

Even more amazing are the stats themselves
Mind boggling

If i am not mistaken you can Check an option in your display properties to allow it to fit the window other wise it crops it back to fit. I could be wrong but i cant access the display properties on my work computer to check.

Well i made a number of attempts to capture the Eclipse on Tuesday night and none are worth showing . I too used a tamron 28-300 but i would put my attempts down to my incompetence rather than the lens.
I just cant get my head around the exposure times verses f stops and all the other idiosyncrasies that go along with it.
Must keep practising is all i can say.

Nice shot Chris i am very envious
Amoringello: I would have settled for your effort it leaves mine for dust.

Howard I spent a few weeks in France during May and took a few snaps of some stain glassed windows. The ones i am posting here are not the best examples (this was my first foray into DSLR photography) but it will give you an idea of what you will be up against. I found a number of the Churches and Cathedrals don't allow Photography and certainly no tripods
The large Cathedral in Rheims was probably the most lenient in terms of cameras and tripods and Notre Dame has signs saying no flash photography but will allow hand held as long as there is no service on at the time. The Pantheon is a little stricter with cameras but if you are a little sneaky you can snap a few off

Rheims Cathedral



Rheims Cathedral



Notre Dame



Enjoy your trip you will love it.
Be sure to share some of your pics when you get back i would be interested to see them