Running 537 / 6160 kbps here...

Gwyn - that sounds interesting. If you have the time, would it be possible for you to post a photo of your diffuser (if you have a second digital camera, a photo showing the mounting on your pentax would be nice as well...) I've been playing around with a few different ideas for a popup diffuser, but none of them seem both effective AND convenient...

Since the topic of this thread seems o be heading towards comparing different film bodies anyway...

My MZ50 is dying a slow death - repeated intermittent problems (perhaps due to one of the many drops etc. over the years...)

I do want to replace it, but thought I'd ask for recommendations... I want a body that can handle my manual as well as AF lenses, and one that could work with lenses with Aperture rings being used (non FAJ, if I understand it correctly... although none of my lenses don't have 'A' settings, I've been looking at some screw-mount Taks at the local pawn shop...

BUT, I also want to be able to hand it to my wife (a technophobe) and have it work in full auto-everything - "Dummy mode" she calls it.

So what should I get ?

Wow - what an idea! I have the 110 kit, an aps-c sized sensor would fit, but would there be room for any of the rest of the electronics? I guess if they can build a VGA web cam into a largish pencil, then they wouldn't have too difficult a time cramming it all in...

Ultra portable, reasonably fast glass - a digital SLR that takes up less room than many compacts - what more could anyone want?

DISCLAIMER : This would be an additional camera... I wouldn't trade my K10 for it...

Naive?

Or Business-smart... Many people "out there" lap this kind of thing up...

Personally, I think a good microfibre cloth and a good lens cleaning session or two would "exorcise" most of the "ghostly" images in his photographs...

That's what I meant... More of a personal than a business thing...

BTW, what a great system ! In Canada it's similar, but the charity doesn't get the extra taxes, just the donation. The donor can lower their total taxable income by using donation receipts from registered charities (up to a certain amount).

And, like Dan, I'm not saying anyone should donate, just that if you were considering donating, you might as well use any programs in place...

Not sure how the tax laws work over there, but what some at our camera club have done is this : Charge for the image, donate the money back to the charity. Get a tax receipt.

Everybody wins - they get the image for free, and you not only get some tax relief, but also the "feel good" aspect of making a donation as well...

I have a 200 - always in it : K10D, AF360, Sigma 28-70 & 18-200 one of them mounted, MZ5 body - no lens mounted, Pentax A 50mm, and a box of Cokins for the film body under the 50mm.

The top pocket is handy for other odds and ends (batteries, hyte cloth, blower, , and since it zips from left to right (looking at the front of the bag) it's also useable while wearing the bag, though there is a slightly larger risk of dumping the contents if you unzip all the way...

It all fits well, except I'd like a little more flexibility with the velcro dividers - the inside walls of the bag could use a little more of the velcro loop fabric to allow better placement (for my needs) of the dividers... but I manage with what's there. You need to pack things you use least in first, since the back dividers are "covered" by the front dividers... more useable than most bags, but still a bit ackward digging through to the bottom when it's swung to the front.

Having said that, though, it's by far the easiest bag to use that I've ever owned...

PM sent.

Thanks for that McBrian...

That's EXACTLY the lens I'm looking for (Not thinking of selling are you? ), and the one I specified to the dealer... Apparently his info was about the newer one from Sigma... As he's never steered me wrong before, I'm guessing that the mis-information came directly from the Sigma rep...

Disappointing, but since both my film and digital bodies set aperture in-camera, I guess if I have to, I can live without the aperture ring, though I'd prefer having it...