Hi and thanks for that.

Being a Pentax user I am only familiar with Pentax lenses and so I wasn't sure if all brands had risen.

I did enquire about a sigma 17-70 in classifieds a couple of times. Perhaps if I put a wanted ad ?

I've commented before that if lens prices were lowered more people would buy them increasing profits surely above what they are now 'cause people are resisting buying ?

DERYN

Hi, I've been noticing along with everyone else the price hike of Pentax lenses. Is it just Pentax that have hiked prices so much in so short a time ? The reason I ask is because the only lens I have been considering buying new is the Sigma 17-70. A couple of months ago at £199 it seemed a good bargain. The cheapest I can find it now is £245 ! So have ALL brands increased so much in price ?

DERYN

Hold the front page guys !

I've been looking at the photos of the dust spots after each attempt at cleaning and if my eyes aren't decieving me the spots are fading after each attempt ! If it were dust I would expect them to move around rather than stay in one spot, AND fade ! Rightly or wrongly I've swabbed a few times and low and behold, GONE ! Okay in the far left hand corner is a tiny dust speck but the rest is clear.

By checking my photos from the weekend I can pinpoint exactly when the spots appeared. They appeared after a lens swap while photographing gun shots ! (the shots weren't aimed at me) There was a display of old guns being shot at a game fair and to get a good photo I had to stand slightly downwind from the shooters, only 12ft away, with ear plugs of course. Could the marks actually have been some kind of airborn residue ?

DERYN

Hi guys, well, a butterfly is out of the question, finances won't allow !

I took my camera along to a reputable photographer and camera dealer. He doesn't use the butterfly himself so he tried first with a more powerful blower than I have. No luck ! Then he tried some brushes. No luck ! Then he tried swabs. And still I have dust spots !!! I bought swabs to have a try myself later today.

So up to now £17 spent and £10 on petrol. (our nearest dealer is miles away and so 2 trips is quite a way to go there and back.)

The answer ? find the money for the butterfly ? clone every photo ?
sell the camera ?

( a slightly ruffled ) DERYN

The 'copperhill alternative' ?

I have always had my shake system to work each time I switch it on also.

Dslr's are becoming a costly experience for me ! May just cash in !

DERYN

Okay done the dust test, definately around 5/6 spots !
So I'm in the UK, which Arctic butterfly kit is best and where do I order it from ?

thanks guys.

DERYN

Dust dislodged when changing lenses ? Just tried my kits lens at 50mm, dust spot still there !

DERYN

Dust alert feature ? I'm all ears. I've looked in the K10 manual but can't find anything about it !?

DERYN

Hi guys, well my first action was to get a blower. I've just used the blower then took a couple of photos. The dust spot is still there !
NOW, the lens I used is a 50mm prime. So I thought just maybe the lens is at fault ? I changed to a 28mm and I can't find the dust spot !

BUT, I just wanted to clear a point up. The 50mm is a higher magnification than the 28mm. BUT, this doesn't mean dust on the sensor will be magnified more on a 50mm photo than a 28mm photo does it ? Dust on the sensor will show up the same size on a photo no matter what the lens, right ?

DERYN

So the dust isn't on the angled mirror but on the sensor ? I've had 4 tins of cider so I think any internal surgery should be left until tomorrow

DERYN