LOL.

It looks a bit 'clumpy' to me, but always nice to see a new model. Not sure why you would want the successor to the elegantly compact and unassuming K5, to be physical bigger unless you really feel 'inadequate' standing next to a top end Canikon. The K5's size is a great little niche Pentax have created IMO, hope it continues, particularly with the FF model when it comes out

Set the it to F22 with Flash ON, and take a picture of a blank white wall, to check if the sensor is clean/un-scratched

I think conditions, be they weather or studio and the artists vision should be able to create infinite possibilities.

New methods and New locations certainly do not stay New for long. (We've all found ourselves setting off in the car to a place 'cause we saw a shot we liked and wanted our own one?).

Of course from a 'Landscape' perspective say, you get to the point where it's website after website, same location, same colours, same hills, same tree, same rocks in water with that tree and those hills.
(Whether they are taking the shots to create original 'Art' or trying to guarantee ego boosting 'views' and 'nice shot' comments, doesn't matter much in the end, its a pastime and something to be enjoyed either way.)

There's a good line in 'Levens Hall through a Pinhole' a collection of pin hole images by Rob Bridson, Graham Whitwham, Tom Whitehead. It says something like they were fed up with their DSLR's (swapping them for a wooden box with a hole in it) and wanted to feel released and explore photography again. It's an inspiring philosophy for me, even though I feel a long, long way from leaving software at the moment.

Looking at some very popular images on e.g 500px it would seem the photograph is becoming very much secondary to the digital art being applied to it. There images on photo sites which are basically no longer photos, and need there own site IMO, but they are visionary and in turn, original.

So I'll agree with the above, the tools make it happen and will influence end the product, but its the conception of the vision which is the Art, and hopefully original one at that.

Or we could all just keep going to Buachaille Etive Mor and Derwent water with a tripod and 10 stop filter every weekend.

You can't have a competition with rules ie a subject theme, and expect not to exclude people and their potential entries. It's part and parcel therefore cannot really be a 'concern'?

Are people really excluded? Not from enjoying the results, be they few or many. If these older lenses are one of Pentax's best selling points, then the best potential here is hopefully showing what can be achieved with these lenses, to new, old or even potential users.

Now if only I had a manual lens shot that was comfortable with the theme... d'oh!

LOL couldn't agree more, also very surprising comments suggesting Pentax users wouldn't be using old manual focus lenses, as they are the best you can get without spending £700+ IMO

Should be appealing to a Pentax user then....

Disappointing Currys definitely.

If you want a sob story:
Purchased K5 in Jan, 3 weeks later Len Release Button falls off, sent to Johnsons (2wks) with request to check sensor cleaning as I had noticed an unusual amount of dust on images, K5 returned still noticed dust, in particular black specks that despite swabbing sensor would not shift, sent images to SRS they agreed it should be looked at, off to Johnsons again, returned from Johnsons to SRS they were not happy sent it back, after a staggering 6wks I receive the K5 Tues this week, black specks still there! Johnsons Repair Docket stating 'Sensor has been clean, some dust will not clean, sensor cleaning is not covered under warranty, this has been cleaned as a gesture of good will'. - !!!!!??? Well, immediately contacted SRS and said I want my money back or a new one. SRS contacted Pentax UK and the Pentax Rep and a few hours later I had an assurance that Pentax UK are going to sort it "once and for all", camera picked up yesterday.

So a nightmare, but SRS have paid for all postage, and have at least been genuine in there attempts to resolve it. The black specks? My current theory is they are particles in between the sensor and filter, but you like to think Johnsons would have thought of that?

Do I want to leave the brand? Well admittedly the thought crossed my mind a couple of times but a quick look at competitors prices leaves you laughing.

The K5 and my little collection of Ltd's and 'A' primes is the closest in form and performance I can (or lottery permitting would want to spend) to getting a Lecia M9 or Fujifilm X-Pro1.

Another plus is that being 'forced' to use my GX10 has been interesting pushing it's limits beyond even where I thought they where, so much so I now think it had not been for the small form of the K5, I would have been happy with a second hand K10D as a second body.

Hand held?!?

Holly cheeseballs, nice shot!

No evidence? Surely you jest. How many times has 'Japan vs Vietnam' been mentioned on this forum and others similar? How many times is it used as a selling point in the classifieds and on auctions sites. What is this thread about?

I will happily admit I am prejudice against whites however, not so much because history clearly shows we have had such little regard for other races, but mainly because I believe the vast majority of our music stinks.

I would agree with Dr. O and add...

Has someone actually compared a Limited 'Japan' and Limited 'Vietnam' to see if there is a difference? No.

The whole notion is a fallacy created by inherently sceptical and ignorant white westerners, it boarders on discrimination to the Vietnamese frankly.