it's true a properly sharpened file for printing, does look a little overdone onscreen.
I think the point in posting the image was to demonstraight that your method works for you. Am I right?

one thing you'll see here is not everybody agrees. it's not only here.
I was working at a professional photogs of canada show, and watching some of the images tthat got rejected/accepted in various categories, had me schmoozzing around like a call girl trying to get invited to any parties after the show....I just wanted to see if the judges would share whatever halucenogens they were popping!
no need to get angry!

Cost wasn't a consideration for me.
switching from film to digital, was all about improving quality and workflow.
There's alot of hidden costs you didn't have with film....
TIME (editing), computers, memory cards, software, harddrives, cd/dvds, inkjet papers and inks...

sure you save on film.....

I used to spend on film, developing, printing. (approx $375.00 cdn) on a wedding job.
I saved that, but now spend about $480.00 on iPod, dvd's, inkjet paper and ink, photobooks.

The trade off?

I invest more time per project, give more value, and charge a little more than double what I used to.

the reason for slrs is the choices and versitility.
Sometimes af saves time, sometimes it saves the shot, other times it's manual.
nice to have both!

nothing wrong with redundancy. What if you drop one? or your better half want's one at the same time?

you may find one more usefull than the other for some shots, and may well be able to post a "Shoot-out" test for us!

I find the 16-45 gets straight lines straight, and focusses real close, and really doesn't fall off at the corners to any noticable degree...

I don't have the sigma, but tried one out at a camera store (used older model), it seemed loud, hunted a fair bit, and lots of purple fringing on high contrast edges. (caveat emptor... I've incorrectly used pf in the past as a blanket phrase for several different types of chromatic abberations... I don't care what specifically it is, the sigma appeared worse than the pentax when shooting tree branches through a window, at the store on that particular day... so I bought a Pentax... ok?)

that sounds like the kind of shot where Id meter for the background, then add flash or reflector to the subject.
so it'd be flashmeter, or matrix with p-ttl, or multiple spot meterings to come up with an exposure.

It really has more to do with habit than one type of meter being better than others. My way works pretty good for me. It doesn't matter how you get ther, just that you get the results you want.
the main issue is that you make the camera create the image you have in your head, not just point and hope.

here's an example of adding flash: I split the difference and got the background a little lighter (without blowing it out, by upping the iso) and used flash to bring out the detial in the subject.
link

I generally use a flash meter. often a greycard, sometimes a spot meter, and on ocassion, matrix.

center weighted, is ok for some scenes, but to be honest I can't think of anywhere, that centerweighted will save a shot, that matrix will totally blow it... so out of habit, if I don't care enough about the subject, or have time, to meter on spot, I flip it to matrix.

concour with hefty1

I for one don't need anything but the stock screen, use manual focus most of the time, af sometimes.
I was always lazy, can't blame the camera there....
Nice shot Peter! glad you got a setup that works for you and helps you to get results like that.

ok Malo here it is:
You need to wrap your computer up with plastic wrap, before engaging in cybersex, or your computer will catch nasty viruses....
I can't believe your dad didn't have this talk with you......

Hey Clarky, I'm a little further along in my video project (tough to find time, it's wedding season for me)...
got some music I wrote and some sound effects.
just need a good "Screamer" and the end clip for my cooking show is done.

Do you think it's good? there's a scene or two in the show done on my pentax d-slr also!
I'll let you guys see the whole show, when It's done hopefully next month, if you're interested.
link

as owner of the canon bp-511, and sony and pentax battery, I am fairly certian all three are the same inside with only different casings on the outside. (Pentax, Canon, and Optex all being IDENTICAL top casing, with only minor differences in the Bottom casing where the locking tabs on the edges sit.

earlier I posted a link, and Peter Elgar, I wasn't suggesting you buy 1000 of those batteries......I was pointing out that a google search only revealed TWO suppliers of them.... therefore it is probable that those suppliers both supply cells to whom ever manufactures the proprietary batteries for Pentax and many other brands.