Yeah, I'm in agreement on two points:

Somebody deserves a refund from a careless repair shop (I'm being generous calling them careless on a matter that stinks like FRAUD).

And as a crazy person that loves to take things apart and tinker with thier innards.... I'm a little disappointed that none of my Pentax d-slrs have given me an excuse to "OPERATE"!

I'm a big fan of the pistol grips. I have all three types (ball, pistol, video, all manfrotto), and for speed, acurracy, ability to pan after setting the horizon level, the pistol grip wins.

I am sorry to hear you've had some rough times.
Glad you're bouncing back!
Some people say "That which doesn't kill you...makes you stronger"...
(We'd all be Supermen)
I say that which doesn't kill you...leaves you wounded and bleeding.
But if your bleeding, you're still alive! and if you're still alive, everything can still get better! and better still!
looking forward to seeing the pics!
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or o.l.e.d.'s get get embedded into wallpaper, and you can display them with your walls!

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ok...that explains it...
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PARTY AT CLARKY'S THIS WEEKEND!!!
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WOW Clarky!
THAT"S a RUMPUS room!
love the photo wall paper, the motorcycle, don't dare ask why there's jumper cables hangin from the ceiling (why ask? there's what appears to be a bong in the corner, a photo in a yellow frame of the cop cars, jumper cables hangin from the ceiling...I'll just use my imagination on this one!! lol!).....I like it!
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I agree with keeping those images out there, not hidden. I have a few 8x10 (family) a few16x20 to 20x30 prints (if you want to sell it, you got to show it) and use my computers screensavers, as well as an apple tv and hd tv to show slideshows. on our movie nights, I use the computer slideshows on the projector also. Having aperture and iphoto makes this real easy to do.

think reflectors.
and by reflectors I mean ANYTHING that reflects light. (a compact makeup mirror placed carefully might light up that harmonica...).
polarizers help with reflections and glare. Think both sources of light and lenses (not always possible....a polarized gel big enough to cover a window costs about $500.00 Cdn).

yeah, the open source community did wonders for apple......
maybe letting people "hack" thier prntaxes will push developement in innovative directions.

R U any good at programming pic's or stamps, or servo controllers?
( I got a friend that needs a little programming under the hood)

true jps. there are barriors. until you realize that repoerters have taken to using video phones to get stories where pulling out a pro video camera would get them shot or arrested... since those video cam phones were being used by pros for professional jobs, do they not count as pro equipment?

and with hidef vidcams as small as a cell phone already, how will they stop non-pros from using them?

last point....

when producers realize that they can pay one salary, instead of two...
why send one guy with a vid cam and one with a still cam.... when they can get both from one operator with a hybrid cam?

Agree....
that camera is not too far off... It's possible to build today..... somebodies gonna do it (likely won't be Sony, thier marketing depts would have a fit....) but Samsung...???? possibly...
compare this to the offerings of evf superzooms from a couple years back....
http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/5270/casio-exilim-ex-f1-sneak-peek.html