I just downloaded this, Adobe raw converter, from version tracker for my mac. Says it'll support Pentax ist d(s).
Anyone tried this yet?

first line error meant to say if the switch on that camera body is a mechanical.....etc

If the switch on that lens is a mechanical link, from the body to the af motor, then a problem with the lensmount could be the culprit...ie mounting a heavy lens to the tripod mounted body could've damaged the lensmount ever so slightly, causing binding on the gears in the lens, increasing the load on the camera body. Equivellent to turning the manual focus ring with body switched to af.

somehow my reply got left behind in the other thread all by itself...don't have a clue how that happened...oh well.

I went shopping. Got a nice shot of my little guy, asleep in the shopping cart, beside a stuffed horse, with the Ist ds2, and an old 50mm smc m- 1:1.4

Have you tried (just for fun) getting your slide films procsessed in print film chemicals? try over exposing your slides about 2 stops, your "negatives" can then be printed, or mounted, or better yet scanned.
Not relevant to the thread in any way. I'm an "outside the box" thinker..."so far outside the box.." a good friend once told me,"...that you're way out in left field, with a spotting scope, looking at the box.".

That's how I felt when I got my super program....there was an almost jewel like feeling to it. I'd pick it up just to admire it, and hear the shutter click, even if I had no film in it.
Funny but I think something got lost along the way to the more modern cameras. they, to me, are more tool than jewel.

Mac, repeat after me (nod and say Uh-huh, after each line):
Yes dear.
It seemed like a good idea at the time.
You're right.
I'm sorry.

That my friend is the universal get out of jail free card for males.
If Clinton had said that instead of lying.....

(I had nothing intelligent to sat about your lens choice, but hope you get it and live to chat another day)javascript:emoticon('')

I've not read the entire thread, but in skimming it I notice a conspicous absence of remarks about aspect ratios and resolution. I own both a canon g5 (5mp)and pro1(8mp).
how much bigger is the image in the pro 1?
at the same 300ppi, it is exactly the same hight and only slightly longer.
the frame is a little more rectangular.
Most of my studio portraits are sold as 8x10's or 16x20's.
to maintane that aspect ratio with the pro 1 requires more cropping, in other words the 3 extra mp get chopped and the end portrait is no better than the g5's, in fact it's worse, more noise and purple fringing.
On the otherhand the pro1 is a much better handling camera with a 28mm lens. Each has it's place....both behind my ist ds2.

I've left my mz-5 with the flash popped up for the last week or two, and it seems to have a little more snap in it. not like it used to, but at least it goes all the way up....maybe a few more weeks or months and the springs memory will come back...