Please save me from this. The concept of 'autopict' on the DS is bad enough but kids and pet modes are too much. How about this for a radical idea - 'camera mode'?

I'm using an SMC Pentax-F 50mm 1.7 (it must be about 15 years old) and it is fully functional on my *ist DS, great for portraits and highly recommended.

A pal of mine does/did most of French Vogue's B+W printing and specialises in exotic toning - gold, platinum etc. He is based in Glasgow but not a mail order operation - just a great printer. Let me know if you would like his number.

Ken

Thanks to both of you.

I'm quite happy to live without worrying about the intricacies of this!

Ken

This is no big deal but I'd really appreciate it if someone could explain to me this apparent anomaly:

1gb Sandisk card in *istDS shows a JPEG capacity of 334 images at 6mp
Same card in S50 shows a capacity of 309 images at 5mp.

Does anyone know why?

Ken

Don, the sad thing is that the optical finder on my s5i is truly pathetically inaccurate. It probably only shows 75% of the recorded image and I resent having to wear specs to view the lcd. It is a shame because it is the only thing that lets down a really good little camera. There is no need for it because I also have a Pentax film compact, the Espio Mini, which is reasonably accurate.

Like John, I have an S5i and the quality is stunning from such a little camera. Shutter lag can be a bit of a problem in certain circumstances but having the shutter button half depressed (the camera is then focused and exposure set) before finally pressing it overcomes this. The only thing that surprises me is that the aperture never seems to stop down very far and no matter what mode the camera is in it always seems to adjust shutter speed, so even in landscape mode you could be shooting at 1/1000 @ F4.5 when 1/250 @ f8 might be preferable, curious.

Ken

In PS Elements 4 there is a little elastoplast/bandaid button which does an excellent job - I think it just clones surrounding skin cells and replaces the zit or pluke as we call them in Scotland.

Well said Steve, I spent 4 years at Art School and my first job was working for a really brilliant wedding photographer for almost a year thereafter. Truly awful culture shock at the time and I have to say I wasn't too keen on it but looking back, I now realise what an awful lot I learned in those ten months. Not just about taking snaps under duress but learning how to handle people and a lot more besides.

Ken

I guess no one at Magnum is a pro then