Five or ten years, you say?

Well, I can disclose some very interesting news, that you may not be aware of.

Six years ago, Pentax initiated a top-secret project to build just the camera you mention.

The prototype was ingenious, and almost exactly the same size as an MX. The really clever thing, though, was what you alluded to - miniaturisation. Knowing that people expected everything to get smaller with the relentless march of modern technology, those fiendish Japanese managed to do what everybody thought was impossible. They took a 24x36 sensor ("full-frame", as you call it), and miniaturised it!

Obviously, they didn't want the world to get wind of this, so they gave the project a clever code-name; one that people would never dream of connecting with a camera.

They called it the *ist D, and the rest, as they say, is history.

G

But will you get it back together?

Lens elements make good magnifying glasses, I have found. No need to tell you how.

G

Many thanks. That seems to be all I need to know.

G

I wonder if anyone can offer me some advice.

I am contemplating buying a NAS device for storing pics, etc., and would like to use it at 1Gb.

Unfortunately, my Netgear ADSL wireless network hub/router, or whatever it is, is only 100Gb.

Would it be best (ie: cheapest, but workable) to replace the Netgear with a 1 Gb device, or should/can I simply get a 1Gb switch, and plug everything, including the Netgear, into that?

Cheers

G

PS: What are the differences between a hub, a router, and a switch?

Which just shows what a racket the whole thing is. The companies know that their prices are outrageous, but instead of lowering them to reasonable levels, they come out with charades like this.

I have never bought an unbundled Adobe product, and never will until they start pricing properly. Same with MS Office. But Openoffice.org is now so good that there is no need for the MS version.

G

Did you say you are from "deepest Hampshire"? Hmm.

G

PS: Nice pic, by the way. I presume that's Hyram's boat.

Sounds like a dry joint somewhere. If so, it's a probably a write-off.

But before you ditch it, I would try a different battery. Although you believe the present one is fully charged, it may be faulty.

You haven't said where you live (hint: you can do so in your profile), but if you are in the EU, you should be able to have it seen to FOC as it is under two years old.

G

There is little point in a macro function on a zoom lens. It will not make the lens anywhere near as good as a proper macro lens, and it's easy enough to use a couple of extension rings if you need to focus closer.

Extension rings should be in everybody's bag, in my view.

G

You're more polite to the ones who live close by?

Now you know why I live on a rocky island surrounded by mists with an unreliable ferry service and very expensive flights.

It's worked so far.

G

Dead right.

To do so, click on "profile" up at the top of the page.

G