You may be right, but I didn't notice it, and in fact I can't find it in the latest version, now that it is downloaded.

The website says this is a new feature, and I took that to mean new in this release, but it could also mean new to version 3.

So if it was there already, where is it?

G

Still downloading, so I haven't tested it yet, but it looks impressive from the pics on the site.

G

I presume you mean a 50-200.

The best bet (but not the cheapest) would be the FA 24-90; followed by one of the FA 28-105 lenses, either the (big, heavy) 1:4-5.6 power zoom or the (newer, smaller, lighter) 1:3.2-4.5.

Of the latter two, I suspect that the former probably has the edge, optically, but the latter wins on portability.

If you want to be quirky, I am still a great fan of the old M 75-150. No AF, no AE, but a lovely lens nonetheless. They were very popular in their day, and as a result can be picked up for next to nothing on Ebay. And then you'd have the pleasure of owning a real lens, made of metal and glass.

G

Thorts?

Ah! Yeth, they are both ethentially the thame thort of thing, namely thoom lentheth dethigned tholely for thingle lenth reflekth camerath, in thith cathe Pentakth camerath.

Thome utherth thuggetht that the firth ith thuperior to the thecond, whereath otherth thay the oppothite ith true.

Wait! Horrorth! Did you mean thoughtth? OK, I've cort your drift.

According to Stan, neither is held in especially high regard, and the latter is prone to break. The best that was said about it was this: "I'm very pleasantly surprised by this lens! I have been using the "EOS" system . . ."!

So, keep the price and your expectations down and you may be pleathantly thurprithed.

G

That's more like it. Should keep Pete happy.

G

Shame about the soft JPEGs, though. Other than that, it's a pretty good camera.

G

Or you are doing something wrong. These are complicated bits of kit, and it is all too easy to overlook or misunderstand something written in Japlish.

As you say, it's rather a coincidence that two things have gone wrong at once, but I should be surprised if the Sigma has caused a problem with the camera. If the flashgun were a twisted, smouldering, piece of molten plastic then perhaps the capacitor got shorted and destroyed everything, but the fact that in every other way everything seems to work suggests to me that the voltage is under control.

G

I think it is unlikely that the Sigma has damaged the Pentax. Flashguns haven't used high voltages for years.

G

Be warned that there are a number of dodgy American box pushers on the East Coast, of which Abe's is the most infamous.

Easily the best American seller is B&H in New York. Honest, competent, and reasonable prices. They have a real store and real people. Abe's and the others operate out of little boxes in the backstreets.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

But I haven't heard any rumours of a next model. You may have to wait awhile.

G

Try buying from Abe's of Maine. They will tell you that the price quoted doesn't include the sensor, whcih will be $200 extra. Then they'll say that the quoted price refers to a grey import that was dropped three stories, and you might be better off buying one for $1,400.

In any civilised country they would have been closed down, but in America they are regarded as enthusiastic supporters of free enterprise.

G