The rumour mill suggests that Pentax will soon produce a cheaper digital SLR, and also a MF camera (645 replacement) using a 35mm-sized chip. Sounds crazy, I know, but that's from the CEO of Pentax.

What Pentax WON'T do is produce a K-mount camera with a 35mm-sized chip. The future is APS-sized and digital for the K mount, which is why Pentax is producing new K lenses that won't fill a 35mm frame.

The *ist D is a superb and very well-made camera. It is already used by a great many pro photographers who had previously used Pentax film cameras. The construction quality is excellent.

It is easy to use, but very flexible, rather like the Z1/Z1-P. However, it is smaller than that camera and better built.

Virtually any accessory that works on a Pentax auto-focus camera will work fine on the *ist D, as will ALL K lenses and flash units. Obviously it won't make a manual lens into an auto-focus, or a program flash into TTL!

If you have Pentax lenses (and can afford it), there is no reason not to buy one.

The firmware upgrade is a piece of cake.

Sorry to dash your hopes, but the width of the bayonet is much greater than 42mm, which is why 42mm lenses can be fitted to bayonet cameras, but not the other way round.

It's amazing how many 50mm lenses are on sale on Ebay at the moment, and as a result the price is very low. I recently picked up a very good A 1.7 for £15.00.

At these prices, everybody should buy one.

The only K mount digital is the *ist D, which is probably not what you had in mind when you said "reasonably-priced".

However Pentax are expected to announce a cheaper digital SLR at Photokina in September. It's probably worth your while to wait.

Most people find card readers more convenient, and they don't use up the battery. Mine cost £8.00.

These adaptors are supplied with a special key, which you can see in the photos here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=15240&item=3872...

Using ball-point pens or screw-drivers is feasible, but more difficult.

However, as I posted last year, I prefer to remove the piece of springy metal that holds the adaptor in place on the body. Although it means that the lens can detach itself from the camera quite easily, I find this preferable to struggling witht the key or some other implement.

G

I find these mounts a pain, and have removed the little bit of springy metal that holds the adaptor in place.

It does mean that the whole caboodle can dismount itself if you're not careful, but I find that less of a problem than struggling with the key to get the adpator off.

I've recently bought an old Spottie, too. My first one I bought new in 1973 for £100 exactly - a month's pay. Just waiting to see how the first film turns out.

F1.7 is better. This number indicates the maximum aperture of the lens. A lower number means the lens will allow more light through, which means you can take pictures in darker conditions.

Of course, every lens is different, so it could be that the F2 lens was optically better than the F1.7. However, all Pentax 50mm lenses are very good, and the F1.7 is certainly not inferior to the F2.

Boz's site says that older K1000s had Asahi on the prism above the word Pentax, and newer ones don't. This one DOES have Asahi, so the chances are good that it is an all-metal version.