I tend to agree that you should hang on to the FA50.

I think everyone should have at least one prime lens and if you are only going to have one then an FA50 is the obvious choice.

Using a prime lens makes you think a lot more about the composition of the shot and I think this experience becomes a benefit when going back to a zoom lens.

The f1.4 also gives you that extra bit of low-light performance.


Glyn

I agree. The K10D & K20D have a sort of rectangular power connector and the the older DSLRs have a round one. So I guess the source for your AC76U quote may be wrong.

I think the safest option is to go for the D-AC50 as it is the defined power supply unit in the K20D manual.

Glyn

I came to Pentax in 2005. However I did not really come from anywhere in particular. At the time I think, as a family, we were still using an old Olympus Trip and our first digital camera which was an Olympus C-300 zoom compact. ( Remember Smart media cards??)

I choose Pentax because my youngest daughter, having just finished A level Photography and got a job, had bought a Canon 350D. It looked good and was easy to use but I did not want to encroach on her expertise. So I wanted something different and the *ist DS looked very attractive at this time. This started me off on a Pentax path. (I still have & love that DS). Now of course I have a largish investment in lenses and will probably never change brands. However I am still very happy on the Pentax DSLR path


I still have a separate compact camera for when a DSLR is too conspicuous and I'm afraid this is a Fugi F40fd, so not a Pentax


Glyn

I don't have any experience with these power supplies but the K20D manual specifies the D-AC50 in its list of accessories (Section 12, Optional Accessories, page 256).

I guess it depends on if you want it to work with a range of Pentax DSLRs or just the K10/20D.

Glyn

The mini HDMI to HDMI cable that I ordered on Monday arrived today so I have been able to plug my K-7 into our full HD TV.

I have only tried it with the K-7 set to 1080i but it looks great

Glyn

PS I'm off to try and explain layers in Photoshop to our local U3A photo group (wish me luck!). If they get bored I'll have a go at plugging the K-7 into their projector.

Mine only arrived yesterday lunch time and then I had to wait for the battery to charge up.

Coming from a K20D one of the, albeit small, problems that I have been having is that the green button has moved. It seems to have swapped places with the +/- ev button. I use the green button a lot as I tend to use the camera in program mode and then adjust the aperture and/or shutter speed with the dials. If, or rather when, I mess it up the green button quickly gets it back to the starting conditions. Starting off with the K-7 I kept pushing the wrong button and wondered why nothing happened. Now I've got used to it I guess I'll have the reverse problem going back to the K20D which I intend to keep as a back-up.

I too have worries about the durability of the hinged rubber covers. I don't, though, seem to have the reported problems with removing the SD card. I'm using Toshiba 8Gb SDHC class 4's with no apparent problems.


The K-7 is smaller than the K20D and it is almost dwarfed by the DA*16-50. I guess that means a grip is a desirable accessory but this will have to wait until the price comes down. I hardly ever use the grip on the K20D.

The dynamic range setting option is more advanced than on the K20D. Highlight and shadow correction have been separated but how do you know how much shadow correction to use? The manual just seems to explain how to set it not how or why to use it

I've not been able to see a difference with the lens correction option other than it slowing the camera down but I've only tried it inside and in the garden. I must find a large building and try it with the DA18-250 at the wide end. If it can correct that it will be marvellous

Glyn

Correct. So on my K10 I measured many of the lenses in my collection that had a focal length of around 50mm and then calculated an average setting:

Lens / K10D Focus setting
Samsung 35mm F2.0 / +150
Pentax DA35mm F2.8 / +160
Pentax FA50mm F1.7 / +90
Pentax FA50mm F1.4 / +100
pentax DA*16-50 @ 50mm F2.8 / +100
Pentax DA18-55II @50mm F5.6 / +0 !!
Sigma 18-125 @50mm F5.6 / +210 !!
Pentax DA18-50 @50mm F5.6 / +120
Pentax DA40mm F2.8 / +100
Pentax FA28-105 @50mm F4.0 / +150
Pentax FA28-80 @50mm F4.0 / +100

A full average came out at +116 and dropping the two extremes gave an average of 118.88. You can only set the K10 in steps of 10 so I set it to 120. After that I was very happy with its performance.

With the K20D you can set an individual value for one of each type of lens up to a maximum of 16. The setting values are in a different range. My lens collection had evolved and I am using these measured settings:

Lens / K20 AF adj
Samsung 35mm f2.0 / -3
Pentax DA 35mm f2.8 / -3
Pentax FA 50mm f1.7 / -6
Pentax FA 50mm f1.4 / -5
Pentax DA* 16-50mm f2.8 (old) @ 50mm / -6
Pentax DA 18-55mm II (1) @ 50mm f5.6 / -10
Pentax DA 18-55mm II (2) @ 50mm f5.6 / -10
Pentax DA 40mm f2.8 / -5

Pentax DA 18-250mm @ 18mm f3.5 / -4 (left @ 0 see below)
Pentax DA 18-250mm @ 50mm f4.5 / +5 (so left @ 0 AF adj!)

Samsung 100mm f2.8 macro / 0
Pentax DA* 16-50mm f2.8 @ (New) @ 50mm / 0


I expect to soon have to repeat the process on a K-7!


Glyn

PS - How do you do tabs in these posts? It also seems to convert multiple spaces into a single space

I already have a DA*16-50, which, like all DA*s, has weather seals, so I don't really see the point of having a 18-55 WR other than for selling on for a profit when buying a K-7 body and, to be honest, I don't want the hassle

However I guess there may well soon be a few of these available on ebay from people doing exactly this.

Glyn

Thanks for that and its not going to be a problem as I did not like their vague delivery period. Now I understand why. I only found them because they were listed in Amazon.

I was too far down the pre-order list for SRS's first batch but they kindly let be cancel my pre-order and I have now ordered one from Park Cameras which should arrive on Monday Given the cost and complexity of the device I think its probably better get it from somewhere that looks after you if it goes wrong. Even if it does cost a little extra

Cheers,

Glyn

Simply Electronics are quoting £1139.95 for K-7 bodies with stock available see here so are undercutting SRS and Park Cameras. They will not however allow express delivery on this item only offering only their, free, standard dispatch in 1-2 business days and delivery in 3 to 10 days.

Glyn