Special Edition Silver K-3 s are in the post!

Much impressed by a phone call today from SRS Microsystems to tell me my silver K-3 has arrived and is being despatched by Parcelforce, should be in my hands by Monday (Though I have fingers crossed for Saturday)

It's for the silver K-3 with matching silver DB5 grip, and hooray! They allowed me £125 as a trade in on a black ME and lens! That sort of makes it cost around the same as the standard black version with grip.

I must report how I get on.....I am like a kid on Christmas Eve!

It was, and I forgot...Please, no-one else make that mistake!

Some time ago I bought a Pentax DA* 50-135mm lens through Ebay. The seller advertised it as being perfect optically and cosmetically but with a slow, hesitant and erratic autofocus.

Naturally I was able to get it at a very good price, and have used it as a manual focus lens..

Recently I had some funds spare so sent the lens off to Pentax UK's servicing people who got the lens back to me well packed in about ten days, having fitted a new SDM Motor and PCB (Printed Circuit Board?).

I now have a 50-135mm that looks and functions like a new one.
Pentax charged £180 which includes postage, packing and VAT.

I think £180 was a fair price for this repair on what is a £900 lens new, service was quick, and it may be a help to anyone with a similar issue worried about the cost.

Think "Royal Marines Band" in bright, clear morning sunlight....immaculate white helmets and darkest blue black of uniforms, all with polished kit and instruments catching highlights.......

There's a good chance that RAW might be the best bet there! but with the RAW + .jpg option you're sorted.

Graham.

"JonSchick" I can only support what "johnriley" has written.

For "average" well lit and balanced scenes the K-5 does very well in creating a .jpg, (I use the same settings he does).

I found that I could spend a fair bit of time editing a RAW image only to get the same result as the camera did with it's .jpg.

However I like the fact that when lighting or conditions at the scene dictate, I have a one button solution to shoot a RAW + .jpg to give me the option of deeper Post Processing.

Graham.

Ha! True, but I used to get AP as well, loved all the technical minutiae over different processing chemicals for different effects and speed ratings, PLUS the best range of advertising in those pre Internet days. Goodness knows how many times we viewed HMS Belfast in resolution and contrast tests.......

I had that magazine from issue one, it was a great publication, ahead of its time!

I have an Asahi Pentax Spotmatic F and an Asahi Pentax MX, and Asahi Optical Co. ME super and a Hoya Pentax K-5, and some super multi coated Takumar lenses, some straight Pentax lenses, I have had Rikenon Lenses and have a Sigma Lens.

I now have a Ricoh Pentax K-3 on order.

Love the old ones, looking forward to the new one! (Whoever owns the company)

£2.70p per pint?

Three hundred and sixty six pints of beer.