My four month old Hoya HD circular polariser has flecks in it too. They don't seem to affect the photos though.

I have the Sigma. It is an excellent lens. I used to use it a lot, especially when photographing my grandsons.

I haven't used it much lately, and it is now on the list to possibly be sold. I haven't made up my mind on that yet, because it is such a good lens, but since it spends most of it's life on a shelf now it might be the time for it to go.

The big electronic shops here in the Netherlands never sold Pentax gear. Dixons had the K10D on sale very briefly but that was all. Only Mediamarkt has any Pentax stuff, and that is thin on the ground.
Even some approved Pentax dealers, like my local camera shop don't stock Pentax.
Luckily we have some very good largish photographic shops scattered around the country which do have Pentax stuff in.
I think it is the same everywhere - I noticed it in the US both last year and this too.

The dog is clearly issuing a warning which needs to be heeded.

Nigel every manufacturer has their own name for it. Sigma chose OS. Annoying isn't it? Like all those other seemingly meaningless letter combinations that get added to lens names. Eventually you get to know what they all mean though, well most of them anyway.

Paul I have the Bigma - the 50-500, no HSM on it but it is a great lens. Others here who have one will agree. maybe if you are going to try the 150-500 you could try the 50-500 too if the shop has one.

Edit: missed an apostrophe!

Sorry Mike but I agree with Paul. A great photo, and a scary one.

I personally would be less than happy if one of my dogs behaved like that with one of my children - that is a very threatening grimace, from a very unhappy, nervous dog. I'm not sure I'd be taking photos if I saw my dog behaving like that around a child.

I'd be a bit careful of letting your son get that close to Finlay again tbh.

I upgraded from a Ds to the K20D. In all honesty I miss the Ds, which has since died, or actually was killed by my darling husband.
I miss the size of it, the ease of use, the quality of pictures from it.
I am really struggling to get anything like the quality out of my K20d. I know it's me not the camera, but I can't seem to get the settings to suit my style. I'm just not in love with this camera like I was with the Ds. It is too bulky and I am struggling with it. When I see the photos from the K-m for instance I think I made a mistake.
If I could afford to I would probably trade it in for the K7 but the camera is less than a year old so I couldn't really justify it even if I could afford it. And I'm not sure I would like the K7 any better.

Almost makes me homesick! The Sundays spent watching and scoring cricket whilst my husband did his demon bowler bit.

I really like the first two in the second batch - the flying bail is well captured and the pose in the second one, with the ball in shot is also really good.

I'm with you Barrie I think. Even in normal circumstances I don't have the time to take that many photos.

At the moment when I am struggling to take any photographs at all. I went to the zoo on Monday but I didn't take my camera. I just couldn't face lugging it around. I'm hoping inspiration and enthusiasm return soon. I took nearly 3000 photos in four weeks on holiday. I was disappointed with the bulk of them and it has hit me hard I think. Can't get any enthusiasm going at all.

How strange. Maybe you should get in touch with Pentax about it?