The thing is, manufacturers don't have to follow each other at all any more. Back in the days of film then all the competing systems had to be based on dimensions dictated by the film makers (Kodak, Fuji, Ilford, etc) or their products wouldn't work. Now each company makes their own sensors (or has the opportunity to do so) there is no need for them to all wander down the same path - we're simply going through a transitional period where they're all making comparisons to 35mm in order not to confuse the general public. Once those who have never used a film camera form the majority of buyers then this period will end and we'll see comparisons based on who makes the best sensor rather than who makes the biggest. There's an outside chance that the biggest will also happen to be the best, however, I have a hunch that technology will overcome the current limitations of the smaller sensors and the current crop of full frame DSLRs will be looked back upon as dinosaurs that slavishly followed an outdated format that was well passed its sell-by date (after all, 35mm film was introduced as a cinematic format in the days before "talkies" - I think with 100+ years under its belt it's time it took its retirement gracefully).

In answer to the original question; I wouldn't want a full frame sensor - not just because it would be horrendously expensive (and marginally bulkier) but also because it would kill one or other of two things that I love about the current system: In body SR and the K mount itself.

In order to have in-body SR the image circle of the lens must be larger than the sensor in order for it to move around without straying over the edges and causing vignetting (hence the DA's cover an APS-H area).

To have SR on a full frame sensor you would either need lens based stabilisation like Nikon and Canon or, if you wanted it in-body, you'd need a new series of lenses that formed a larger-than-35mm image circle. It's unlikely the K mount would physically support the latter so either way you'd be looking at replacing your entire lens collection with absolutely no backwards compatability (or maybe limited to using an adaptor and cropping the sensor to an APS-C size when your current lenses were fitted - kinda defies the whole point of the exercise for me).

As for when Pentax will release a "Full Frame" sensor - let's hope it's around about the Forty-Teenth of Never or we'll all be looking at large piles of scrap glass. I already own a Practika B Mount so I know the pain well...

I've been in the Pentax fold for only 7 months now and already I can identify Asahi equipment made 30+ years ago. I don't know whether to be proud or scared!

That looks like one of the finders to fit the earlier cameras like the Spotmatics to me - you could probably fashion your own adaptor from a thin strip of aluminium or steel but I doubt you'd get a full view of the viewfinder (including all the shooting info along the bottom) from what I understand.

I saw a lot of these on ebay and gave them some consideration before deciding to buy the Seagull angle finder instead (genuine Pentax units to fit the later cameras are quite pricey, even second hand).

I think your seller either made a mistake or was genuinely misleading - hard to tell really...

I've got an M50/1.4 and that's very easy to predict on my K10D. Wide open is fine, by f8 it's 1 stop under, by f22 it's 2 under. I've not really used it since I got the FA43 but it was just a case of guesstimating the right shutter speed and taking a test shot to double check each time. From what I've read peoples' experience varies from lens to lens (and camera to camera in some cases).

Excellent judging Dan, I'm quite chuffed with a commended so thanks!

And well done to Dirk - I thought yours was a fantastic image and showed a really vivid imagination. I imagine it took a while to compile but worth it in the end!

Paper(s), Scissors, (already) Stone(d).




K10D / FA43 / f3.5 / 1-180sec / ISO200 / AF360FGZ

I suspect that the surge in prices for used Pentax gear seen over the last 12 months is due to people (like me) who bought into Pentax for the first time on the basis of the K10D being an excellent DSLR - we then needed some glass to round out our kits.

Now that the K10D and K100D Super can be had at such astonishingly low prices (for what they offer when compared to other brands) it seems the Pentax ranks are swelling at a phenomenal rate, made up mainly of people who are new to DSLR's and/or photography in general. I suspect a significant minority of these new people may also wish to try out some of their newly purchased lenses on film cameras - I know I do - and so the cost of all used Pentax equipment (bodies, bellows, angle finders, you name it) is dragged upwards.

With the imminent release of some (reportedly groundbreaking) new bodies in the very near future I can only see this situation accelerating. For those who have been with Pentax for some time this is great news as the value of their equipment is almost certainly much higher than it was a couple of years ago; for those new to the system though it may be time to dispel the myth that Pentax offers an advantage over other systems due to the cheapness and general availability of old compatible lenses - it simply doesn't hold true any more.

Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy for Pentax to be doing so well and I personally haven't regretted for a moment buying into the ranks of K-mount users, however, anyone looking for second hand bargains would probably be better served with Sony at this time (old Minolta glass can currently be had at rock bottom prices). All I need now is for someone to make an exceptional, popular and cheap DSLR with a Practika B mount and I'll be minted!

I've handled a (non Pentax) camera with these sorts of frames and they were stored in a folder on the memory card. If the Optio is the same, then when you connect the card to the computer (I'd recommend a card reader to save your batteries, plus they're dirt cheap these days) you'll see two folders at the root; one which holds the pictures that the camera takes and one that holds frames. Adding new ones should be as simple as dragging and dropping your new frames to this folder and then putting it back in the camera.

Happy shooting!

I did get it and I PM'd you back with my phone number - guess it never came through so I'll send it again in a minute. I don't mind having a look but I'm not making any promises as (a) it's a Dell at heart, (b) I'm a builder rather than a fixer and (c) did I mention it's a Dell at heart? Now I've said the D-word twice in one sentence I must go and wash my mouth out...

See if it works first, then you can thank me!

Good luck fella.