I really find this a puzzle. If everything else is equal apart from the sensor size, eg a full frame camera that shares the body of the K-5 or its successor and even manages to be at the same price point (given probably not at first) would we still be asking why we need it?
I appreciate we aren't there yet but in case someone thinks that cannot happen the MX and ME were smaller than a K-5 and sensor prices are dropping so why not? If any camera manufacturer can do it it would surely most likely be Pentax.

John

Not sure that anyone really needs a camera at all, full frame or otherwise. But presuming one does what type one wants is a personal decision.

Back in the film days, should you be tasked with preparing a slide show, would you want normal 35mm transparencies or half frame (=APS-C more or less)?

With everything else being equal, the 'full frame' 35mm ones would have more definition, less grain, look sharper, less prone to dust. Doesn't that apply to digital as well?

John

[quote="Digital Camera Review"]An intriguing feature of the A30 is “intelligent zoom”, which Pentax describes as “an evolved form of digital zoom”. At least one reputable camera shop website says “intelligent zoom” works by “cropping into” the central portion of the CCD sensor image.

In the past, the words “digital zoom” were enough to send most folks in the other direction – digital zooms provide image enlargement but with definite degradation in image quality. The first thing I did with all my P&S cameras was disable the digital zoom. The Pentax “intelligent zoom” does seem to be a different critter with respect to image quality, however.

On the A30, “intelligent zoom” ratios are directly tied to image size – the feature is not available at the 10 megapixel size, but offers 3.6x at 7 megapixels, 4.2x at 5 megapixels, 5.3x at 3 megapixels, etc. If you don’t have need for the A30’s full 10 megapixel sensor capacity, “intelligent zoom” looks like a great way to get some added focal length without the usual image degradation found with digital zoom. (The A30 does have a 5.4x standard digital zoom as well, for those who wish to use it).[/quote]Link to the full review.

SRS do: http://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/article/12/hire.html

If you say where you are perhaps someone local to you may be able to help.

John

Just read those rules; is there no provision for colour slides now?

I'd have thought a good 35mm slide would look far better projected than any smallish digital image.

John

I reckon you're right.

Clearly some of those pontificating previously have never used one but are practising to get a job in customer support!

John

They are a UK company trading online so the usual distance selling regulations should apply. Purchase with a credit card would give some backup should things go wrong. Their feedback looks acceptable. I've never used them but cannot see any reason why not to.

Wonder if this lens might have originally come from the Jacobs stock sell-off auction; some of those were ex demo's.

John

They're not confusing at all.

Add a 2x converter to a 50mm f2 lens you effectively now have a 100mm f4 lens; the closest focus remains the same. Add a 1.4x converter to that 50mm f2 lens and you have the equivalent of a 70mm f2.8 lens. That's all there is to it! Depth of field would be same as any lens it has become the equivalent of.

Forget crop factors, you don't suddenly take that into special consideration when swapping from a 50mm lens to a 100mm lens on the same camera or altering the focal length of a zoom lens.

What might have an impact on the resulting image is the magnification of lens aberrations - eg any purple fringing might be more obvious.

John

That's my belief too.

John

Surely it's all down to personal preference? You may even find several pictures of different sizes works well, but as to what size, well, you could ask a neighbour or your best friend who knows your space. But at the end of the day it's got to be your decision, don't you think?!

John