If it does what you need it to do there is no reason to change. I just needed a new body because of focusing issues, if I'd liked any of the Pentax bodies at the time I could have gone that way too.

Differences ? Between Pentax & Nikon.
Well you all know the problems I've had with my DS, it was really only when I tried to use the old lenses that I had an auto focus issue. I can't damn all Pentax cameras for that. The fact that both the Pentax K20D & Nikon D300 both have adjustment for multiple lenses show that this is a general problem and they acknowledge the fact and are doing something about it.

However with auto focus I was once bitten twice shy so when the D50 proved to be ok I thought might as well go with it.

Things that niggled with Pentax in general.
Not keen on new bigger bodies, would like a more sculpted grip.
Still no macro flash. I couldn't have a new body and flash that works with it, 2 macroa & no flash are they serious.

77mm Limited seems optically inferior to old M series 85mm ? 70mm only F2.8 ? I like the size and the quality but would like F2.

New 17-70 looks nice but wont work with DS so whatever happens I'd have to buy a new body.

Pentax best zoom lenses can be bought in other mounts under the Tokina brand and without the quality control problems.

This all sounds a bit negative I know, having said all that I like a lot about Pentax and it suits me better than any other brand, feels right, you get more body and lenses for your money than the others.

Comparing the DS & D50 ? It's not really fair to judge each brand by comparing two three year old bodies against each other so bear that in mind. These are just my personal feelings.

Nikon D50 pros
More responsive in general, menus and operation much more nippy.
Images much sharper.
Can change things like iso and flash without going into menus.
This particular one focuses more accurately than my DS.
Feels a bit more solid but its very marginal.
Viewfinder brighter but not so maginified.
Flash sync an 1/500 with any flash ? Good.
Hyper programme equivalent with only one wheel ? Good idea.

D50 cons
Blows highlights more easily.
Raw buffer only 3 shots (DS is 5)
colours a bit more washed out
No mirror lock up which is very annoying using a tripod. (this is the thing that annoys me most)
Bit bulkier possibly a wee bite heavier.
Button not flush so can be knocked easily, they dont click like the DS this makes automatic image review unusable which is annoying too.
No decent software with camera, the Pentax stuff isn't the best but it's a lot better than the stuff that comes with Nikon.
No DOF preview which makes macro work a real pain.

Overall I'd like the DS to be as sharp and responsive as the D50 and focus as well then it would be the better camera or I'd like the D50 to have DOF preview, colours like the Pentax, buttons like the Pentax and mirror lock up then it would be the better camera.

I've just bought a new Nikon 50mm F1.4, it will be interesting to see how it compares to the Pentax. I'll let you know. Hope someone is still interested

This better not be true otherwise I will cry.

It is my most used prime on both film and digital. You can't go wrong with one of these.

Thanks, I really only made up my mind yesterday, you knew before I did.

I will advertise the DS here if I sell it so at least everyone can avoid it !

It's not a complete dud though it just didn't like a lot of prime lenses. It was ok with all the modern zooms and some primes like both macros and the FA50 so it would still be good for macro or with the kit 18-55 or 50-200.

Well I've finally decided to switch kit completley so I'm selling my most used can't live without items now. Will ebay tomorrow or in a weeks time, depends on how quickly I can get photos of them. I will edit in the Ebay links when they're listed.

FA100 F2.8 with caps, case, filter & box (though lost polystyrene from box). Beautifull condition optically,mechanically and cosmetically mint- all round. This one has the focus limiter etc, all metal built like a tank. Yours for £250 delivered.

FA50 F2.8 This is supposed to be the sharpest lens Pentax ever made and I beleive them. This one is very beaten up, I bought it reconditioned ( by a hammer by the looks of it ) and probably paid well over the odds for it. Cosmetically poor ( the plastic window has a crack ), mechanically the filter ring has a bash so it's hard to get the filter on, however it works perfectley, very smooth focus, excellent optical condition and this lens optically is a real star. Grab a bargain £110 delivered. I have the box for this one too.

Vivitar Macro flash for Pentax, includes 52mm,55mm and 58mm rings works perfectley, uses TTL or manual so will work on all film bodies from LX onwards, istD, DS , DS2 but as the later bodies don't have ttl not on automatic on the K10, K20. Working in manual mode involves setting the correct aperture for the distance as the flash will always fire on full power so not as usefull as in automatic mode. Condition is very good, have the original box ( I think ) only one year old £65 delivered.

More items to come.

I love the idea of the limiteds but they just didn't seem to be suited to my DS. I really needed a quality standard zoom that wasn't too huge and it looked like the Nikon 16-85 was about the best available. I also wanted a small decent body and didn't like any of the current Pentax line up (feel and weight a bit subjective) . Given that, the fact that the new 17-70 ( that maybe very good ) wont work on the DS, the problems with the 16-50 sample variation all meant that I needed a new body & standard lens ( 24-90 wasn't doing well on the DS either. Problems reported with the new K20D sensor and the high price of the body didn't help either. My old macro flash won't work on the newer Pentaxes either.

If Pentax eventually come out with a really great small body, a macro flash is produced, the new limiteds come out 15,30,55 and the 17-70 is as good as the 16-45 then I might switch back as I really want a small slr. I love the Pentax lenses but at the moment I don't love the bodies.

I have ordered a cheap macro flash for the Nikon, if that's ok then I could think about selling the Pentax macros and that would be a hard one to come back from but we'll see if it's ok and what happens at Photokina. I hadn't really made up my mind until this week to sell it all ( except the MX ) and even now I'm not 100%, the DS is better for macro due the the mirror lock up and the Pentax prime lenses seem better than the Nikon, bokeh is superior on the Pentax macro.

I bought a new Zenit E when I was at school which cost £42 with case but they would at least throw in a free slide film with it.

A year later I bought a 2nd hand Fujica ST705 from the camera club teacher who was going to buy the just released Minolta XD9 ( I think it was that one, I know it was the first camera to support all automatic modes).

I went to college and the ST705 with it's awesome 55mm F1.8 standard lens, Tamron AD2 28mm and Pentax 85mm F1.9 lasted me to the end of college when I bought an MX just because it had a bayonet mount.

Still used the Tamron 28mm on the Pentax by buying a new mount but bought a Pentax 85mm F2 for the MX and that all did me fine until the MZ5 came out.

MZ5 eventually broke so I bought a Z1P.

Then digital came along and I bought a DS.

Bought Nikon D50.

Still looking at K20. Cant decide what to do next.

You have to take what they say with a pinch of salt as they almost always say everything is great. That doesn't mean it isn't but I'd just like a 2nd opinion.

Can we scrub this one please it's sold, ta.