The A filters are, I think, 75mm square, and the P ones 100mm square, for use on larger lenses and medium format.

Cokin isn't glass, but dyed optical quality acrylic of some kind (forget what exactly).

Perhaps predictably, I prefer "proper" glass filters, when I use filters, and that usually means SMC Pentax, B&W or Heliopan. Part of the reason is the superior coating (Colkin are not coated at all, are they?), the more compact design and the potentially higher image quality.

With digital photography, I rarely use filters at all, adding the effects in Photoshop. CS2 is especially good for this, with its series of photographic filters. Want an 81A, then just dial it in!

Glad to hear it's nice and warm in Arizona!

The 18-55mm is a little soft wide open, but the two examples we have both crisp up very nicely when stopped down.

There are lots of fans of the 16-45 and the 24-90, and the new 12-24 should be excellent as well.

Otherwise, any Pentax lens, manual or autofocus, and with an "A" setting if it has an aperture ring, should give distictly superior results.

A couple of things to start you off, but most importantly I would suggest working through the custom settings and deciding how you want the camera to be set up. I would suggest using centre spot focus only, switching off the auto ISO and using the best setting of 200 wherever possible, and just checking that the rest suit.

New batteries may not last well - it can take a few charges for them to get up to spec. Switching the camera off and resting batteries can allow them to recover slightly, but the effect is temporary.

I don't know what software you have, but a digital image file is a digital image file and if you are set up to use the Kodak software as a default then that is what your computer will want to do. I would recommend using a card reader instead of connecting up the camera. Quicker and more reliable. If your batteries had actually run out during data transfer you could have corrupted your data or even the card. Although it was OK this time, the card reader is cheap and effective.

I don't know what lenses you are using, but the A setting is only to allow the camera to control the lens aperture. Auto Pict is probably not the best setting to use, and the instruction book will enable you to choose which operational mode you prefer. I use the Av (aperture priority) setting or manual.

If you take time with the instructions, it will all be much easier. Have fun!

The two things are the same.

This thread has contained some True Wisdom

No, don't worry, you can never have too many cameras!

The SMC Pentax 28mm f3.5 is the same lens as the Takumar screw-thread version it replaced. By the time we get to the M series, it will be a redesign that is much more compact.

When the K series of cameras was introduced, many of the lenses for the Spotmatic were immediately produced in K mount versions and called SMC Pentax. It took several months for new designs to appear, such as the 24mm f3.5 being replaced by the smaller 24mm f2.8.

I presume you mean a manual focus version, in which case I would go for the SMC Pentax-M 28mm f2.8, compact, superb, one more element than the f3.5 version.

The SMC Pentax 28mm f2 is no doubt a very fine lens, but bulky by comparison and very expensive.

If you like wide angles and want to stretch things a little more, the SMC Pentax 24mm f2.8 is an excellent choice.

Thanks, I'm currently watching it....

It would be nice to have a shift lens, but I prefer 24mm lenses to 28mm, I guess it's close. I might bid yet, we'll see!

1. Among the bayonet 50mm lenses, the M series f1.7 is my favourite for its very nice balance of optical properties. Ironically, some people prefer the screw thread standard lenses which need more stopping down for optimum quality, but are said to have a superior performance at that optimum point. This would also apply to the optically identical K lenses. The M lens might peak at f5.6-f8 and the earlier ones at f11

2. A mint SMC Pentax-M 50mm f1.7 might go on eBay at as little as £20 GBP or much more, depending on the mood at the time. I think the price you quote is OK for a shop price, maybe a whisker on the high side. A chance to negotiate?

3. No, you're not completely nuts, nobody's perfect! Who could be nuts anyway that's into Pentax gear?

4. Don't forget to let us know how you get on with the lens....