I'll add centre point focus to my list as well.

The only thing that has happened here is that a few prices have increased, so I do think all the worry is a bit out of proportion. I would be glad of what I'd already bought and mindful to watch prices carefully and judge my time for what I wanted to buy next.

There will be offers, cashbacks, incentives, just as there always were. And no doubt exciting new products as well.

As an aside, I don't really think Olympus are the shining example of how to do things at the moment. They have just announced a "slimming down" of their range, following all the financial revelations and prosecutions of recent months. I hate to think how depressed we could be if that had been Pentax.

So by comparison, extending a few price rises to the mean end of the Pentax world is just possibly a bit OTT?

You probably need something more to make a search. "Firmware 1.13" might be better, or "Firmware K-5". This might narrow things down a bit more. Plus there's a minimum number of characters for a search.

Natural. sRGB. Centre weighted metering. Premium Quality JPEG. Av or M as appropriate, usually Av generally but M for studio flash. +1 sharpness.

I think that sums it up, hope it's helpful, but that's just my preference and it might not be yours.

Sue had this lens with her *ist, the last of the film cameras from Pentax.

It produced beautiful colour slides and was entirely satisfactory. I think it was also shipped with the *istD, the first Pentax proper DSLR.

The FAJ lenses looked a bit plasticky, but in fact performed well.

No personal remarks please. Argue the point by all means, but let's have it all about the discussion, not the people involved in the discussion.

Back on topic please....

Well let's deviate slightly away from conflict and just consider that over the decades manufacturers have contstantly been trying to wean us off 35mm format onto smaller formats. Half frame, 126, 110, Disc, APS....and finally, with APS-C digital cameras they have pretty much succeeded. Why would they willingly go back?

Why smaller formats? Initially the high cost of silver used in films, but as regards hardware smaller cameras, less materials, lower production costs, lower transport costs, and latterly a higher success rate when manufacturing small sensors.

If anyone makes a larger camera it's for specific reasons and a specific, identified market. It comes with a higher cost, in some cases a much higher cost.

Using camera phones and compact cameras is all well and good, but it's best for social and spontaneous photography.

Making quality images that stand up as images is something else entirely, and for that we really need a DSLR.

The right tool for the right job.

Don't worry, next week it may all be good for us again.