Well if it follows the pattern it will be due 18 months after the K-5, I'll put a bet on a new body design:

K10D then K20D new sensor, more MP, some more features/fixes, same body.

K-7 then K-5 new sensor, more MP, some more features/fixes, same body.

Maybe we'll get a body that gets rid of the shutter induced blur that was a issue in the K-7 and to a lesser extent the K-5.

John

A great set, I was up near the Solway a couple of years ago in similar conditions while staying with a friend in Wigtown, truly ferocious winds.

John

A lovely set #'s 5, 10, 11, 12 are my favourites.

John

I wouldn't pay a premium price for the Tamron either IMHO it's just a rebadged Kenko, they perform identically on my setup. They do tend to be rebadged "Teleplus", "Kenko", "Promaster" etc all made by the same company.

John

Best of luck

John

Some notes about early converters which work with SDM that I found by experience:

There's no way of setting the SR to the required focal length, the camera automatically detects the FL of the master lens and no way to override it.

When hand held the DA*300 tends to hunt just either side of the focus point due to body movement and very shallow DoF with a converter fitted, at least this is my experience.

Both the above can be overcome with a sufficiently sturdy tripod/head and a reasonably fast shutter speed, the latter being a requirement to freeze subject movement in wildlife photography anyway in my experience.

I hope this is of some help.

John

AFAIK Only with an early pre SDM body like the *istD

John

The Tamrom-F AF1.4X Pz-AF MC4, Teleplus (Kenko) Pz-AF 1.5x SHQ, Promaster (Kenko) Pz-AF 1.7x SHQ will all work with SDM and give good results with the DA*300, you will probably have to find them secondhad. The Tamron is no longer made in Pentax fit and Kenko no longer seem to produce the SHQ (Super High Quality) converters.

I have the Teleplus 2X Pz-AF MC7 as well, this will not work with SDM, at least my sample won't.

John

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Pentax 645D Day With Pentax, Epson & John Clements

Thought it may be of interest to some.

John

Have you checked the settings? The above image was 4*, +1 saturation, +1 sharpning, +1 contast, +/-o hue shoit at ISO 400 noise reduction off as I apply NR in PP if needed. I would have thought the K-5 would produce a larger size file all things being equal.

John