That’s what a forum is for, discussion and air different views in a civilised manner.
I know it goes on this “I’ll scratch your back” Business’s have been doing it for years.
MP’ have just been caught at it, been paid for favourable reports.
In my mind it is corruption no more no less.
Getting back to so called reviews in the photographic media, I could almost guarantee if I were to pay mega bucks on advertising with the mag the front page would have a very large Pentax K-7 on the front rather than the other one. (I had to say the other one because it is a dirty word on here:wink

Marketing and the media are a hobby of mine, and it does help no end, there is an old saying “He who pays the Piper calls the tune” I think that is how it goes.

Just look at the front cover of the AP in question, a full 4 page review of the K-7 that was in the top left hand corner of the front page, easily missed, some have, the D300s plastered over the rest of the page.
If you managed to read my comments it was not against the AP as such more criticising Pentax’s strategy of putting out to journalists, an incomplete product, preproduction and with a lens that would not do it justice.
That was my main criticism.
I personally have decided not to buy a K-7, it does not suit my requirements, in fact I have bought another make, but I will not go into it here on this forum. But others it will suit fine.
And I was not having a dig at Nikon or Nikon users I do not care what logo is on the front of a camera as long as it does what I want it to.

Well as reviews by AP go the K-7 came out quite well, and most that was said was quite true.
The last bit about the Nikon was unfortunate, but then Nikon does pay an awful lot of advertising money to them, it used to be Canon then suddenly it was Nikon so the bias is still there, but she could have been a lot harsher, with the review, after all it is Pentax giving her the body and kit lens to test, what are Pentax trying to do, slit there own throats? A pro Quality lens would have been far better.
Until Pentax get a better marketing strategy, they will remain a niche manufacturer.

I personally, have been asked to do a “cut price” wedding shoot, and I have great admiration for the guys who do it “Professionally” I would not do a wedding at any price, far to many things can and do go wrong, a couple of friends do it as a business and the amount of work that has to be done is not for me, and to be honest not worth the hassle, so this is one part of Photography that I leave to professionals, and another small point most pro’s are covered, or should be, by insurance (3rd party).

Perhaps the were true "country" people not like some of the hyper stressed city folk who live on media hype, out with their tartan top welly's, and their designer labels.
Well that's my rant for the day

No, they just scrapped it and bought out the KM now it looks like that is going the same way.

In a word yes, I did it some time ago and if you try before the update and then after you can notice it but it is not a dramatic change.

Oh No, Mikes Ant's back

What do you get in your newsagents Mike? The Sunday sport
If it is anything like the ones we get, Tesco's racks and racks of woman’s Mags, a few sports mags, one or two train spotters and the camera mags round the back even then only one or two.
The one and only Newsagents in my area has a few, up on the top shelves with all the mucky books for the blokes in old raincoats with bad memories.