When researching the *ist D I recall seeing - somewhere!!! - a statement that software to allow control of the camera from a PC/Laptop would be available as a "purchase" option. Does anybody have any further information on this?

Ava,

Sorry, just noticed your post regarding the Vivitar 283. By all means buy something "dedicated" - I can vouch for the AF360 - but do not throw the 283 away .

See my post above, you can still get great use out of it

Matt,

I'm just wondering about the Sto-fen difusser/s. Did you order direct from the Sto-fen site - presumably in the USA, or did you order closer to home. I was having a root around Dublin during the week but they're a rare species!!

As a matter of interest, I have been asked to take some shots of the local scout unit here next week. (There have traditionally been two scouting associations here in Ireland - don't ask like a lot of things in Ireland it has to do with history and a wee thing called The Empire!!. However, as of January 1 there is now one merged association and the local unit want a few photos of the membership as at the historic date.)

Anyway, while carrying out a few test shots I pulled out an old Vivitar 283 with its' "clip-on" diffuser card - a 10" x 8" card with a large holder to clip it onto the 283. I set the gun up on a tripod, attached a three metre cable between the *istD's X-sync and the flash-gun and hey-presto, one or two trials at the various manual power settings and....... "studio-flash" on a shoe-string. (I now have the AF360 but it was great to resurrect some of the old stuff and find that it works perfectly with the *istD's X-sync.)

Well, I'm off to perform the firmware update now.

Happy new year to all

Hi all,

Just like to reciprocate Shotgun's greetings to one and all. Thanks to everybody for the helpful answers to all those questions we ask of each other. Isn't it amazing how much can be acheived and learned when a group of people get together "for the common good".

Well Shotgun, I don't know about "happy", "peaceful" etc etc but looking at that list of "possibilities" from Pentax next year I think it's definitely going to have to be prosperous as far as the pigg-bank is concerned . That's quite a potential shopping list

Best wishes to all from Ireland

Sorry Treve,

Missed the username from that last post

All the best

While anxiously awaiting the arrival of an *ist D I was commiserating with myself that the 18-35mm FA J lense would not be of use other than on the * ist D - lack of aperture ring on the lense!!

This afternoon I got a call from my friendly dealer and, at the speed of sound, I presented myself at his shop-counter. A quick exchange of words, and a few Euro, and it was back home and much rustling of boxes etc. After a while I decided to see what would happen if I put the 18-35mm FA J onto my MZ-3 and lo and behold, unless I am mistaken, the viewfinder information would seem to suggest that I can, indeed, use this lense in Program and Shutter Priority mode. I have not yet put any film through it but will do so in the next day or two - if I manage to leave the *ist D out of my hands for long enough.

Would anybody like to confirm, or shoot down, my understanding?

I've fallen in love with the "istee" already. Everything seems so "natural". It has so far passed the hurdles encountered by various other suscribers i.e. has recognised the CF card, has retained the time when the main batteries were removed, and appears to have passed the "hot/dead" pixel test.

And again???

something funny going on, I am appearing as logged-in. But when I send a post my Username drops out??

Lurach

Hi Matt,

Just spotted this post and it prompted another question. Have you any experience of, or views on, the Lexar "Write Acceleration" cards. Are they really any faster than the likes of Fuji, SanDisk etc?

The following questions are probably directed more at Pentax personnel rather than users.

Has any provision been made for the delivery of any future firmware upgrades for the *ist D, e.g. will upgrades be available for download and, if so, from what site? A quick visit to the Pentax UK and Pentax USA sites this morning didn't show up any firmware download locations for existing digitals - unless I missed them.

One aspect of the *ist D that I "glanced over" but didn't really register on the mind until now is the fact that the lowest ISO setting on the *ist D is 200, a setting shared with some other digital SLRs. I presume the ISO range is a product of the hardware itself and therefore not extendable by a firmware upgrade. I must admit that on the little Canon S40 I tend to leave it at a setting of 50, only moving upwards where I deem it necessary. One of the great advantages of variable digital ISO "stock". (Maybe this is just a case of old habits die hard.)

Has anybody found the the lack of a lower ISO range to be a problem?

Sorry Matt,

It was I who didn't make myself clear enough. The reference to "loss of time" was in connection with Malcolm's post about two bodies losing the time when the AA batteries were removed and your pointing out about the pancake battery in the base. It's something else to check out when buying.

OK did you notice that "when buying" bit? I spent this morning visiting one or two dealers that I had been made aware had received the *ist D into stock. And I must say I was impressed. I know Pentax are renowned for their "smallest body" claims but this one is amazing. I have a fairly small hand and the camera was a very comfortable fit indeed. Lovely build and as for features - well, you know all that don't you . However as for some sales staff's knowledge - I know it's a new model etc, but!!

As a matter of interest I mentioned to the sales assistant that I had an AF280T flash unit. "No good - won't work" sez he "Need to buy a digital gun!!" Have you, or anybody else, any comment on that Matt. I can accept that you are not going to get the full benefit from the AF280T but I would assume that you would at least get a very basic function - or is he right? The same fellow also tried to convince me that the accompanying lens was "specially built for the digital body to give a 1:1 image ratio" Then he quoted a price 100 Euro dearer than he quoted last week - and I thought his original quote was excessive . . I just bit my tongue and said nothing.

Then on to the last part of my plan. I have an acquaintance from way back in the trade, and when I have done all the leg work and let the other dealers do all the demo-ing etc I ask him for a price and he invariably does a good deal. When I returned home, the domestic negotiations were a bit fraught. But when I said that my friendly dealer was throwing in a free case - well that clinched it!! I was told I would be mad to turn down an offer like that

So there we are. Hopefully, by the middle of next week, I'll have one in my hand for keeps. I know there are one or two questions missing in the back of my mind but if I think of them later I'll post them.

Best wishes