Hello Matt,

Many thanks for the info. Unfortunately it just keeps making things worse - i.e. all the more enticing. Yes, I agree with your final comment about the dangers of holding one in the hand, however, one has to be of stout resolve in situations like this - well for a few seconds at least.

I visited you site over the last day or two and was very taken by "After the tantrum" (Looks like the effect a couple of Pepsis on the rocks have on me!!! :evil My own youngest little lady (7) has had me there a few times.

I must thank you, and others, for all the information you have supplied over last while. If you're handing out serious loot for an item like the *ist D it's great to be able to gain from other peoples experience - even if you do believe that the Pentax name is a good enough guarantee of satisfaction. The comments/tip about the loss of time are the sort of little things you probably wouldn't think about in the excitement of holding one in the hands but now it's something we know to check when/if buying.

Well, maybe I'll let you know how things go over the next while and I'll try not to come up with too many more queries!!

All the best.

Hi Matt,

Thanks for the information.

I've just had the "list" prices confirmed for here in Republic of Ireland - marginally dearer than the UK equivalents. So, I suppose as a non-professional and, with a wife and three "chisellers", I'll have to do some serious negotiating. (The shop doesn't bother me - but negotiating with the "Ministress of Finance"!!! .)

As a matter of interest, and this may seem like a funny question, have you - or anybody else for that matter - any comment on "shutter-lag". I ask this because, when using the little Canon S40 at, say, the childrens' sports days, there could often be a sufficient delay to ruin a shot, i.e. a shot that should have been of a player kicking the ball often turned out to be a shot of a foot in the air after the ball had departed. (The sort of shot that you could anticipate and shoot with a fair degree of confidence with the 35mm SLR.) I would like to think that for £1300-odd lag should not be a problem.

Well, I hope to see one in the next day or two so, if nothing else, I might be able to report that I actually held one in my hands

Regards to all.

Hi all,

Was going to post this message on the Flash thread but then saw this conversation.

I'm awaiting delivery of the *ist D to my friendly dealer, but in the meantime I purchased the "360". Ordered it from Park Cameras on Monday and it arrived at lunch-time today -very good service. I've being "toying" with it today and am very impressed so far. Was really surprised at the fact that it is so light and compact.

One question comes to mind at this stage. You have the facility to manually set the ISO/ASA number for your film. Obviously this manual facility is necessary for some of the "older" bodies. However what I want to know is.....when you use it on, say, the *ist D or MZ-3, do these bodies over-ride the manual setting? For example, say I have the 360 set for ISO 100 and then put the gun onto my MZ-3 loaded with ISO 25 stock, will the MZ-3 temporarily set the ISO to 25 for the period that the gun resides on the MZ-3 body, returning the gun to ISO 100 when removed from the body?

Indeed if I take it a bit further, does P-TTL/TTL metering even need the correct ISO setting. Something in me says it does not but I may be wrong.

Can anybody advise what the additional contact on the the above bodies is for ie, looking from the view-finder there are the two contacts at the rear of the contact plate, then the large central contact and to the right-front from the central contact is the "additional" contact to which I refer.

Many Thanks

Hello Matt,

I'm back with another question. I thought I was happy with your answer regarding actual/effective focal lengths and then while munching on the dinner a thought struck me. It's common now on digital compacts and video to see "zoom rating" being quoted as 3x Optical / 10x Digital etc.

In the case of digital SLRs is the 1.5x alteration in the effective focal length a true optical view or is it a digital alteration? I am assuming (hoping??) it's optical but maybe I'm wrong

regards

Many thanks for the information Matt.

Yes, I understand about the actual focal length, that would be a good trick!! I can see that the "extra" length will be handy at the telephoto end of the scale, but my main interest was what do I do at the "standard" end and you have answered that as well - buy a 20-35!!!

regards

Hi all,

I am looking forward to the arrival of the new *istD body. I was recently told that the new body will have no affect on the focal length of lenses i.e. where current digital SLR bodies increase the length of the lense attached.

Has anybody heard anything to confirm or deny this?

Hello Peter

Just wondering if you would have any idea as to what the projected price for the *istD body might be for the Republic of Ireland. I think £1000 in the UK would be better than I would have dared hope!