Why not a "I have a (photography related) problem" section where anybody can start a topic, but the poster selects who may post comments and allow/disallow other members perhaps even to the extent that the poster could delete irrelevant posts.

Everybody would see the result, but the 'nice photo' and 'thanks, appreciate it' brigade would be excluded.

Well done all and to an excellent judge for an equally good subject.

You can find out everything you'll need to know about these lenses here.

Lens construction is identical. The FA is 10 grammes heavier and has a focus clamp to stop the lens barrel creeping. That's about it.

One benefit of 'fast' lenses not mentioned so far is the brighter viewfinder image you get making focussing in low light much easier than with a normal speed lens.

The max synch speed of 1/180th is a misnomer. With a Pentax gun equipped with HSS mode it'll synch at any shutter speed throughout the entire range.

No use for studio flash mind, but then, if you have static subjects, why do you need it faster? The duration of the flash itself is much shorter than even the shortest shutter speed available on any DSLR and can be anything up to around 1/30000th.

Metering of flash and/or ambient light is going to be an issue at times with any DSLR. The remedy is to use a decent incident light meter.

Feeb, I think you are about to spend an awful lot of money unnecessarily, other than having the kudos associated with the Nikon name. It'd be a lot cheaper to by a Nikon strap and some black sticky tape.

Good luck anyway and be sure to come back and let us know how you are doing.

I can't think of a better reason for switching. Good luck with your new career as a professional 'tog.

Ben Kanerak (apologies to Ben if I spelled it wrongly) would disagree with you about the K20D's pro capability though. I won't because I am a contented amateur and I can't/won't afford a K-7 so I'll not be shelling out the kind of money that Nikon gear commands.

Very few people ever see my images except for the few I show here and I hardly ever print them so I'm staying with Pentax for the moment at least.

There are 2 off these on that well known auction site right now from the same seller.

And this one.

Isn't that exactly what the manufacturers do though, tempt us.

The spec. on paper may well be superb, but it's how it performs that counts and the 50D is/was not brilliant.

My brace of K20D's and my K10D backup body will last me for a few years yet. I'll start looking at the Pentax K-ASAD (all singing, all dancing) when it comes out in 5 years time to see how it compares but it'd better have Wi-Fi, focus stacking, dual card slots, Nikon killing AF, GPS, mind-boggling good noise immunity at ISO12800, and waterproof to 50 meters, or I'll wait some more years until it does.

Long wait I think.

No. That was for the ME series of bodies including the Super-A and others.

Hmmm. Does the name on the front determine how much you get paid then? Apart from noise immunity (not an issue at normal ISO's for any DSLR) what is the benefit of changing from a 14+Mp APS-C sensor to a 12+Mp FF (FX)sensor?

Do you need the faster AF or more fps?

How do the images from the D700 differ from those from a K20D or K-7.

I do understand that the Nikon product will have a tighter grip on your wallet/purse/credit card, but I'm not sure that that's a benefit.