OK. I don't think I can help any more. Good luck with your new purchase. BTW: I assume you meant you are buying a *ist-D/DS/DL/DS2/DL2 digital body. The *ist is a 35mm film camera and your lenses will have their nominated focal length. The difference on a digital body just means you multiply by 1.5 so a 50mm lens behaves as if it were a 75mm (approximately) on a digital body because of the reduced sensor size.

Whichever you decide to buy, I'm sure you'll not be disappointed.

I don't think you have caused this problem by switching battery grips from one camera to the other, assuming that you have the Pentax Battery Grip SF and not a third party accessory as both cameras use the same power systems.

I'm not overly familiar with the SF series, does it have a backup battery which might be flat? If so, replace it.

Try new batteries in the grip.

Try leaving batteries out overnight for the faulty camera's electronic 'memory' to decay.

If the battery gets hot after only a short time, its not a good sign. You may have to confine this camera to the display cabinet or have it looked at professionally if you want it working again. I have to say though, unless the camera is of real sentimental value, a repair may not be cost effective. You should be able to get a free repair estimate. If you are in UK, try Robin at www.harrowtechnical.co.uk.

This has got to be one of the most ridiculous edicts made by the EU parliament. They'll be banning cars next. Well they are ever so dangerous if you get in the way of a moving one.

The original posters title is perhaps over-alarming. Its the production of these, and other lead-content kit, which must cease. I don't think existing owners need have any fear of a visit from the EU's lead police or have their bag scanned for lead content at airports.

They'll be around for some years to come.

Weather's about the same. Middle of April and it snowed here last Sunday.

Enjoy the DL2.

Have you tried Michael Spencer at http://www.btinternet.com/~camerarepairer/

I've used him once. I sent him a Super-A with a shutter release problem (electronic not mechanical problem) which he fixed but the problem returned soon after. I sold the camera in the end. I think he's probably more at home with the mechanics of cameras rather than the elctronics, based on my limited experience anyway. Worth a try though.

As I said, I know nothing of the 6X7's but Pentax don't repair your model now. Maybe its a known issue and spares are no longer available at reasonable cost to fix it. Just guessing.

Good luck with it.

I know nothing about the 67's. Try Robin @ http://www.harrowtechnical.co.uk

From my personal point of view, speaking purely as an amateur, I think that the 'AFE' (Auto Flipping Everything - I tidied that up a bit) capability of modern digital cameras has limited use. With all auto features turned on, you will be relying on the camera to automatically choose focus (even the focus point), exposure (both aperture and shutter speed) white balance, and ISO speed. Even anti-shake systems are becoming affordable, thankfully not with the Pentax name on them . . . yet.

I accept that there is probably an envelope of conditions where the camera will get all of these parameters almost spot on (near as dammit anyway) resulting in a pleasing 'snapshot'. I think that 'envelope' is way too small for anybody who values photography as a hobby and the creative possibilities that might be missed are countless. The camera can't possibly get all of these parameters right all of the time. Where would the creativity be anyway ?

To do the job properly, and hence develop a better understanding of photography as an art form, I believe it is necessary for us to take much more control where we at least set WB, ISO, focus (maybe, at least choose the focus point), and either aperture or shutter speed to create the image, leaving the camera to merely try and produce a correct exposure. I do admit to almost always using spot focus on auto, my eyesight ain't so good nowadays, and I mostly shoot Av leaving the camera to set the shutter.

That said, I try to always reset my camera's dials and switches etc. to fully auto before putting it back in its bag with the sole objective of being able to 'snap' the odd opportunist shot that might present itself. Trouble is I don't always remember to do it.

I introduced my 26 year old son to 'proper' photography only a few months ago when I gave him my ist-DS to play with. He had only used P&S cameras before that. For about a week he shot everything auto and .JPG. He read a couple of books, I taught him everything I knew (only took 10 minutes), now he shoots mostly manual and RAW. He has some commissions from some amateur bands to take some marketing shots too. Point made, I think . . . and I haven't seen the DS since

Lets be honest, digital images don't cost anything whilst experimenting and through experimentation comes knowledge. It's certainly a heck of a lot faster learning photography skills in the digital age than it ever was with film, especially if you did the developing and printing yourself. Nowadays you might take a number of shots of a subject, changing the settings a bit here and there and be almost sure of a perfect shot because you can see it, and you've got a histogram to prove its a good exposure. Not so with film, is it? You might take 100 shots on film and still not know if you've got a good one.

Point 'n shoot has it's place I agree, but there are lot cheaper cameras for snapshots. Fully auto is for folk who haven't got time to take their hobby/art seriously enough to do it properly.

Vacates soap box next please ! ! !

Ahhh, I think this is the old 'spot metering' dilemma again.

Q: When you aim your 'spot', is it measuring a middle toned subject, like a grey card, fresh grass, etc. Or are you just pointing at the main subject of your pic, and clicking.

If the latter and the subject that you are taking the spot reading from is not middle toned, that'll be why your exposure is incorrect.

When using spot metering, the initial target MUST be of a middle tone. A grey card is designed exactly for this purpose. Essentially you are telling the camera that you have your spot on a middle toned target, make a reading, then recompose and take the pic. You might find it easier to use fully manual mode when using spot metering as the camera doesn't then reset the aperture/shutter speed the next time you press the shutter release. You might also try bracketting if the DL2 will do it. Then at least you stand a better chance of getting the shot right, and you'll learn more about your cameras tendencies to under/over expose in certain situations.

There are many discussion about spot metering on this forum, have a browse and I'm sure you'll find a more in-depth answer to your problem.

With regard to Auto pic mode, you have a very versatile and innovative piece of camera technology at your finger tips. Why then, turn it into a point 'n hope camera

Where do we start ?

Yes, shutter speed is independent of aperture. The correct combination of the 2 results in correct exposure at a given ISO setting.

When you set your camera to AV (aperture priority) mode, you determine the aperture setting manually and the camera selects the shutter speed to achieve correct exposure.

The opposite is true if you have your camera set to Tv (shutter priority) mode where you set the shutter speed and the camera chooses the right aperture setting to achieve correct exposure. In manual, you have to set both, and you rely on the manual meter display to select the right combination to achieve the correct exposue.

In Auto, The camera sets both aperture and shutter speed according to a pre-programmed envelope which is mostly dependent on available light. You will have to study your cameras manual and the pretty curve drawings to determine what happens in the various Programmed modes.

This lesson could get (and is) a lot more complicated, but I'll leave you to digest that information for a while and play with your camera.

Whatever happens, have fun and keep experimenting, it'll all 'click' into place one-day. Pun intended.