Ted,

All the information you need can be found at the link I provided in an earlier post.

The exact upgrade instructions are contained within a readme.txt file. Double click on the downloaded file to extract its contents (2 files normally). A readme file explains what you need to do with the fwdc131b.bin file that accompanies it and how to actually perform the upgrade. Its not rocket science but I appreciate it might seem a scary process if you've never had to perform any similar upgrades in the past.

In summary:-

Download the update.
The following two files will be generated once the downloaded file is extracted by double-clicking on it.
readme.txt: The text file that explains update procedure in details.
fwdc131b.bin: This is the updated firmware.
Copy fwdc131b.bin file to the root directory of a formatted SD card. You can format your SD card in-camera.

Then follow the remaining instructions in the readme.txt file, but . . .

BEFORE YOU CONTINUE WITH THIS PROCEDURE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FRESH OR FULLY CHARGED BATTERIES IN THE CAMERA OR USE A SEPARATE PENTAX POWER ADAPTER.

When you have finished and are satisfied that the camera has indeed been upgraded, re-format the SD card again and continue to use the card as normal. The fwdc131b.bin file does not need to remain on the card once the update process is completed.

The procedure does not take long but there is a risk of ending up with a dead camera if the battery supply fails during the upgrade process. Sounds scary I know, but it isn't if you follow the procedure step by step - WITH FRESH BATTERIES.

If you are not confident that you can complete this upgrade yourself take your camera to an authorised Pentax retailer in your area. They should be happy to help you.

I have every confidence that if you follow the procedure (read it through a couple of times first) you will soon be the proud owner of an upgraded camera.

Trust me . . . I'm a doctor (well a PC and general electronics doctor anyway).

You may have read about a noise issue when shooting in very low light/fast ISO. This was fixed in a later release of V1 firmware.

Taken from the Pentax.co.jp website (in Englanese)

Continuous AF mode has been added to the AF settings in the Record Mode menu and AF.S /AF.C can be selected in the Menu
Auto Sensitivity has been added in the sensitivity mode
AE-L button on M has been added in the Custom menu.
The effect of Digital soft filters can be selected from weak, middle or strong
Dutch and Swedish languages has been added to the language
The sample picture will be displayed in the LCD monitor when select picture modes
For prevent the confusion, the item that was not able to be set by the menu, made a gray character.

Download the update from here http://www.digital.pentax.co.jp/ja/info/20050415e.html

I think they've fixed a few bugs too, which of course they haven't mentioned. I believe power management/monitoring has been improved to avoid the premature 'dead' battery symbol..

Ted, not true. The earliest firmware release of the DS was RAW capable. If you haven't upgraded your firmware to V2 yet though . . . do it.

Sharpness: Pic 1 or 2 for me. By the time you get to the level of sharpening in pic 4 the reflected soft box has a defined black box around it with white artefacts outside of the box, which of course, helps to define the box in the first place.

External Storage: I use a Freecom USB2.0 250Gb external drive which I take back and forth between Spain and UK with my business data and pics. It was on offer around Christmas at PC World for £85.00. Bargain I reckon although it is a bit more expensive now. I also have 3 Firewire Enclosures containing 120Gb HDD's but they are much bigger and heavier enclosures. Not so much portable, as luggable. One thing I always look for is that any external equipment I buy must have a 12V power supply to facilitate its use in a car, boat, camper, caravan, lear-jet (I wish) etc.

I've just bought the 16-45mm DA lens and I'm very pleased with it. Does the slightly increased angle of view of the 12-24 DA make a significant difference to photographic opportunity though ? At nearly twice the price of the 16-45mm DA, I would certainly have trouble (as an amateur) justifying the purchase of this lens to myself, let alone 'the boss (wife)'.

All of my bags are Lowepro AW (All Weather) models. Backpack is a mini-trekker AW, other bags are Stealth Reporter 500 AW and 300 AW. I have a non-AW TLZ-2 as well for carrying around 1 X SLR with a 70-210 or similar length Zoom lens.

I think this is a general issue with most manufacturers. I'm thinking that the file format specification needs to be so precise that, after editing, then copying it back to the camera, it doesn't work.

Even sometimes just saving the file to a PC, and copying it back doesn't work. I have the same problem with my Fuji F810.

Don't forget that a cameras filing system is never going to be as clever or sophisticated as a PC for it to be able to determine the needs of many different file types ( I might regret saying that one day). The camera will have been told what it can display and if the file you are trying to show doesn't fit that criteria exactly, it will not display because the camera doesn't know how to handle the changed file.

This may be a question for the technical bods at Pentax to answer.

I find that typing "pentax lens" in the search box works best for me

You could also try widening your search to Worldwide.

I think a general rule of thumb applies here and that is . . . you gets what you pays for.

If you are on a budget and want generally acceptible photos the third party lenses may be entirely adequate for your needs.

If you want the best , perhaps with a view to selling your images then you should invest accordingly.

Pentax glass is mostly excellent but some of their products are less worthy of note. If you take the advice of this forum you'll not go far wrong.

The SMC Pentax FA 80-320mm is a superb performer. If you need a longer and faster lens you maybe ought to be thinking about a Pentax prime . . . now your talking serious money for the very fast ones.