I doubt that I'd be in a hurry to buy one of the first Pentax FF DSLR's, mainly because I think the initial cost will be too high but I might buy a used one when they get to around £500.00.

I'll not need to go on a lens shopping spree because I have enough FF lenses to cover most of the 28 - 500mm range, one of the benefits of buying Sigma DG lenses.

You can't expect to 'KNOW WHAT PHOTOSHOP DOES' or any other application for that matter, if you don't try it and spend some time learning it.

The content aware tool is a very sophisticated and clever image manipulation tool, but you'll have to try Photoshop to find out 'what it does'.

These days, there's no excuse for not trying out software before you buy because almost all software producers offer a 'try before you buy' facility.

BTW, your excessive use of capital letters ( AKA shouting) is becoming annoying now. If you still want help, stop it.

Do you still hold this opinion even though it has been reported from reliable sources that Pentax are working on a full frame product for release after 2013?

If/when Pentax does release a FF body, they'd be pretty dumb-ass stupid if they didn't automatically crop images when APS-C lenses were fitted.

If your main use is for macro work, you'd do well to look at what lenses are available and at what price for the type of macro you intend.

When you've sorted that, buy a camera, lens or lenses, tripod, flash, and a bag to put it all in that suits your budget.

All Pentax DSLR's from the very first *istD are good at macro. The same can not be said for all lenses labelled 'Macro'.

My suggestion, start with a Pentax/Sigma/Tamron etc. dedicated macro lens of around 50mm if your subject will be coins, stamps, jewelry, 100mm if insects & flowers are your passion, and 180-200mm if you frequent the habitat of rattlesnakes or other biting/stinging critters.

Avoid any zoom lenses labelled macro. They are fine as a zoom lens, mediocre as a macro lens, and will not give you 1:1 magnification.

Sorry, I've always thought of a magnification ratio of 1:1 being macro. I didn't want to frighten anybody so I kept it to as close to life size as I could. The mantis was approx. 8cm from head to tip of tail. A handsome beast.

I think you may have over-imagined something here. There is no mention of, and very little likelihood of, the lens being damaged.

The clamp is doing what it is supposed to do, and rotating the focus ring accidentaly whilst the lock is on is not going to damage anything, it just might change the focus point, that's all.

If anything, the D-FA design & implementation of the clamp is a lot better than the FA version which in itself I'm sure is capable of withstanding impact from an RPG without suffering damage. It is built like a tank.

The forums would be much less interesting if you did.

Smeggy, I knew someone would bite and where an argument can be made, you seldom disappoint.

I don't know how the clamp is implemented in the D-FA lens, but the FA lens has a little plastic pin about 1.5mm in diameter that is actuated by a rotating switch. All it does is contact the focusing barrel internally. Manufacturing tolerances dictate that any two lenses might behave slightly differently, but if they both have the same effect ie. stop the lens creeping, then I'd say that's OK.