Have you tried M mode with shutter speeds less than 1/180s?
If you go above 1/180 the PC flash shouldn't fire (because if it did you'd get nasty black bars on the frame!)
Matt

Maybe it's already out-sourced in the UK
Matt

Yes, I've used the Cokin P series. Have used filters from Cokin, Kood, and HiTech. All pretty much the same.

ND Grads in this size do tend to suffer from a slight magenta cast (easily corrected in Photoshop of course). I have a Kood polariser that was very cost effect (bought from www.srbfilm.co.uk ) Works as well as any polariser I've ever used!

AFAIK, the Pentax AF system is not fazed by linear polarisers either - so you can take your pick of circular or cheaper linear.

Matt

Jason,
Sounds about right to me. Just stopping down by a third of stop usually brings up the sharpness. But, yes, shooting at wide open isn't really a problem at all.

Bokeh, for me, is sublime. It's up there with the 50/1.4 and the FA24-90

Haven't got any test shots at the moment, but the images really do "pop" with sharpness and contrast.

Matt

I use three machines regularly.
As long as I tick the "keep me logged in" box when I log in it seems to associate it with that one PC... until I log in on another PC. If I don't tick the box then I get logged off after around an hour - which, as you say, can be frustrating when checking the new posts.
Matt

That sounds interesting! Unfortunately the XPS don't come with XP option (which is necessary for work). But it'll be interesting to know how the WLED panels stand up. There may be more than one supplier for the Dell panels, and Toshiba-Matsushita are one of them, which may add to sample variations.

I've also read that the Dell 2209WA is rather good for colour - being a n IPS panel. Pretty good price too... something else to consider

I've been weighing up alternative Tosh laptops. I know their graphic performance isn't the best (using Intel 4500) but I really like the build quality of the Tosh (loads of typing amongst other things!!). Like Dell, they have a range of LCD technologies - the lowest being "TruBrite" which seems to be reasonable from what I can read.

I use ArgyllCMS for screen calibration (with a Spyder 2 Pro) and that does a better job than most (even on the M200 when the display was working). But with the M200 it was the low brightness mainly that messed me up - I couldn't see the shadows. For example, the 16-step wedge on ePhotozine I couldn't distinguish the bottom 4 blocks. Yuck.

Still, let me know how you get on
Thank!
Matt

Oh, it's sharp
Even at f/4. Though watch the very shallow DoF at 70mm at f/4!
Matt

Just stumbled on a nice visual calibration tool for Windows
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/downloads/Monitor%20Calibration%20Wizard.exe

More information at:
http://www.tftcentral.co.uk/articles/calibrating.htm

Does the same kind of job as WiziWyg did, and it's free
Should be better than nothing!
Matt

Well Tyr... I look forward to your comments on the WLED screen and calibration

I just duffed in my M200 LCD. Replaced the CCFL without too much of a problem, but somehow managed to stop a 32-pixel column from working. Doh!
Bother, bother, bother.

Could get a replacement LCD for £170, or a recon M200 for £220
It's days like this that I wish I hadn't bothered getting up

Matt

Both are great lenses. I have an early 16-45 and I've had some lovely images from it.
Recently got the 17-70 (with cash back ) and that's pretty much my favourite lens. Very capable. However, it tends to underexpose a fair bit (needs +0.3 to 0.7 compensation generally). Contrast, colour and resolution are all excellent.

The 17-70 feels much bulkier (it's slightly fatter than the 16-45), and is partially weather sealed. I don't know how much by - but the lens mount has a gasket ring on it. The zoom is very damped and feels as though there's some sealing too. Obviously not as weather proof as the DA*16-50.

Does that help?
Matt