Welcome to the forum and the world of the K10D

Regarding the flash:
The little/tiny Pentax slave flash won't work with the pop-up of a K10D

It is like a matchbox-sized flash that has a plastic stand. Unfortunately the digital SLRs all have P-TTL flash which fires a pre-trigger and then the main flash. Alas, the pocket slave will trigger on the preflash and have nothing left for the main flash.

The only way to make it work is to use a "dumb" flash on the K10D hotshoe - a flash that fires only a single burst of light (any flash in "M" or "A" mode).

Hope that helps!
Matt

My wife has the *ist-DS and I have the *ist-D and a K10D.
One of the things that gets me with the *ist-DS is the focus point is usually set to automatic - and the camera often gets it wrong

Personally, I prefer centre-only focus. The *ist-DS has a menu option to change to centre only (and you can also choose the focus point if you prefer).

Additionally, I also like the separate AF button on the *ist-D and K10D. This can be simulated in the *ist-DS - there's a custom menu that disables focus on half-press. You then press the OK button to engage autofocus.

With those two changes (centre-focus + OK-to-focus) I found I had exact focus every time with the *ist-DS. Focus at f/2.4 was easily possible and accurate.

The K10D is a fine upgrade... though you will find it substantially larger and heavier. (My wife loves the tiny size of the *ist-DS)

Just a thought
Matt

Answer: far too few

I usually get my printing done at ProAM Imaging... and given their price I should print and frame more (my wife tells me so!). I just never seem to get the time to sort out prints I really want

Matt

Yes. I have one
There are two types of SD-to-CF adapter. One will make the SD card stick out - that won't work. The other, the SD card sits inside and works a treat in my *ist-D
Might be able to dig out a link later...
Matt

I've done a fair bit of PIC programming (yuck!). A large chunk of Z80 (showing my age!), a load of Atmel AVR coding in C, and a very hefty chunk of ARM9 programming with Green Hills INTEGRITY operating system

Just don't have any time
(Hardly any for photography as it happens! )
Know someone who may have time for PIC/Stamp/Servo stuff... I'll PM you

Matt

Just a "heads up" for everyone...
As far as I can see there's a wee bug in the K10D v1.3 firmware (probably all versions). Try this:

1. In sunny conditions, mount the AF360
2. With the AF360 off, select Av mode, auto ISO 100-1600, f/8
3. Make a note of the shutter speed and ISO (e.g. 1/500s, ISO100)
4. Now power up the AF360 and ensure that "HS" is selected (high speed)
5. You will notice the shutter speed goes to 1/180s.

If you manually select the ISO to 100, then the shutter speed is fine.
(Appears to happen in P mode, as well as other modes too. Doh!)

Bottom line... use manually selected ISO ratings when using flash on the K10D.

In fact, even when in dark conditions, you're better off using manually selected ISO ratings too (and higher ones at that!)

...now if only they'd let me at the K10D & K20D source code...

Matt

That's what I'm finding too... as much as I like the K10D I am getting increasingly frustrated over a certain "muddiness" that doesn't appear to be on the K20D. Don't get me wrong, compared to a Canon 20D or 30D my K10D in RAW mode with Silkypix still outperforms But I've sensed there's something more that could be done for nearly the last year.

...if only I had enough pennies for a K20D I'd do a controlled test
Matt

Agree with that... but then the button becomes redundant. And I so wanted the manual white balance button of the *ist-D back (Where you hold down the button, press the shutter and the camera grabs a manual WB immediately. Brilliant for weddings with the Expodisc!)
Matt

Ban coming right up....



(Only kidding Don!)

PUFA is a common complaint... I'm trying to wean myself off a little

Other useful sources of friendly information are held at the sister site: www.ephotozine.com
That's a much wider base for getting critique on photos. However, their techniques section has a LOAD of useful information (several Photoshop tutorials written by me too )
And if that isn't enough, there's also www.ephotozine.tv where there are shed loads of videos on all subject - photography, lighting, post production, Photoshop etc.

Enjoy
Matt

Thought I'd chip in a link that's worth reading re: K10D vs D300
http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/19303-keep-k10d-k20d-g...

Matt