FYI, the AF assist in the AF360 is not just an LED. It projects what looks like a bar-code onto the subject - to provide a consistent contrast. Not sure what is done optically inside though
Matt

Alas, the communication between the body and the AF360 is a digital link
There are four connections that deal with legacy flash and the fourth is digital. That digital link provide zoom information, AF-assist, P-TTL negotiation and probably a few other bits.

I've not seen anything anywhere on the 'net about the protocols but personally (as a long time electronics engineer) I would say it's not worth the effort
Matt

Recovering images from a corrupted or deleted card usually results in at least a few being damaged.

The card is internally arranged in blocks and pages and the information from any particular image may be laid out in any order within those pages and blocks. However, I think the recovery software assumes that the data is arranged sequentially and contiguously - which is usually the case, but not always. The "not always" situation will result in corrupted images.

(One reason why I have 3 x 2Gb cards and cycle them, only formatting when I put the oldest one in the camera.)

Matt

Ok... the PEF format is actually TIFF in disguise

You should just have to rename the extensions to PEF. (FWIW, it does the same thing with Nikon NEF format).
As you have a lot of files to do you have two options:
1) Use the command prompt: "REN *.TIF *.PEF" from within the directory.
2) Use the free Rename-It https://sourceforge.net/projects/renameit/

Hope that helps
Matt

There's also Zero Assumption Recovery (IIRC).
Worked for me
Matt

There's also these:
http://graphics.stanford.edu/papers/lfcamera/lfcamera-150dpi.pdf
http://www.cfar.umd.edu/~jneumann/videogeometry/polydioptric.htm
http://graphics.stanford.edu/papers/lfcamera/

The snag is that the 16 mega pixels of the sensor are only down to 90,000 microlenses. So you get lower effective resolution - because the distance information is spread across multiple sensor sites.

At least that's how I read it.... I could be wrong of course
Matt

More information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plenoptic_camera
http://www.studiolighting.net/refocus-imaging-previews-digital-lens/

Plenoptic camera (or Light Field Camera) is what you need to know

It'll cook your brain... and if it's on a Pentax then there'll be a few bits of Pentax gear of mine up for sale to fund it

Matt

Most definitely not
I remember looking at this a while back - it's extremely complicated and is completely different to what you would consider "normal"
As far as they say - you can achieve it with a different type of micro-lens on the CCD.
You end up with a garbled image at the sensor that you have to unscramble in software. It's the process of "unscrambling" the information that allows for re-focus - a very complex deconvolution function.

I did look at the maths... can't remember it, but it's very interesting and has some interesting practical applications.

Matt

You use the RGB mode to check whether you've gone out of gamut
You can easily blow the red off the scale for example.
Matt

Pentax:
SMC-DFA 100mm/2.8 (new)
SMC-DFA 50mm/2.8 (new)
SMC-FA 100mm/2.8 (s/h)
SMC-F 100mm/2.8 (s/h)

(Note the older 100mm/3.5 is not 1:1 magnification)

Also highly regarded is the Tamron 90mm macro, and the Sigma 105mm macro.

I have the SMC-F 100mm/2.8 and it's a cracking lens - razor sharp and solidly built. However, it's pretty heavy and bulky so doesn't get carried around as much as it should

HTH!
Matt