Joshua,
RAW is just that. It's pre-WB etc. The CCD has its own native colour-space, and the conversion will perform a transformation from RAW through to the target colourspace using the WB as one of the modifiers.

You are more likely seeing gamut clipping, rather than exposure blow-out. This will happen more when converting to sRGb, and far less when going to ProPhoto.

To reiterate - WB is always applied after. The CCD sensitivity isn't affected by your choice of WB at shooting - it will only tag WB info in the RAW file, and convert the thumbnail JPG using WB.

Hope that makes sense!
Matt

Lunatastic

That definitely looks like a typo... I'd say they missed the £100
This image here was taken this morning, through glass, hand held with the SMC-DA 50-200 at 200mm
Matt

Tom,
Just tried snapping mine - but the image looks very similar to Daniel's.
However, that doesn't appear to be the edge of the element itself - if I run a finger nail from the edge of the element towards the lettering, it stops at the circular metal rim.
If, on the other hand you gently rub your finger over it - it feels rough (because you're feeling the metal rim, not the element). I've just examined mine from all directions and it definitely looks like a thin rim of metal around the edge of the element.

Contrary to what I said, the element is very, very slightly lower than the metal surround.

I have the 16-45, which is completely different in construction. I suspect they've squeezed the 50-200 into a very small space, but it is a bit strange that it feels "unfinished" on the front element.

In summary - not the best thing to cuddle and stroke ( LOL ), works a treat though as a lens

Matt

Tom,
The front element is higher than the printed text. The actual construction is like this:
Printed area; small groove; metal ring; glass element that sits flush with the metal ring.

Hope that makes sense! Could do you a shot of mine if it'd help...
Matt

SRS Microsystems are doing them for £129

Just got mine - what a diddy little lens
Now I need some light and subject to try it out
Matt

Just ignore the pixel-peeping rants

I can't comment much on the in-camera JPGs, though the samples on Pentax's website are astonishing. I've been using Silkypix DS3.0.3 and PEF RAW from the beginning. There was absolutely no way I could get that resolution out of the *ist-D. Check out my ePhotozine gallery for some recent samples. "The Upholsterer's Cat" was taken with the K10D + 12-24 - I mistakenly labelled it as *ist-D

10Mp doesn't give you that much more compared to 6Mp. Remember that doubling the width of an image requires quadrupling the number of pixels - so 10 vs 6 is about 1.3x the length (ie 30% linear increase)...

BUT, the tonal quality of the K10D is astonishing compared to the *ist-D and I can eek out some absolutely incredible detail with SP-DS3. With the SMC-F 100mm/f2.8 it really, really shines like I've never seen! Did some portraits with a small studio lighting setup and the 100mm macro and the quality of the output is truly stunning.

I'd have no problem printing huge with this beast - just need the subject Should have some 10x8" pro prints done in the next week or two, and possibly some 18x12" - I know I'm not going to be disappointed!


What is also worth noting is you can shoot RAW, and process in-camera to get the JPGs - you then have some control over the settings and sharpness etc. It is much better to have slightly "soft" images rather than oversharpened images - you can quickly add Unsharp Mask (even with Irfanview in batch mode), but you cannot easily smooth out an over sharpened image

Also, like all things - when it comes to effort you only get out what you put in

HTH!
Matt

...now I'm just waiting for the others to comment... could be a lot of 's!!

You may want to check this test, as you have a Z1:
http://www.pbase.com/mattmatic/smc_da_test


The 16-45 is a great "general" lens for the DSLRs - I've taken some of my best landscapes with it (Albeit with ND grads too)
Matt

Well, the FAJ 18-35 covers the full 35mm frame, but it doesn't have an aperture ring. So you can use it in "P" mode on most Pentax bodies, or on the Z1/Z1p you can adjust the aperture from the body.

The DA 18-55 kit lens is a smaller, but heavier lens and covers the APS-C sensor range. However, you can put it on a film body - but expect some vignetting at the wider end

The only thing that's going to get you is the resolution of the K10D - it's capable of truly stunning quality, and you'll find the flaws in the lenses pretty quickly So be prepared for the LBA to set in....

Hope that helps!
Matt

Thanks everyone!
Can't believe how small the 50-200 is
Will put it through its paces in a few days
Matt