The only thing that's missing from their site is a colour profile. Without that you can't quite be sure what the output result will be (and may explain why John sees that some are good, and some not so good).
It would be worth ringing them, and maybe putting one or two test files through before committing to a large number
Matt

Dan,
I don't have first hand experience of Microquiz ( http://www.microquiz.net/ ), and haven't really had the need to try them. But I heard from a fellow photographer that did very wenn in a local competition with a digital image transferred to slide by them
I'm sure that 8192 x 5464 dots will outclass most original digital source files (like the *ist-D at 3008 x 200.
Matt

Looks interesting!
The Ansmann one is huge, and can charge combinations of 6 AA or AAA cells, 2 x PP3s, 4 x C and 4 x D cells.
If you're only charging AA cells, then your link looks more portable. Also, since it's powered by an external charger you may be able to run it from the car too The Ansmann Digi-8 is mains only.

Hope that helps!
Matt

Ooops! I should've tried the pop-up in W-HS. Yes, as you say Peter it just ends up being a trigger for the remote when in HS mode.
To be honest, it's much more flexible having an AF360 (or AF540, or both ) because you end up with wireless remote flash, exposure compensation etc etc. And the results really are excellent in HS mode for fill-in. I used the AF540 for two weddings in that mode and produced very natural results with no problems at all!
Matt

Graham,
Slow speed sync is for when the light level is low - say you want to get a sunset exposed, but also use the flash to balance the foreground (say a person).

High speed sync is for daylight flash synchronisation where you'd be using a fast shutter speed without the flash. To get it, just pop up the flash, and press the Flash button on the top button until the wireless symbol and "HS" appears on the top LCD. Now the flash output power is greatly reduced and you should find you'll get no problems in using fill in flash (At least that's the theory!!)

Hypermode is where you can adjust either the shutter speed (Tv) or aperture (Av) while in the "P" mode. You can let the camera choose the Av/Tv combination (according to the currently selected program line, of which there are four selectable in the custom menu), or you can override with the thumb wheel or finger wheel. Press the green button on the top to let the camera go back to fully automatic.
Hypermode is really just a quick way of switching from fully automatic into "Av" or "Tv" mode.

Hope that helps!
Matt

No problem Don, always worth bashing ideas around

Graham,
One thing I remembered...

Use the pop-up flash, but set the mode to Wireless High Speed Sync (HS) on the body. That'll give you better fill in flash outside, especially with faster shutter speeds (ie above 1/180, or is it 1/125?!)

(the other *ist series can't do that with their popups!)

The *ist-D is also much faster at focusing - it's motor is much "beefier" I like the *ist-DS, not so keen on the pentamirrors of the DL, but the *ist-D is nearly ideal, and the next 10Mp will probably be ace


Matt

Don,
The *ist-D does not have flash exposure compensation. The only way is through the dedicated digital Pentax flashes.
Shame they couldn't have added it in a firmware upgrade
Matt

If you're referring to the pop-up flash... you can't set any exposure compensation

With the AF360 and AF540 you can dial in a +/- exposure compensation that does the trick just nicely with the *ist-D.

If I get time I'll see what else can be done with the pop-up.
Matt

Yes, I have this lens too and it's fully AF.
Check that you have the camera's AF/MF switch in the AF position! If it was already in the AF position, switch it to MF and check that you can manually focus.

The autofocus mechanism in Pentax cameras is a mechanical linkage between the body and the lens - there's what looks like a little "screwdriver" slotted coupling. The body has a slotted pin that is withdrawn when you switch the body to MF mode.
Occassionally this pin doesn't engage first time when you mount the lens, but a slight movement on the focus ring of the lens usually clicks it in.

When in AF mode, the focus ring of the lens should be very difficult to turn - because you're trying to move the motor in the body through a series of gears. In MF mode, the linkage decouples and the focus ring is easy to move.

Hope that helps!
Matt

Samples:












All done with layers, as suggested above
Plus a teeny bit of sharpening
Matt