Ava,
My recommended settings for the *ist-D are as follows:

1. Set the AF to centre spot only. That way there's no mistake where it's focussing.

2. In the custom menu, disable the "autofocus on half press" of the shutter. It's the "AF with Press Halfway" setting. You have to get used to pressing the "AF" button on the back, but it's infinitely quicker for kids and sports. Just get in the habit of pointing the centre spot to where you want focussed (e.g. the eyes for portraiture), press the AF and get a lock. Then, when you press the shutter button there is no AF hunting at all

3. Go into the custom menu and enable the auto ISO function - "Sensitivity Correction" = "On". This will boost the ISO rating if needed. If you set your ISO to 200, then the camera will try to use ISO200, but boost up if needed

4. For sports, set the mode dial to "Tv" and choose the shutter speed you want. The camera will choose the aperture, and boost the ISO (if you've done point 3) if the lens can't go wide enough.

5. You can also change the program line in the custom menu. Set "Program Line" to "Hi-Speed" and if you use the "P" mode it will choose a faster shutter speed over aperture.

For my uses I have used all three of the custom settings - I use setting 1 for general photog with sensitivity correction, setting 2 for manual lenses, and setting 3 for macro and landscape work.

If there's anything you're not clear about - let me know
Matt

Well it means I can at least try LR v1. To be honest I bought RSP and ended up shelving it because the output quality was terrible compared to C1LE, especially at higher ISO ratings. Sure, the workflow was in many ways nicer, but nobody but me sees the workflow, only the output

From what I've heard, the founders of Pixmantec originally worked at Phase One - doing what I don't know (they may have just been GUI interface programmers for all I know). But the bottom line is that it doesn't come close to C1LE in terms of quality and colour control.

Still, I'll give LR the benefit of the doubt - the UI looks interesting. But in the end it comes down to output results. If LR can't take custom ICC profiles, or the quality doesn't exceed C1LE, then I'll probably shell out for the Pro version of C1 in the next year

We'll see...

Matt

Bibble Labs are offering a "cross-grade" special price for Pixmantec Premium users
http://www.ephotozine.com/news/fullnews.cfm?NewsID=3096

But then there's always Capture One
Matt

Just posted a super-macro shot taken with the SMC-F 100mm/f2.8 and a large extension tube. Manually focussed, f/32, twin wireless flash.

http://www.ephotozine.com/gallery/showlargepic.cfm?photoid=667897

Even shooting bugs hand-held with pop-up flash you don't need AF:
http://www.ephotozine.com/gallery/showlargepic.cfm?photoid=469402

Enjoy
Matt

As far as I know there are no extension tubes that continue AF... but I thought I saw some Kenko ones that did.

AF for macro work is of limited use anyway. I have a set of "Triplus" tubes that I got for a snip at Jessops that have the electronic contacts. They work a treat

None of the Pentax tubes have contacts (even the "A" ones).

Matt

Hi there!
I have both the 360 and 540. The only differences are:

1. Swivel head
2. Larger guide number
3. Option for external battery pack (but it's not been manufactured yet)

With the *ist-DS etc you can set one 360 as a master controller on the camera, and slave to another 360 (or more than one for that matter!). You can't disable the camera flash completely, but you can set its exposure compensation down low so it doesn't figure too much at all.

In fact, while I'm on the subject, you can slave to the AF360 from an *ist-DS... but not in P-TTL mode. The AF360 (and 540) has two slave modes - either dumb or P-TTL. I used the dumb mode to trigger off an old Canon S30 compact digital and used the "A" mode of the 360 with excellent results! (The other thing is that in this mode you can't discharge the whole flash because there are two flashes that the AF360 has to respond to, so your guide number is effectively halved. But it's fab for fill in flash!)

I have been using the *ist-D with both the 360 and 540 in wireless mode - it gives amazing results

Matt

You can always measure the sync voltage with a multimeter across the PC socket first.
Not sure what the safe limit is for the *ist-DS, but if it's under 10v I reckon you'll be fine (from what I understand is that most modern stuff is 5v sync at the most).
Matt

And a postscript regarding WiziWYG and LCDs:

You must use the native resolution of the panel before attempting to use WiziWYG. For example, if your LCD display has a resolution of 1400x1050, then you must set the display properties to 1400x1050 (not 1280x1024 otherwise the gamma squares will be completely useless!).

Matt

Let's clear a few points up (sorry to duplicate golfdiesel!):

* Any video card extensions - set these to factory defaults. If you attempt to use the gamma or colour controls in the video card they will certainly result in horrible colour rendition, colour posterisation and the like. You have been warned

* Before you being WiziWYG (or any other calibration), reset the monitor to factory defaults with its on screen menu (or pushing buttons on the screen etc)

* For the purposes that we are talking about, D65 is the same as 6500K.

* You should select gamma 2.2 on WiziWYG. (Only old Macs used 1..

* If you can't find your monitor listed, use one of the "Generic" settings. If your CRT is a Trinitron/Diamondtron then select "Generic Trinitron". How do you know? Open notepad and maximise so most of the screen is white. If you have a Trinitron there will be two very faint horizontal lines running at about 1/3 and 2/3 the way up the screen.

* As far as I know all Photoshops use the monitor profile. The ones that don't have the colour controls (like Elements and the LE versions) assume you are using sRGB colour space.

* In Explorer and the browser the monitor is calibrated, but not profiled. In Photoshop it is both calibrated and profiled - that's why you get the difference. Calibration will, for instance, remove any colour casts (so that green is green, and not greeny-red). A profile-aware application will know that when it wants to display a particular shade of green it knows how to get it displayed. Sometimes there's not much difference between the two, sometimes there is (it depends how close to sRGB the monitor is).

(That last point cooked my head for a good long time and gave me a great deal of misunderstanding for a while!)

You may also find it useful to upgrade to Photoshop Elements - you'll be able to do more things, especially in terms of cleaning up.

Matt

The LaCie 119 and 120's are not too badly priced, more expensive than a lot of TFT's, of course

And they seem well spec'd, colourwise and for editing.

Matt