You might want to check this thread out too:
https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=266


Matt

Stan,

Thanks for the explanation As an electronics engineer and firmware coder, I know exactly what you mean!

Hope it all gets sorted. I've been well pleased with my *ist-D

Matt

You didn't mention how you measured the shutter speeds, but if the figures are correct, it looks like you have a dodgy/sticky shutter curtain. That would explain all the overexposures too.

Also, there's no information about differing apertures. Have you tried to fix the shutter speed and vary the aperture? Or can you try another lens?

Hope you get it sorted (take it back to where you bought it, or to Pentax).

Matt

I've also replied to the post on the S50 batteries in the "Digital Photography" forum

Click here: https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1286

Not sure. However, I don't generally use the batch feature since the RAW convertor has the option for using the last conversion parameters. I think Elements has the same interface for that (minus the lens aberrations corrections etc). In CS (and possibly PSE3) you can save the settings to disk and resuse them at a later date.

From the Adobe blurb, it looks like you have at least most of those same features in PSE3.

There's a review here:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/adobeelements3/
That review says you can't save the RAW settings to disk, but you can apply the settings of one file to another file or files via the File Browser.

Hope that helps
Matt

The license agreement for Photoshop CS specifies you can install it on one desktop machine, as well as the user's laptop.
(ie. not for use by two people, but by one person with a single desktop and a single laptop).


But then Photoshop Elements 3 may cover most people's needs anyway, especially now it support RAW format and 16-bit, and includes the healing brush

Matt

Just thought these might be of interest... especially for the new *ist-DS owners, and Optios etc

I've been a die-hard RAW fan with the *ist-D, using Photoshop CS to process and getting wonderful results. However, I've had to shoot JPG a few times and messed up too! While searching for accurate exposure compensation, I came across these actions:
http://actions.home.att.net/dSLR_Tools.html

Definitely $15 well spent - it's saved a load of JPGs from the digital trash can. There's some very clever pieces of selection and masking going on, and the results are just stunning

And it's got me thinking about some other actions and techniques too...

Unfortunately you do need Photoshop (not Elements).

Matt

You may also want to look at this:
http://www.ephotozine.com/news/fullnews.cfm?NewsID=1858

...not so sure about putting sticky gel on the CCD...
Because the CCD is electrically charged, some gunk can get really stuck. I'm not sure that the gel will always remove it.

FYI, I've followed the instructions available on the web regarding the use of Eclipse fluid and PecPads, both of which are available in the UK. I have personally cleaned my *ist-D sensor twice with excellent results. Second cleaning produced a 100% clean sensor

Here's a link to the description:
http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning

Matt

Greg,
I think you might be asking a couple of questions at once!

To get the smooth water look on a waterfall, you need to slow the shutter speed right down. To get a correct exposure, the aperture will have to go a corresponding amount smaller (ie larger number).

Here's the easiest way on the *istD: use the P mode, and wind the thumb dial to the right so you get Av22 shown on the top LCD. Make sure you are set to ISO200

The only snag with digital is the ISO starts at 200. If you need to get slower exposures still (because it's too bright and even f22 doesn't get slow enough), then you will need a Neutral Density filter which cuts down the light entering the lens. So a 2-stop ND filter will give you effectively ISO50, and will give you shutter speeds four times longer. A 4-stop ND will give eight times longer shutter speeds.

Hope that goes some way to explaining! If not, let us know exactly what mode and settings you are using

Matt