Is there any differnce between the two models as they both seem to offer the same functionality and Im not sure which one to get..

I like the first one, it had a nice feel to it...

I will play it safe, try different settings but make sure I shoot RAW+PEF, that way I might be able to rescue a good shot if I get lucky..

Cheers for the EV tip

(goes off and reads manual)

If I use AV, then I choose the apperture and the camera selects shutter speed? Should I stop up or down, Im presuming a smaller apperture as it will be bright? Surely then the camera will adjust the shutter to compensate for me stopping down?

Sorry, but Im still feeling my way out of auto mode..

We have had quite a bit of snow today and Im hoping that it will still be around tomorrow. If the trains are still bad, I plan to have the day off and go out shooting snow in our park..
I have the 18-55 kit lens
As Im new, what settings should i have for snow, I dont want to use auto.
Do I under-expose?
Turn down the ISO
What about White balance?

Just trying to get a feel for things I need to allow for..

Hi there, noob alert, but would like to register an interest.
I don't have a tripod and will need one but I have no idea whether this is a good tripod for a K20D or not, or a half decent brand. Im on my way to work now, but will do some research tonight when I get in and let you know?

Thank you so much to everyone who has replied - I have copied all the posts to a word document and will keep an eye out for some of the lenses mentioned in forums and ebay.
I think a macro will be my first purchase if I don't go for the reversing ring trick as I can potter about with water droplets then..

I guess I will have an opinion on that when I have had the camera for a couple of days, Im presuming that if I zoom out on the kit lens, it will give me a similar (55mm)field of view to the 50mm prime, so I will know if I like it..

You might be right, it just seemed to me that there are alot of signatures where people seem to have a 50mm lens listed..

It did - thanks
Searching for PENTAX-FA SMC seems to bring up zooms and no primes At least I know what to keep an eye out for now though, hopefully something will come up..

What lettering am I looking for on older lenses for autofocus?

The D series lenses are out of my price range, but on the older lenses from the 70s or 80's, are any of them autofocus?
A = automatic apperture
F = autofocus
FA = These lenses are designed with use for full-frame film SLR cameras?

Im resigned to manual lenses for the moment based on price, but it would be nice to pick up an auto lens if I saw one at a reasonable price. Purely because manual anything introduces another layer of potential error into the photo taking process. Id hate to get a good shot and find it was just ever so slightly out of focus..

Are the DA lenses the only automatic lenses for DSLR's?