For this reason I would consider waiting for the Pentax DA converter. Admittedly there is not firm release date for this item yet, but it would seem silly if Pentax didn't make their own converter multiply the reported focal length.

the stop down actuator on K mount lenses (thats the big sticky out one) can become slightly bent so that it doesn't engage properly. Compare it carefully with another lens to see if this has happened. It doesn't take much to mess up the alignment, especially since it seems yours is very close to right.

might well not be the problem, but worth a look as it's an easy fix.

given the exposure time, I'm 90% sure that big purply splodge on the second shot is heat bloom from the cameras internals. I get it all the time in astro photography. Either hit the in camera noise reduction (will double the length of time taken for a shot) or take a dark frame of the same exposure time manually and subtract it in software using either UFRAW or some other RAW converter which allows dark frame subtraction.

and people stopped "failing the 12+" and started being "allocated to secondary".

Damnit I failed the 12+ and I don't mind admitting it. I also hold a masters degree in Physics. In fact 12+ performance was a superb predictor of A level performance in my class.

The worse you scored in the 12+, the better you did at A-Level.

[/rant]

K10D vs K200D - My 2p

K10D is larger and slightly heavier.

K200D runs on AA batteries, which are easier to source in a tight spot.

K10D has a larger and brighter viewfinder.

K200D has Dynamic Range Enhancement mode. No one has yet commented on how useful this is but it should help in strong lighting.

K200D has scene modes which will give you a shallower learning curve, although in the end they will just be wasted dial space.

K10D has TAv mode, where you set the aperture and shutter speed and the camera picks the ISO to match. This is handy in very specific circumstances so you may never use it, but I love it for fast sports.

K10D can do unlimited 3FPS in JPG and 9 frames at 3FPS in RAW,
K200D can only do 2.8FPS for 4 frames in JPG or RAW.

Essentially, the K10D was designed to be the best amature/semi-pro level camera in the world. The K200D was designed to play second fiddle to the K20D. Both are superb cameras and unless you are a very specialised photographer with demanding speed requirements it's unlikely that you will be disapointed by either of them, but the K10D would be my choice.

yeah I thought it was a very nice piece of kit, seems to be exactly what I've been saying was needed for a while. That is, a slightly (but not much) more expensive consumer grade long zoom which is not particularly fast, but is not horribly soft wide open at 300.

I'm torn between buying one of these when they come out and scraping my pennys together until I can buy a 200 F2.8 DA*. The latter will take me a very long time, but I was stunned by the quality of that lens.

BTW, as I write this I am enjoying a cup of tea out of my free Pentax mug

mmmm I fear some people would suggest that I belong in catagory #3.

Actually probably most people who've ever seen my camera cupboard.

My deffence is that I rarely carry more than 3 of them at once!

I suspect what he means is that he doesn't care how long it takes the camera to download to his PC when he gets home, it's the buffer-to-card time while shooting which matters.

I tend to agree.

I have a Dane-Elec 80x 1GB card for my *istDL2 and it's been very quick and reliable over the years. I haven't used anyones SDHC cards, but Dane-Elec are a brand I would be willing to use again.

I distinctly remember (shock horror!) lying about my age the first time I joined an IT forum.

I looked through my ME-Super a couple of weeks ago.

I fell in. Someone had to pass me a ladder to climb out again.