Flashes etc all arrived nice and quick, were well packaged and work great. Many thanks, si

Pm re: flashes & teleconverter

Hi Bob,

Thanks for waiting. My trip out was totally unsuccessful so haven't been able to test any lenses and unable to make a decision today, so if you haven't sold the 40mm xs already, I hope a Saturday afternoon ebay finish will ensure the best return for you.

Many thanks, si

Hi Bob, just thought I'd let you know that I am interested in the 40mm xs, and will be investigating further tomorrow to try one out and will let you know either way. I'll also be in Chester next weekend, so the stars seem to be aligning...

Cheers,

Si

Just in case milamber hasn't sold the FA 50mm f/1.4, I'd just like to say thank you for a smooth transaction and the f/1.7 lens is exactly as described. Superb.

Cheers,

Simon

PM sent re: FA 50mm 1.7

Thank you!

Well, I've had my K5 for a 10 days with several months debating which DSLR camera system to join (formerly a Minolta user before I simplified back to a Panasonic bridge to save film development costs) and I'm very happy with my decision to join Pentax. The camera's smooth to operate, intuitive, has wonderfully rich colours, crisp (with a +3 focus adjustment on an 18-135 WR) and is fantastic in low light (all to be expected following extensive reading online).

My problem (that I'm hoping is either a limitation of the glass or simply technique) is when using autofocus, towards wide angle, to capture the sky against tree lines (such as capturing a blue sky with whispy clouds against green canopies during the day). The autofocus fails to lock and therefore won't release the shutter (despite trying to lock onto the defined cloud or the darker defined edges of the tree canopy). I've changed the setting to release priority as a work around with manual focus which works fine although a little time consuming, but is this a common limitation or possibly a problem with the camera? I'm heading into the retailer to have a chat face to face with another K5 user but was wondering what others have found.

As for the check list in the first post, there's no harm in asking the retailer. Some retailers are better than others, but try and find one (ring them) that a) has the camera to play with b) has a sales representative that owns a K5 so they'll appreciate your concerns and reassure you and c) don't get hung up on too many past experiences of other people (newer models are available with higher serial numbers). The camera is awesome, you'll love it, there's always a work around (whether using the forums to find out other peoples solutions, utilising the warranty, updating the firmware or if needed returning the item) and everyday that you don't have this fantastic camera you'll be missing countless photo opportunities.

Cheers

Simon