Well the d700 was the closest option. Spending 1800 on a camera is something i'd only do if I won the lottery etc. But if I had the money, I would go for it, if Pentax came up with a K-7 proportioned FF model.

No hoody's gonna mess with that Nanatoo!

They call her 'Granny Asbo'

Well captured, and an amazing little craft! Not sure how you managed to take a picture at all while sailing one of those little boats

On the other hand it could at least recoup those resources, and even if it didn't, the likelihood is that it would encourage sales at the entry / mid level, because I bet a few serious users are put off Pentax by the lack of a 135mm format model at the top of the range.

Re EVIL cameras etc, these are nice, but as far as I am concerned, the small SLR with a pentaprism viewfinder is something that just works well - so I would rather Pentax stuck with variations on that theme, including looking at 135 format sensors if they thought they could pull it off.

It's a bit weird really... If you are on a photography course, it should really be about exploring the unique challenge of photography - creating a world within just one image (or a series of images).... just visual, without sound or movement.

Just because a DSLR has video doesn't bring the medium of video making closer to stills photography. I think the mediums will stay distinct. However, when I get my K-7 I'm sure I will get back into making videos, something I used to do a lot of back in the day! Being able to use lenses with minimal DOF will open up new possibilities. Although the video camera I used to own (a semi-pro model I won in a BBC Wildlife Video competition) had a lot of manual control, more like a DSLR than the typical Sony Handycam. (Sadly it's now defunct, and I can't even watch back the Hi-8 tapes I shot ).

The coverage would be the same, but the focal length, depth of field etc, would not.

FF sceptics... Pick up a film slr and tell me you wouldn't like that huuuuge viewfinder!

Video is a very different medium to stills photography. Photos have a beautiful economy to them, they're like haikus to video's novels.

I have thought about making some sort of tool which you could attach to a vacuum cleaner - some sort of small nozzle which you would position near to (but obviously not touching) the sensor.

Soft art brushes sound a reasonable idea. At the moment I just use a rocket blower which clears 90% of the dust, but it can be a pain when fragments get up onto the focusing screen. And there is a lump of dust at the bottom of my sensor which won't budge.

Pentax M 28mm f3.5 still available!

Terrific shot - love the sign!