It's probably not much use to you, but for Linux users, both Shotwell and the more fully-featured DigiKam will open both PEF and DNG files. Both are free, too.

Now that I realise that PEF files offer no significant space saving over DNG, I use the latter format anyway.

Tom

I recently bought the Lowepro Fastpack 250, partly because it would accommodate a laptop as well. It will certainly fit quite a large lens attached to the camera. I'm happy with it; it takes a 55-300 lens facing outwards, for instance, and seems to give good protection. There's some space on top for your personal stuff too. I got mine from MyMemory - though it cost rather less than they are now charging, so you might want to shop around some more. Take a look at the Lowepro site for dimensions and images - and, of course, try to see one in a shop to be sure it's what you want.

All of which makes me think it's not so bad I never got very far with Windows 7 and now use Ubuntu Linux....

Thanks, Stefan - very useful. As I'm beginning to use Linux tools with my new Pentax DSLR, I was pleased to find some of my preferences confirmed: 'we like the KDE and GNOME defaults of digiKam and Shotwell (respectively) along with gThumb. But digiKam stands out as the most attractive option.' (Actually, I'm using all of these in Ubuntu, never mind the gnomes.) Of course, that doesn't make it easy to grasp what all the options are for...

I can't help wondering about a statement in the introduction. The author claims 'there are literally tons of [applications] available' - but how did he weigh the software? How heavy is a download?

Hi Paul

Just to say many thanks for meeting me to deliver the lens last week. It's just as you described and I'm very pleased with it.

I hope you soon find a suitable replacement!

Tom

Since you've mentioned this, any advice on sensible procedures when thinking of buying through the Forum? For sites like eBay there are guarantees: how can buyer and seller using the Pentax Forum be sure the transaction will be secure? I've noticed that buyer often leave feedback, which is great - but this doesn't always help. Just contemplating an item on offer....

Prufrock

PM sent

Thanks again to Peter Smith and others - I've now checked and the firmware is the latest version (K-x Ver 1.01). It's useful to know how to check it, though I suddenly thought it might be in the EXIF data, and sure enough it is stored there too.

The AF360FGZ page on the US site has the same video as Stefan found on YouTube - but the sound is better on the Pentax site (find the 'watch demo' link on the left-hand side of the page).

I still can't get the on-board flash to trigger the external flash when the camera flash is set to master but I'll play some more and order MattMatic's guide too. I might even contact Pentax to see what they say - though response to an earlier message has been a long silence - a complete contrast to this forum.

Well! I'm overwhelmed by the number and detail of the responses here - thanks everyone! And I can report success - at last I've got the flash to fire properly, even though it's not quite as I expected - yet!

I'm sorry not to have got back sooner - we've been out today and I've only just been able to go through your suggestions. I finally managed to get the flash to fire in standard wireless mode (ie with the slave mode set to SLAVE 1). I had already got it work in SLAVE 2 mode, that is as a dumb slave, but this time I followed Mannesty's instructions to turn the flash ON when it's attached to the camera, not just to the 'wireless' setting, then check the camera and flashgun have the same channel setting. I'd got them to match before when the gun was switched to 'wireless' but the gun wouldn't fire. As this worked this time, I'll use that procedure in future.

It wasn't quite as I expected, mind: the gun only fired when I set the camera to fire the build in flash as 'control' not as master (Custom settings 3), so the built-in flash doesn't provide any useful light (something I might surely want). However, now I've got it to work this way, I can experiment further - and probably buy that book everyone tells me to order from MattMatic!

Thanks for the other suggestions; I hadn't thought to search YouTube, though the video suggested by Anvh is actually the same one as on the US Pentax site that I'd linked to in my first post. There are some other videos suggested on YouTube I might look at later.

Mannesty asks: 'Does your camera have the latest firmware?' How can I check this? I can't see it in the manual or menus (though as the K-x is quite new, I'd assumed the firmware would be OK - and it seems now to do the business, so this doesn't seem to be an issue).

Thanks again everyone - I shall now retire to bed an happier guy, looking forward to getting a better grip on the flash system now I've made a start.

Hi Gwyn - that was quick!

Yes, I think I've been putting the flash close enough (no more than a metre, probably less). I have managed to get it fire as a slave (Slave 2 setting), but not using the P-TTL system. However, I may be overlooking something else obvious, so any advice most welcome!