How do people get around the fact that images tend to print darker? I have had this issue and it drives me nuts.

The idea is to figure out which Vivitar lenses were worth purchasing. One way to do that is to determine who made them, as Vivitar is just a brand, not a manufacturer. And the serial numbers can help with that. It's not a complicated concept, really. Though I don't expect everyone to care, I find it annoying to be mocked for the effort. Maybe you should spend more time sorting your "myths" from reality.

For those who do have an interest, the 24mm Vivitars seem to follow a similar pattern to the 28mm lenses, although there seem to be fewer variations. I have a Komine-made 24/2 KA mount that is very nice. Can't vouch for other variants, though any with serial numbers starting with "22" or "28" are likely well worth pursuing.

By the way, I think John and I have posted the same thing in about 50 threads now.

I am very happy with the inexpensive DA16-45 as a significant step up from the kit lens. It is clean to the corners and hence much better for landscapes and the like.

Care to clarify? Or would that not fit your definition of "plain"?

I did not say I was an expert. You're just being nasty for no reason. And demonstrating a very common logical fallacy.

How small did you need to make the window to remove the left margin? Pretty darned small I imagine. Perhaps you've noticed other sites like that too? Did you write them all to voice your disapproval? If you knew anything about web design you'd know this: it is impossible to please every screen, every browser, every platform and every user preference. Using Blogger, on a budget of zero, I do my best with a somewhat limited platform.

No doubt you are right. I did not mean my comment to be about SLR versus rangefinder. Let me rephrase to make it clear what I meant to say. Rangefinder cameras (for example Leica) present the functions needed to operate themselves in a straightforward and uncluttered manner, with no extra frills, thus heightening usability. SLRs do not. I have a series of articles on my blog including Ten Interface Design Principles that go into greater detail on this. I hope to soon write on my ideal "concept camera".

Fewer features means the camera's ergonomics can be designed around them, instead of stuff that is excess to requirement. Think of a Leica rangefinder. It is easier to use, even in extreme situations, since controls are directly coupled to functions and modality banished. I would love to see Pentax release a "new concept" camera in that mold. If the K-7 had been one then I would now be planning a purchase.

And then there is the cost factor. It is not so much the unit cost of a new chip as the R&D expense and need to retool factories and establish new supply chains.

That said, I am not unhappy the K-7 has video -- it's the new flagship product with every feature that could be squeezed in. Fair enough. This will appeal to the majority of consumers. But I would have preferred to see a camera for photographers, not consumers.

By that logic the K-7 would be a better camera if it had a built-in MP3 player and mobile phone.

Some of us just want a camera to offer improvements to something we call photography and couldn't care less for frills. I am hopeful the K-7 will offer that as well as video.

And, oh yes, autofocus is still a gimmick.

OK, fair enough. I have no wish to "create a problem that doesn't exist".

OK, maybe my issue is that the title should say "on ebay" and not "for sale". I guess different forums have different rules about this.