Ok not sure what flash you are using, but this is how automatic flash works on a AF200T (also includes TTL for 'A' series and later)and presumably a AF200S.

There are two automatic settings, What this means is that the flash when fully charged has sufficient power to provide full exposure using the recommended set of parameters. The amount of light that the flash provides will be controlled by the sensor on the front and because there will always be some ambient light, the flash will rarely fully discharge. These flashes still work reasonably well in auto, or manual modes on modern Pentax DSLRs.

Green - for use with wide to normal lenses from 0.6m to 3.5m. Suggested aperture varies according to film speed at ASA 32 it is F2.8 at ASA 800 it is F16.

N.B range is extended to 5m if a telephoto lens is used

Red - for use from 1.5m to 7m. again suggested aperture varies according to film speed. From F1.4 at ASA32 to F8 at ASA800 with a wide to standard lens.

N.B again range increases if a telephoto lens is used, this time to 10m.

You will see from the above that there is an overlap of ranges. Therefore if you are using a standard lens and the subject is between 1.5m to 3.5m away , you will have a choice of apertures. For example using an ASA 200 film you can choose Green F8 or Red F4.

Also note that Pentax made adapters for these flashes designed for wide angle and telephoto lenses. Consult the manual for how they affect exposure.

Regards - Steve

Totally agree, I did the same.

Regards - Steve

I will let you know about speed, after I create the Combined Lake District Catalogue. They will all be Raw files 80% from the K10 the rest from the K5.

Regards- Steve

John, yes I agree. Handle and store them correctly and they will give a lifetime of use. AF screw drive lenses introduced a degree of complexity, I had two PCBs fail on FA lenses, followed by SDM again two failures and weather resistance, no failures to date, but as a former polymer chemist involved in rubber compound design and seal design I offer a word of caution and urge users not to become to blase about water/weather resistance. Seals fail too and I am not confident that any manufacturer would offer free repair for out of warranty for damage resulting from a seal failure.
Looking on the bright side we don't have to worry about in lens image stabilisation failure.

Apologies for the slightly off topic post.

Regards - Steve

I agree that at its best the DA* 16-50 is a very good lens.

Just be aware that if you are buying second hand, there were problems with the early production runs of this lens.
It was never officially acknowledged, but it was widely commented that as well as tightening up QC, Pentax slightly modified the design towards the end of 2009. There have been far less problems reported with lenses built after this time.

Regards- Steve

Hi Peter I hear what you say and appreciate the logic of it.

I may have a go in the new year merging several 'Lake District' catalogues together. That probably involves around 6000 images, so it will be a good examination of my tagging skills and the capability of my current PC to handle a large catalogue.

Regards - Steve

Thanks for the link. I downloaded the PDF, but not had a chance to look through it yet.

Regards - Steve

Peter I take your point, but at the moment separate catalogues suit my method of working, which is:

1. Create folder on hard drive i.e Cornwall Autumn 2012.

2. Import all images into that folder

3. Create catalogue with the same name in the same folder

4. Exported images go into a subfolder named Developed and are not included within the catalogue.

5. I have a catalogue of my developed images 'Developed', which spans several folders on the drive, but I use this more for diplay or to print from, I never process jpegs in LR. If I feel it warrants it. I use PS for specialist cloning/healing, cropping and sharpening.


This method originated at a time when I was using a variety of software to PP images, which tended to have their own idiosyncratic way of importing files. .

In the past I have not bothered too much about tagging images, but that is gradually changing and my approach to using catalogues with it. I realise that I am not making the most of LR's functionality in this area.

My current PC is showing its age and large catalogues really slow it down, It is likely that with the arrival of a new PC I will merge some catalogues and develop a better way of tagging images.

Regards - Steve

I use LR for most of my PP. My preferred way of working is to create a new catalogue for each significant collection of images. The downside I have always found with this, is how to deal with just one or two images that do not warrant a catalogue of their own. In those circumstances I use PS.

Yesterday I discovered something that might be well known to some of you. I created a new catalogue in LR of previously uncatalogued/miscellaneous images. The images had all been previously PP with PS. What I discovered to my surprise was that the PP carried out in PS/Camera Raw was imported along with my images into LR.

I am not sure how long this has been the case, but I find it very useful.


Regards - Steve

Whenever FF crops up, it always generates a large number of posts from forum members that state very logically why they do not need, or want a FF Pentax. None more so than the members who make a living from Photography

The point that I feel is missed is that for the vast number, Photography is a hobby and like all hobbies it is fed with hard cash, as an when funds become available. Logic quite frankly goes out the window, just look at the lengths we all go to, to justify a new lens. Look at the threads on the K5ii and K5iiS and the interest that as been generated for what is at best a small gain in performance/IQ.

The price point at which forum members sign up to FF will vary, depending upon personal circumstance and the value associated with the benefits. FF is perceived to offer benefits in IQ, but more than that it is for many aspirational. In my opinion it is this aspirational element that more than anything will be the driver.
I would venture to say that in five years time at least 50% of the active members of this forum are using a FF DSLR.

To answer the original question, do I feel a FF would make me a better photograpgher, the answer is a resounding NO. I do however believe that on certain occasions, in difficult conditions I might have achieved better IQ with a FF.

For me the desire for FF is not consuming and it is not sufficient to make me consider changing systems, but if Pentax do launch a FF it will be a case of when, not if I get one.

Regards - Steve