Ha Ha, What a blow. I was using custom setting 35 as a means to sharpen up the focus, instead of using function - sharpness. No wonder I was having problems with other lenses. Inadvertently with my sigma, it must be out a touch as the custom 35 setting seemed to help.

I have read in previous posts as follows:

"My AF was out, I took it to the camera store and he recalibrated it"

"Hacking into the Firmware to recalibrate the AF"

Now I downloaded the hacking "DEbug Mode" info. I wouldnt consider myself as a novice in regard to computers and software, but I found the hacking info really hard to follow.

As far as the camera guy recalibrating the AF, it seemed as if it took five minutes.

Just how is the simplest way to check and complete a recalibration of the AF.

Might need relatively simple language.

Excellent pictures. Were they taken handheld. Do you use a filter.

Do you use SRS. Have you got the custom settings in camera boosted for extra sharpness. Any other particular settings.

Took the advice of all posts, went through all the relevant ones.

Custom Setting for Sharpness at +3
No filter on the lens
Aperture at 11 or close to it
Boosted ISO to 800
P mode
Turn off SRS

Pictures look good and acceptabily sharp.

Wont have to junk the equipment or spend any more money. Great. Now thats out of the way, moving onto exposure compensation on the fly.

Right on Jon, perseverence can save you money in the long run.

(Only thing I am thinking a more expensive lens might be even better)

What would be the procedure for matching a lens to a camera. Does it require the distributor to carry this out or would it be possible for any digital workshop to do it. Is there a firmware upgrade, or some other easy way to carry this out.

Unfortunately I purchased my Camera from a parallel importer, and purchased my lens direct from Singapore on E-Bay. The distributor wont be in too much of a hurry to help me.

I have bought a Sigma 70-300 1:4-5.6 APO DG for use with my K20D.

I tried everything, boosted the Custom focus sharpness to +4. I had already taken off the Skylight and Polarising filter, thinking that a UV must be the best. Finally took of the UV filter. It seems to perform much better with much sharper images. However still havent got that really sharp detail which I like.

I will only buy after I try now. Sick of buying and not getting the performace you would expect.

You would think that Digital camera manufacturers and lense manufacturers, not just pentax or DSLr's, would not sell a camera or lense, that has not got great performance. There are so many products out there that are so substandard. I bought a pentax point and shoot once, it took about 5 seconds from the time i pressed the shutter and it took the picture. By then the subject had moved off had lunch and went to bed.

I complained to the pentax distributor. They told me they have had no other complaints and just about told me to stop moaning. I think it was an E30 or something like that.

When a picture doesnt work out the first one to blame is myself. Takes a lot of trial and error to start blaming the equipment.

Hi, I have a website from Clicpic also. I have found the site excellent for the cost. I think that the only reason that they can provide such a reasonably priced service, is because they offer no special help. But if you wish you can make enquiries on specific matters by lodging a special request through your login.

CPL filters affect the capability of the camera to autofocus, particularly with zoom lenses in the higher range.

Personally I think it has some effct on exposure as well.

Stick with the UV

I had Nikon 35mm F60, F65. as well as Pentax MZ50 and 60. Then I moved to the Pentax *ist DS and then the K1000 and now the K20D.

I was happy with all of the cameras, except the K1000.

I still miss my *istDS. It goes to show the most expensive is not always the best. You sometimes cant rely upon reviews as they are usually never tell you about the bad points.

The best avenue is to read opinions on chat sites such as this one.

Wouldnt it be great to be able to try before you buy.

I bought a 2x converter. But what happened was the viewfinder became so dark it was hard to really use the camera appropritely.