wpoupore

Todd,

Did your K-M come with the separate flash? I just took at shot with a last minute bid on one of the Prodigital2000 auctions and landed one for $371

USD plus shipping. It was only after winning that I recalled that at the introduction there was some talk that it was going to include a separate flash

in the kit. I'm happy with the deal even without the flash, but it would be a nice bonus.

BTW - anyone know how the high ISO performance compares to the K100D Super? The K-M won't replace my K10D, but it might make my K100

redundant.

Bill

I'd put the one of the BMW in the power slide at the top of my list.

Rallying is great, although I'm more of a road course fan, American LeMans, CART (RIP) and now IRL with it's move away

from ovals. Like Justin I find the roundy-round of NASCAR rather dull.

Another great rally event is the Targa Newfoundland

http://www.targanewfoundland.com/

I've used several different card readers with various Macs without problem. I did come across one that wasn't happy when plugged into the USB

port on the keyboard, but once it was plugged into a powered hub or directly into the computer everything was fine. The only SDHC card I've used

was from Sandisc and I didn't have any problem with it's included reader plugged into a USB port on the keyboard or when using the card via a

Belkin Express Card adapter.

Bill

Justin,

I think it's time to quit your day job.

Javier,

No need to apologize for the engine part picks. Bring'en on!

After your post in another thread about building touring car engines I did a quick search on google to see just what you were up to. If you ever

decide to branch out VWs I've got a car that could use your help. They say the the inline 5 in my Jetta is half of the V-10 that's in the Lamborghini

Gallardo. Unfortunately, all the power is in the half that didn't make it into my car.

Justin,

What they are doing in France sounds like it might be the same way cataract surgery is done. A small incision, use a laser to break up the old lens

for removal, and slide in a new lens. Less than a half hour per eye. By the time I was rolled into the post-op room I could already see clearly. The

only after effect was that the incision was really itchy whenever I blinked for about a day afterwards. That, and you lose the yellowing that occurs

as the natural lens ages, so everything looks whiter now.

I developed cataracts at 46, much to the consternation of everyone involved in the surgery. After the surgery, for the first time in my

life I could focus a camera without glasses. It is so much nicer putting my face up to the viewfinder without glasses, and I'm certainly not going to

complain about having 20/20 vision now.

No problem Miserere.

I think I might be developing a serious case of LBA, but who can say no to a nice lens when I only have two others in

similar focal length range? (Pentax 50-200 and the Sigma 70-300 APO)

Now somebody can join in and say it's apples to oranges to help me rationalize this right?

As the title says, wondering if anyone can comment on how good a lens this is? Comparison to similar focal length Sigma? I've come

across one for sale for $330 CAN. The thought of a nice f2.8 in this range is very appealing, especially now that the 60-250 won't be within

any lens budget I've got for a while.

Bill

Roger R.

Some companies offer cross-platform upgrades (sidegrades?). Probably most relevant to this forum is Adobe. I don't

remember the exact cost, but it was fairly minimal.

The current edition of the MacBook Pro. Bought my first Mac 24 years ago this month. I've had a few PC's along the way,

but when things get messed up it's always been, for me, so much easier to put Humpty Dumpty back together again when

using a Mac. It's having an operating system instal disk that always has the drivers you need so no need to go searching for them. FYI -

the computer getting messed up? Always my fault. Just can't stop messing around. Perhaps that's why

neither Aperture or iPhoto are working right now? :~)

And the other great thing is that for the past 20 plus years running two monitors has "just worked" without any problems

with some applications not liking to run on the second monitor, a problems I ran into when I tried it on Windows.(that was

MANY years ago, so not saying it still is a problem on Windows

Bill

The Pentax software, Photo Browser and Photo Labratory, runs fine on a Mac. The ones you can download from the Pentax

web site are only updaters. You have to install the originals from the CD that came with your camera. Then you can apply the

online updaters to have the latest version. If he can't find the CD you can order it from Pentax, but I don't know how much they

would charge you. I don't know why they don't just let you download the full version from the web site since I wouldn't think it

would work with anything but a Pentax camera.

As far as what the Pentax software can do, I can't help with that as I use Aperture. If your friend is running OS 10.5 (Leopard)

then he can use either Aperture of iPhoto to work with PEF files. In fact he will even get Quick Look previews in the finder from

his PEF files.

Here is a full list of Pentax models supported by Aperture 2: K200D, K20D, K110D, K100D Super*, K100D, K10D, *ist DL2*,

*ist DS2*, *ist DS, *ist DL, and *ist D under Tiger or Leopard.

Never tried using either iPhoto or Aperture for TIFFS so can't comment on that.

Hope this helps

Bill

The new Pentax 17-70 will only auto-focus with bodies that support SDM. With older bodies it's manual focus only.

http://www.pentaximaging.com/footer/news_media_article?ArticleId=10527486

Attached to the bottom of the description is an FAQ with some interesting information:

Paraphrasing and summarizing from that page:

1) Why SDM only?

Size, weight, cost, and development time.

2) Will PENTAX continue to develop DSLR bodies with the older body-based focusing system?

Yes.

3) Will PENTAX only be developing SDM-only lenses from now on?

No. Will continue to develop lenses with screw drive, but will phase out building lenses with both screw drive and SDM. Future lenses will

either support SDM focusing or body-based focusing, but not both. eg Limited lenses are too small for SDM.

4) How can you tell if a lens is SDM-only?

If it describes the mount as “KAF3” then the lens is SDM-only

To add to that:

Fast = small number for maximum aperture, ie f1.4

Slow = big number for maximum aperture, ie f5.6

DA 55-300

vs

DA 18-250

vs

Sigma 70-300mm APO

For the range in which they overlap?

I can't make it, but how about Edwards Gardens which now also encompasses the Toronto Botanical Gardens?

http://www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/tours/tbgedwardsgardens.htm

I noticed that the lens at the Amazon link is actually being sold by Cameta Camera. Are they considered to be a reputable retailer, or is

this a case of a price that might be too good to be true?

For those looking for the best Canadian prices, check out Prodigital (they sell to U.S. an U.K. as well):

K200D w/ 18-55 and 50-200 - $749.99

K200D w/ 18-250 - $1,062.59

K20D body only - $999.99

*ist DL w/ 18-55 - $354.19

K110D w/ 18-55 - $394.67

http://stores.ebay.ca/Prodigital2000_Pentax_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ13QQftidZ2QQtZkm

I'll second the recommendation for the Olympus Stylus cameras. I've got one and it really is waterproof (10ft or 33 ft

depending on model), drop proof and crush proof. I've gone in water parks with my son with it, it's been dropped in the sink

full of water (not by me), dropped on the ground, had coke sprayed all over it, fallen out of napsacks, etc, etc, and had a 30 pound box put

on top of it. It's still going strong, gives picture quality you'd expect from a P&S, and reasonable movies for what it is. Only down side

is it takes xD memory cards, but I figure what I don't spend on replacing the camera because of "accidents" more than

pays for the memory cards.

I've got an earlier Stylus and they really are waterproof. And Pepsi proof too!

Shockproof to a height of several feet, and crushproof to a couple of hundred pounds if

I reember correctly. I've tested out the shockproof more times than I care to admit but

I'm happy to report that I can't offer any personal experiences on how trully crushproof

it is.

A great supplement for when the going gets a little too rough for your water resistant

Pentax DSLR.

Justin,

The Palm OS is definitely NOT based on the Newton OS. It was developed by Palm.

There is a connection in that Palm made it's Graffiti hand writing recognition engine

available as an add on for the Newton. (and also for several other platforms)

FYI - Jeff Hawkins was one of the founders of Palm. Palm was sold to US Robotics. US

Robotics was bought by 3Com. Jeff Hawkins went off and started Treo. Palm was sold by

3Com. Treo was then bought by Palm.

Holster style sounds like a great way to carry an SLR. Any specific brand/model

recommendations?