Hi! Mtc> 1) Will the *ist indeed work with all K-variants (ie Bojidar Mtc> Dimitrov's Pentax K-Mount list) back to original K?
I think that I've read someplace among myriad of *ist* posts that both film and digi *ists are going to be fully compatible with all K mount lenses. Mtc> 2) Using an M42 to K adaptor opens up another range of lens Mtc> options. Given no aperture lug communication between the M42 and Mtc> the *ist body, how would AE work? Would M42 to K on an *ist even Mtc> work at all? (Sorry, I have been living in sod hut.. 1/2 of my Mtc> cameras don't even use batteries!) Indeed, you would be able to use them, but you'd have to accept loosing open aperture metering. That is, you would have to close the aperture manually in order to get it metered and in order to actually make the shot. Otherwise, you would get the results. Mtc> 3) If not *ist, what else in the current Pentax lineup might I Mtc> consider? First priority is modern feature set including Mtc> whiz-bang predictive AF, wireless e-TTL flash, and all the Mtc> "what's possible". I have ZX-L which is seemingly one of the predecessors of *ists. It costed me $250 a year ago from B&H (www.bhphoto.com). I took the body only, not a kit with lowest level zoom lens. Both ZX-L and *ist (*ist by the spec) have very poor viewfinder. Since you're coming from manual focus land, perhaps ZX-5n is an option for you, as it has way better viewfinder. By the time I was making my choice, it's price was $320, again without the lens. It does not have some of the whiz-bang as you put it, but it is solid camera that I think now I should have bought then... Mtc> 4) Anyone know what street price on the *ist might be? Sorry, no help here. Good hunting... --- Boris Liberman www.geocities.com/dunno57 www.photosig.com/viewuser.php?id=38625
