Mark wrote: I suspect (and let me hasten to add that this *only* suspicion and not based on anything I heard from people at Pentax) that the aperture simulator ring is being removed from the camera bodies to make room for future electronic contacts - probably for electronically-controlled lenses. This would be the only way I can see of adding significantly more electronic contacts while retaining the existing contacts on the lens mount for backwards compatibility.
In other words: I suspect we're seeing a sacrifice of some backward compatibility (K and M lenses) in order to insure future compatibility with future products. REPLY: Could very well be. After all, the future should hold IS and USM because the competitions products does. However, at present it could just as easily simply be about making a product cheaper and more competitive pricewise. The *istD sits right in the most price sensitive DSLR segment and Pentax may have decided that a modern 11-point AF system will bring them more customers than compatibility of more than 20 year old lenses at the same price point. P�l
