Hi Jon, and welcome! Intros are a good thing and questions are what the list is all about. I for one would love to see some of your pics.
First of all here's the excellent "Mini FAQ" kindly made up by Graywolf which explains all kinds of "list stuff": http://www.graywolfphoto.com/pentax/pdml-faq.html As far as the ist D questions: 1.) I for one have never had a problem of any kind with the CF cards or slot. 2.) There IS a histogram! It just takes a couple of button presses to get to it. 3.) The only "quirks" I've experienced are false low battery indications when using the optional AA battery grip. 4.) The 35-105/3.5 A is a wonderful lens and works perfectly on the ist D. Even works well with the Pentax F 1.7x autofocus adapter, allowing it to be used as an autofocus lens at ~60-175mm. 5.) M lenses work fine in Manual mode with the 1.11 firmware upgrade installed, you just push the "Green Button" to set the exposure before each shot. Not a big deal. Glad to have you, enjoy! Don > -----Original Message----- > From: Jon Glass [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Saturday, November 20, 2004 5:00 AM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: YA New User > > > Hello folks- > > I also just joined, and have been lurking for the past couple of days. > I've been a bit busy, so haven't taken the time to introduce myself > until now. > > I am not currently a Pentax user, as I sold my Program Plus to pay for > my impulse purchase to buy a Nikon Coolpix 990 a few months ago. > However, I do still have some of my extra stuff--lens, motor winder, > etc. > > I suppose it would be kind to share a bit about myself and photography. > I fell in love with photography as a high school freshman, and bought > my first camera, a Minolta SRT 100 with a 3x converter. That ancient > camera served me well until 1985, when its shutter froze, and I then > messed up the mirror trying to get it to work. All through high school, > I had a B&W darkroom in our cellar. I shot almost exclusively black and > white. I was without my own camera through most of college, but had a > friend who was also a camera freak, but used Pentax equipment. He had > an extra K1000 body, which I frequently used. When I graduated from > college, I was able to get my Program Plus, which served me from 1989 > until this year! Wonderful camera. For most of that time, of course, I > was consumed with photographing my children, and some travel > photography. However, a gift of a scanner changed that, and in the past > year, I've been quite busy once again just enjoying photography for its > own sake. I only miss the smell of the chemicals sometimes. ;-) > > Actually, I've joined the list loaded with questions. I've wanted the > *ist D ever since they came out, but as you are all probably aware, > some reviewers aren't particularly happy with it. Its main problems > seem to come down to two: > > 1. The compact flash memory slot > 2. Lack of histogram. I have read nothing on the web that indicates > that a firmware upgrade fixed this problem, so I presume it's still an > issue? > > (and a third, not so important it seems) 3. some odd > ergonomic/interface quirks... > > For those of you who have used this camera extensively, how much of a > problem are the two (three) above-mentioned issues? Also, are there any > other weird problems you have had with the *istD that have bugged you > more and more over time (more related to the third question)? > > I've appreciated all the comments recently regarding the comparison > between the D70 and the istD. I see that the viewfinder is a big plus > in the istD. That's good. I wear glasses, and think that the D70's > problem in this area almost discludes it for me... However, I have one > other, big question... > > How well does the istD work with manual focus lenses? > > I ask, because I have two lenses. The main glass is SMC Pentax A zoom, > 35-105mm F: 1:3.5. I have long loved this lens, and can hardly bring > myself to part with it! Will this lens work as a good main lens for > some time? or should I consider getting a "proper" DA lens? I have to > confess myself a rather fuddy-duddy when it comes to focus. I just > prefer to focus myself. I don't really know why. I play with AF cameras > often, and my Nikon CoolPix autofocuses, but in the end, I feel like > it's one step too far removed for me. So, how would this camera work > with this lens? > > Also, I have an older Chinon 135mm F 1:2.8 telephoto. It's a K mount > (not KA), so I presume it will not work perfectly with the istD, but > exactly what do I lose. I get a bit confused reading the reviews about > these lenses... > > So, is there any advice, considered opinions, etc? > > Oh, and thanks for letting me speak up. (maybe it's bad form to > introduce and ask in the same email. Sorry if it's a bad thing.) > > P.S. oh, and if anybody is interested, I have some photography up all > over the web. But maybe I should post those links in another email? I > noticed the PAW and PESO images, so I get the impression that > displaying too many photos is not considered a good idea, so I want to > know how much is too much before I start throwing links out. :-) > > P.P.S. Sorry for the long intro email... > -- > -Jon Glass > Krakow, Poland > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >
