Look, I'm a very big proponent of both backwards compatibility (in all things, not just cameras) and perhaps an even greater proponent of manual gear than most other people on this list. When the istD came out it was almost impossible to use the K and M lenses on the camera, although, surprisingly, the old screw mounts worked perfectly as I understand it - perhaps even better than on the original Spotties since shutter speed didn't have to be adjusted. I was a little disappointed, but the workaround - if you choose to call it that - essentially solved the compatibility problem of the K and M lenses, certainly well enough for just about everyone on the list who bought an istD. Paul's recent action shots seem lend credence to the ability of the K and M lens to do work quite well in the istd. OTOH, you seem to be the biggest complainer, yet you don't have a Pentax DSLR, have never used the workaround to see how easy or difficult it may be to use. To some that may seem a little odd.
In reality, complete backwards compatibility has to be given up at some point in order to move forward. I don't like it, I'm not sure that's true in EVERY case - and since I'm no techie-digi-equipment-gearhead I can't speak to how difficult or easy it would be to have made the istD 100% compatible with every lens ever produced by Pentax - but that's the way it is. Parts from my newer Mercedes don't fit on my 1972 model, and there's not a damned thing on my beat up 1984 Toyota that will fit and work on a newer one. For all we know Pentax may have some future plans for that body, or for future lenses to be used on that and other bodies, that made it difficult or impractical to use that cam that you speak of. We don't know. But what we do have is a fix for the original problem that seems to satisfy all but the most critical (non)user of the istD. And when you add all this to the fact that every lens pentax ever made for 35mm cameras, plus other formats, plus lenses from other manufacturers, will now work on the istD, there's nothing to complain about, IMO. Shel > [Original Message] > From: J. C. O'Connell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: 9/15/2004 1:09:28 PM > Subject: RE: istDs - what a great camera! > > I know the camera cant do open aperture metering/AE at all > based on discussions when the camera came out. > That is NOT a good thing. That is a big reason I DON'T > own and use one. I don't buy things that don't have what > I want/need. > JCO > > -----Original Message----- > From: Shel Belinkoff [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Wednesday, September 15, 2004 2:23 PM > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: RE: istDs - what a great camera! > > > So then you're not familiar with how the istD uses the older lenses, is > that correct? > > > From: J. C. O'Connell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Date: 9/15/2004 11:17:07 AM > > Subject: RE: istDs - what a great camera! > > > > I am very curious as to how the *istD could EVER fully support the K/M > > > mount lenses when it doesn't have the sorely missed aperture sensing > > cam, a $10 part found even in the cheapie K1000. Without knowing the > > relative aperture setting , how can the camera ever do open aperture > > metering? JCO
