Jose, to a very large extent, I agree with Len's response. While you are correct that the "*ist (35mm) is not a favourite among forum members", I'd venture to say that the reason is that most of those voicing negative opinions on the camera would not buy it anyway unless it was on sale on eBay for 20% of the initial retail price. So few people here actually spend money on new Pentax equipment, that it's almost absurd to call this a list of "Pentax supporters".
So, while your assessment of the opinions may be accurate, as Len suggested, you have to also consider the people who tend to chime in. In addition, as Len alluded to, only about THREE active people (at most?) on this list have ever even used an *ist, and few (if any) have used it extensively enough to have a sound opinion on it already (in terms of usability, ergonomics, etc). Por eso, much of what you've heard has been bickering for the sake of bandwidth consumption. But with that said, one legitimate complaint that PDMLers have voiced (about 14 million times) is the concern of 100% compatibility between the new camera and any older lenses that they may own. Since you own a P30, then I suspect that this may be an issue for you also; but of course that depends specifically on what lenses you plan to use with the new camera. If they are Auto focus lenses (likely, since it's an AF camera you want to buy), then this will not be an issue with you. In my opinion, the *ist offers a lot for the price, and is a Fantastic purchase if it suits your personal needs. From a specifications standpoint, it's hard for me to see why this camera wouldn't be an absolute winner (if Pentax marketed it correctly). Lastly, I again have appeal to Len's response when he wrote: > I recommend finding a camera store that will allow you to test > it yourself. That is possibly the best advice you will hear from this entire thread. If you can, find someplace with a good reputation and a decent return policy (make sure it is in writing and the terms are clear). Play with the camera for a week (or however long), and by then you will know if it's for you, not to mention if there are compatibility issues with the lenses you intend to use. If it works for you, great. If not, then perhaps come back and ask the list for other suggestions. Of course, you could likely find it cheaper on the internet than at your local store... but consider the mark-up in cost the price you pay for being able to try before you buy. As they say in those Visa commercials, "Priceless". _____________________________________ Jerome D. Coombs-Reyes, PhD Candidate ISyE, Georgia Institute of Technology http://exposedfilm.net
