Originally posted by nosnoop ... HyperProgram does give you total control. Turning the Av wheel would make it behave exactly like Av mode; turning the Tv dial would make it behave exactly like Tv mode. I don't get what you mean "only by a few steps" - you can shift as much as you want, as long as it is within the metering range. (Do note that you can change the dial to adjust Av/Tv or to do Program shift in the custom menu)
Basically, HyperProgram is like 3 modes in one. You can shift seamlessly between Av - Tv - Program back and forth without touching the mode dials.
I wondered what JoN was talking about too and took another look, and I think I see his point.
In P (hyperprogram mode), the camera really wants to restrict me to a combination of aperture and shutter that allows for an acceptable exposure. Just now, I put the camera into P mode and pointed it at a darkish area of my living room. I was able to get the aperture stopped down to f/11 - and then it would go no further. When I pointed the camera directly at a lamp, however, I could stop down to f/16 or even f/22. But I had to point the camera at that lamp in order to get it to let me go past f/11 initially.
In Av mode, on the other hand, once I hit f/11, I had no trouble keeping going. Of course, the settings screen on the top of the camera started blinking wildly at me, as if to say, "Help, danger! This does not compute." But I was able to set the aperture to whatever I wanted.
That said, P on the K10D still looks like a pretty sweet deal to me.
Will
P.S. I see that JoN replied while I was writing the response above....