[Bob from Aus]

My partner takes a mean photo but I can't convince her to use a SLR as she considers it too heavy. Her Canon G 11 died (again) and I refuse to have anything ever to do with canon repairs after the last time. I did my research and for what she needed it came down to pentax MX 1 and the similar Olympus. To my surprise she rejected the touch screen on the olympus so that left one.

This weekend she had her first chance to give the MX1 a serious workout at a two day workshop for our plant society. I lugged three bags of camera gear, a tripod and gimble into the back of the car. My partner placed her camera bag with the MX1 and her video camera into her handbag.

We went through some of the photos on a high quality digital projector at the plant society dinner, and i was accused of taking the photos (I have a reputation) and last night we got them onto the computer. There are plenty of stunning results. It would have been better if I had known she had the camera on full auto which makes it difficult to focus where you want on a flower. So she is thrilled with her new MX1 camera and is not home sick for her G11. (actually the g11 sits very nicely in the hand and I love the external controls). The fact there is not the amount of detail in the whites as you get with the K5 does not worry her.

From my point of view I would like to be able to place a filter over the lens as the camera at times will not be respected. I would probably also have a MX1 but there is no hotshoe (I think no microphone input) where I need to place an external microphone.

With my extensive camera kit I can't afford not to have my partner happily kitted out - thanks pentax