Pentax Japan was able to release the latest firmware 1.30 for the K10D yesterday and it should follow internationally at their other websites over the next little while. The update seems to only be an addition to the camera's data inventory of DA lenses that are compatible with the K10D's SDM system. The data helps with the camera's Hyper-Program mode (MTF, particularly), and it likely includes info for the new DA* lenses , the first SDM lenses to be released by Pentax this year.

Link: Pentax Japan Firmware 1.30 Update

Yes, Pentax has a limited edition K10D that's going to hit the shelves in select stores this summer. It's the "Grand Prix 2007 Limited Edition" which sports special gold colored printing of the logos, "CAMERA GRAND PRIX 2007" stamped under the LCD, and an umber brown rubber grip (a bit leather-like), with a matching BG2 battery grip and commemorative lens strap with the Grand Prix emblem. Ooh la-la! There are only 5,000 that are going to be made, so good hunting. Now why a Grand Prix 2007 camera and not Nascar? Well, in Japan a few photo magazines get together each year and award a special little prize for the best cameras on the market, the Grand Prix. It's sort of a big deal for a camera company like Pentax to usurp the top spot from Nikon or Canon, so this edition's release has multiple meanings. The gold lettering says, "I'm important and dignified," while the brown grip says, "but I also came to party." Sort of like a Tuxedo T-shirt.

Something neat is that the memo from Pentax on this new edition states firmware v1.30, which isn't available yet. It's likely that Pentax will have it available for all K10D users soon, as it's been their habit to freely offer firmware updates for bugfixes and to enable new functions.

Links: Limited Edition Press Release, Grand Prix Award, Via Pentax Life