Crop factor confusion

Yes, that's plan B. None of this rain we're getting has actually made it through the walls here yet, but it might still happen, in which case cloth will have to be cut to fit. And this is exactly why I've decided to go with a Pentax - from what I've seen of a friend's pictures and his very old Pentax film camera with various lenses (which he still wants), second best will be way more than good enough.

Amazing pictures. And I can see how Granny might object...

Apparently, it'll be a good while before anyone needs to make a decision on actually buying a 35mm macro, anyway. I'll have come up with a better reason to get one by then, I'm sure. Like doing macro photography, for example.

I once used a Photoshop trick on someone else's "brutally honest" portrait, where you made a fairly transparent blurred copy of the red channel and blended it on top using Luminosity mode. Lots of detail, but a sort of hazy glow (it's subtler than it sounds). Great for crows feet. Kind of thing I hope a good camera, excellent lenses and a bit of experience will render unnecessary.

Don't forget that the most important thing in photography is not the lens or the photographer, but the light. Harsh lighting will make even Helen of Troy look like Patricia Hewitt.

G

In my case I'm the granny and I don't do self portraits

One thing to bear in mind is you can always soften shots from a sharp lens but sharpening up from a soft lens is a bit tricky

TBH I think you could do worse than stick with the kit lens until you get used to the camera and discover just what you really need in the lens line up.

Bit harsh on Helen of Troy?

That makes a lot of sense. Discipline. That's what I lack totally. And knowledge. BTW, can anyone recommend a good book on portrait photography? Had a browse through Amazon, saw lots of stuff, but nothing stood out to my untutored eye.

Although I'm certainly going to try and get the short DA* zoom (and then the longer one when it comes out), rather than the kit lens, but this is a question of how long stuff lasts, rather than how it performs. Without weatherproofing, I'm going to find outdoor opportunities pretty limited for much of the year, at least for the kind of things I want to photograph - curtains of torrential rain sweeping down the hillside towards me, huge hailstones bouncing off stuff in all directions, you get the point...

[quote]...can anyone recommend a good book on portrait photography?[/quote[
Depends what kind of portraits you intend to take
But I can highly recommend this book:
The Photographic Portrait - by Robin Gillanders
A really thoughtful and interesting book with a balance between technical details and the psychology of the portrait.

Head and shoulder studio style portraits are one thing... but I love the portraits that convey something more about the person. Keep meaning to practice this type of portrait...
Matt