Hello

Hello!

OK I'll be straight with you - I only actually joined the forum because I'd seen a lens I really wanted in the classified ads section. But in my defence, I had been reading the forums for a while - especially the user photos, and I am here introducing myself now!

So I'm fairly new to this, and still seem to spend much more time reading and learning than actually taking photos. Photography isn't something I'd have expected would interest me, in fact I didn't own a camera, or have any interest in taking photos, until I was well past 30.

For the last few years, we had a Canon Powershot G10. Just after we bought it, my mother in law bought me a book on how to get the most out of it. I read it cover to cover, and became instantly fascinated. A lot of what it taught me, the basics of manual digital photography I guess, was transferrable so when I felt like there was more I wanted to do that the Powershot couldn't do, it became DSLR time.

I would rattle on for a while now about how I ended up with my Pentax K30 but I've noticed there's another thread about why people choose Pentax so I'll save it for there.

Until recently I'd have said I was leaning towards landscape and architecture. The basis for this would be that I instinctively seem to try to avoid taking photos with any people in them whatsoever. This has particularly frustrated my wife who, having accompanied me on so many lovely holidays, gets home to find that she doesn't actually feature in any of the photos.

This all changed last year when we had our first baby. When my daughter looks at other grown men, I'm pretty sure she thinks that they are somehow incomplete, as they don't have that plastic and glass extensioon on their face that Daddy permanently has.

My wife bought me the 50mm 1.8 for Christmas and it's been something of a revelation - I can't believe how much personality and colour is in the photos.

I'm now taking the adventurous step of taking photos with more than one person in them, but have found that the 50mm is a little restrictive in this endeavour, as if the people I want to photograph together are more than 1 foot apart, I need to be in another postal district in order to fit them into the frame.

So that brings me back to the beginning again, looking forward to receiving a wider lens in order to continue my meander into more social photography. Thanks John.

So that's me. Sorry for the long post, and for doing things in the wrong order!

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K30; DA35 2.4; DA50 1.8; A35-105 3.5; Sigma 70-300 F4-5.6 APO DL; M 80-200 F4; 18-55 WR Kit; Sigma 24-70 2.8

I agree, the 50mm is an amazingly sharp lens. For going wider, have you thought about the Pentax 35mm - http://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/5436/Pentax-smc-DA-35mm-F2-4-AL-Lens---FREE-UK-... sharp open but stop down to f/4 and it's outstanding. Colour and contrast are simply inspiring

Buy my 35/f2 in the classifieds I think everyone would agree it is a far better lens and is worth the extra money. I loved that lens but I have moved on from Pentax.

A truly superb lens and would probably meet your needs.

Mike

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You can see some of my shots at my Flickr account.

Thanks Mike - maybe one for the future when I'm a bit more accomplished. As it is, I have bought a 35mm f2.4 from the classifieds.

Thanks for the welcomes.

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K30; DA35 2.4; DA50 1.8; A35-105 3.5; Sigma 70-300 F4-5.6 APO DL; M 80-200 F4; 18-55 WR Kit; Sigma 24-70 2.8

Well done, it is an excellent lens that gives very good results. I confess I'm keen to sell my lens to pay for my recent acquisitions

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You can see some of my shots at my Flickr account.

Hello and welcome

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K10D, K5 plus plenty of clueless enthusiasm.

My Flickr site link

Hello and Welcome to the Forum!

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Andrew

"I'm here because the whiskey is free" - Tyla

PPG link
Flickr link