Thank you, David. Some useful tips there.
I tend to use the tripod for the longer shots when a fraction of a millimetre shake on my part means a lot more out on the subject ! I'll have a play with SR and tripod/monopod down at the local riding club and see if I can learn something.

I think in my case it's a question of knowing what comes out well and what doesn't, and understanding why. I've been very happy with horses in action shots that have been up to 250mm but not happy with anything further away. In fact I've stopped doing them and stuck to obstacles closer to hand. I'm fortunate to be allowed on the course locally so have even got shots at 55mm.

I'm looking at the K5 .... and a longer lens, porbably for next year, but a lot depends on Father Christmas !

Maybe not what I was asking, but useful anyway !

For horse action shots, I tend to use Tv and 1/500 if light allows, and hand-held. It works well for closer shots where I don't need to crop. I think I've been asking too much of camera and lens regarding long distance and detail is lost if I have to crop too much.

Food for thought though it looks like at my stage and with the equipment I have, it shouldn't make much difference.
Thanks for all the input !

I wasn't too fussed about the bit concerning IS systems because as far as I know the Kx doesn't have it, nor does my DA 55-300.

As far as I can see, the mirror up function is for slow shots, not action. Sometimes it's convenient to take shots hand held, if I can be reasonably close up. But with the 55-300mm at full stretch, I'm better off with the tripod.

As it happens, I've come to realise that I can't get a good shot at full stretch and the close shots I've done at horsey events seem to have worked fine, even with SR left on.

I just wondered if switching it off would have made any difference to the longer range shot, given the margin of shake could be huge at the end of 300mm.

Thank you. I used the timer for the first time in two and a half years the other evening. Fortunately the camera beeped at me when trying to do something this morning and I realised that I was still in timer mode.

What I meant was is there a quicker way of going from SR on to SR off and vice versa other than going via the information button ? This is only in connection with use or non- use of a tripod.

Thank you for that, Jim. The article explains it very well .
So in fact the shake reduction can work against itself when used with a tripod.

I have looked, but there's no other way of being able to urn SR on or off other than going into Info and using the 4 way controller ...... or is there ??

I'd forgotten all about the issue with SR and using a tripod. It was only after using the Self Timer recently that I looked in the manual.

What exactly can be the problems leaving SR on and using a tripod ? I have had issues with my Kx + DA 55-300 at horsey events. Hand held, I can understand, but sometimes the results with the tripod have been disappointing. It didn't occur to me that perhaps it was leaving the SR on.

Happy birthday, David - what a lucky fella - nice present !
If you saw how green the grass is here, you wouldn't say that the grass was over the top. The colour rendition looks pretty good to me

What a wonderful series - one delightful image after another. I couldn't possibly pick a favourite - each one is different - composition, colours, reflections, sky, boats ....... they do credit to a beautiful area.

Nice set. I like #3 with the strong focus on the singer and of course the last one !