Fantastic photos. I am a novice and am stuggling to get good results from my K20, cannot get sharp photos whatever I do but yours are so good it gives me something to aim for . Never been to the Helston floral dance athough I live in Cornwall. Will book it for 2009

I am thinking about buying a S10 for my wife. It is on offer for £99 in a couple of stores. I donot know anything about it. Is is a good camera and a good price?

Many thanks again for all your usefull imformation. I think I will get the 360 to start with and see how it goes. As you have suggested I could always double up on the 360 in the future.

Many thanks again

I am after some advice again.

I would like a good flash gun to go with my new K20. What are the practical differences between the AF 360 and AF540 flash guns?. I have read the specs but do not really understand the tec. details.

Keen2Learn
Sorry, I must have missed your email. I have just read it and will take a look at he 600R

Back from tripod recky at Truro.
I first headed for Jessops. On the internet they list so many tripods I thought it would be a good place to look. The shop was so small I thought I must be in the wrong shop. Just inside the door there were a group of about 5 tripods. I asked the assistant for some help and to be directed to the tripods. He said that the five were all they had in stock. They had a Manfrotto. 190 xpro but recommended one of their own Jessop’s tripods. They did not have the Manfrotto.55xpro but said they could get one in for me. I explained that I had spent some time on the net investigating what is available and wanted to see some in the flesh before I made a purchase.

After making some enquires in the town, I found another photo shop. This shop was also small but did have a reasonable selection of tripods including the ones I was interested in, the Manfrotto190xpro and the Manfrotto.55xpro. They also had the Manfrotto.322 pistol grip head. I was hoping they had the carbon fibre versions so I could compare the weight but they only stocked the alloy ones.

The Manfrotto 190xpro looked well made and was very light but when I extended the legs it was not tall enough unless I raised the centre column. The Manfrotto 55xpro looked very impressive, solid and well made and was a good height without using the centre column. The only downside was the weight. I think that the carbon fibre Manfrotto 55x version that is a little lighter may be ideal. My observations are the same as your helpful advice given to me by your threads.

On one of the m55xpro they had the Manfrotto 322 pistol grip head and the other a Manfrotto tilt head, not sure of the model no. The Manfrotto 322 pistol grip looks quite a bit of kit but the assistant suggested that it was more suitable for sports or bird shots and that the tilt head would be more suitable for my use, landscape, macro shots. He said that it was difficult to do fine adjustments the Manfrotto 322 pistol grip.

I think I will go for the Manfrotto 55x pro or the fibre carbon version but still confused over the head. What head would you recommend to use with the 55xpro. Has anyone any knowledge of the m55x carbon fibre.

Going to Truro, our nearest town, this afternoon to have a tripod recky in the photo shops Would like to go to further afield but everywhere it is along way from Conrwall.

Thank for all your advice. Just to complement things, what about a monopod? I have never owned or used one. When would you use a monopod rarther than a tripod. Are they worth having and if so what one would be a good choice?

Thanks for your replys.
I will most probily use the tripod kit mainly for personal landscape work as well as ouside macro occasually. My day job is a landscpe gardener but write a monthly gardening column in a local newspaper so it will be also used for shots of gardens and plants etc.

I have got to get a move on getting to grips with to my new K20 and obtaining a good tripod as I am attending the press reveiw day on Monday, 19 May, at Chelsea Flower Show for my local newspaper.

My height is about 5ft 9" as I gather from your threads this is important when choising a tripod kit. I donot mind paying for a good kit but donot want to make a expensive mistake by purchasing the wrong one.
I would be thankfull of any more advice

Still dithering on what tripod to buy.
Based on the advice from this forum my short list is:

Manfrotta o55xprp
" magfiberpro055 mf3
" 190x prob
" 190mf3 magfiber
" 190mf4 magfiber
I like the look of magfiber055xpro but it is a little shorter than the standard o55xpro. Has any one got one of these?.

The 109mf4 magfiber folds down to a small size for carrying around but this is again on the short side.

The manfrotto mag grip action ball hd looks like it could be usefull.

I Would appreciate some more comments on the above to help me make a decision before I buy