Asking price reduced to £205, including RMSD delivery in the UK. Happy to consider offers.

It's pretty hard to imagine how the 55-300 one could give an image like that and not be defective, if the lens axis really is perpendicular to the wall, and the camera really does think it's focused on the centre of the frame.

Some lenses have flatter fields than others, but theyre still supposed to be symmetrical, and I can't believe that the field is *that* curved anyway.

Take the picture again in portrait mode, so that you can easily do it with the camera both ways up.

If it's the lens that decentred in some way, you'll see immediately, since the two shots will be blurred on the same side of the image, despite what will then be different subject matter.

If it's an artefact of the wall, or newspaper, or camera angle, you'll soon see.

For the first few weeks after I got the Bigma, I was astounded at how well it focused on the K-5, even in very dim light.

Tried it again last night, it was awful - hunted like crazy and wouldn't lock at all. Tried again in bright daylight this morning, it wasn't much better.

Tried it on the K10D, it seemed fine. Put it back on the K-5, it was fine again. Now it's rubbish again.

I'm minded of this thread, since the symptoms seem superficially similar.

So, those that have the 50-500, especially the HSM one, how low does the light level have to be, before it won't focus reliably any more?

The lens is well within warranty, but I thought I'd float the issue here in case anyone can shed any light.

For those that missed out on the recent Amazon offer, here's the next best thing - I hardly ever use my FA50, so here it is.

Excellent condition, boxed (including the manual and all the original paperwork) and comes with front and rear caps. It's had a filter on the front since I've had it, but this isn't included.

No damage, no fungus, cosmetically and optically as near perfect as I've seen on a second hand lens. Aperture clicks up and down as it should, focus ring smooth.

Asking £220, bank transfer preferred, including delivery in the UK by RMSD. Open to offers.

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You'll notice that there are a few specks visible in the photos - they're just dust which always seems to be a lot more obvious in the images.

As always, I describe everything as accurately as I can, and photograph the actual item in as much detail as I can. If I've missed something that makes my description incomplete or inaccurate, then I'll happily take it back, and refund your postage, since you shouldn't pay for my mistake.

Cool. I like the way you've got the flashes from the wingtip strobes as well as the navigation lights.

Yes absolutely. It wouldn't be all that hard to set up a wireless router as well as the laptop - it's not as if it needs to be connected to the internet as well.

I haven't done any quantitative measurements of transfer speed vs. distance from router, but it's not bad even some way away. I was photographing the moon outside my house, and by the time I'd taken the camera upstairs the photos had already transferred. It was quite spooky!

In terms of ease of use, and ease of setup, it's first rate. You start off by putting the card into a supplied USB adapter and plugging it into the computer. The software is all on the card, and once it's installed, it prompts you to put the card into the camera and try it.

Shortly after I'd installed it, the software on the computer told me there was a firmware update available for the card, and to put the card back into the adapter. It installed the new firmware, updated the software, and restarted.

You can tell it where you want to store JPGs, RAW files (I've been using DNGs but it works with PEFs too), and videos. These locations can all be different if you like.

Transfer isn't super fast - about 15s per 20 MB DNG with the camera two feet from the router, and a lot more than that if you're a lot further away, but once you've factored all the fiddling about with cards and readers you'd have to do otherwise, it's not bad for small batches of images.

Blurb offers some really nice hardback options, with dustcovers. I was very pleased with the one I had done - I'm pretty fussy, and it was good enough for any coffee table I'd say.

Yes, there is. Under 'metadata', below the 'convert to sRGB' option.

You get to choose from several options, from 'none' to 'all'.

I'm going to wait and see a) if the lens is now ok (it's on its way back to me) and b) what it actually says on all the documentation. It's possible I've got the wrong end of the stick, in which case I'll post a humble retraction!

TBH, though, I don't see the point of challenging it. Foolishly, I have nothing in writing, no name of the person I spoke with, so I have no proof of anything.

I only mention it, so that if others find themselves in the same situation, they're forewarned of the risk.

I was impatient to get the lens fixed, basically. Mea culpa!

In future, I'll be insisting on a written estimate without any reference to PU membership.

No, not at all. It sounds perfectly sensible. I did speak to someone in the Service dept, describing in detail the problem (excessive back focus).

My mistake was in assuming there was no alternative to sending my PU+ number in with the lens, so that they knew I was a member before producing the written estimate.

Of course, it could be that it's complete coincidence that the bill including discount is exactly the same as the estimate they gave me over the phone without reference to any discount.

Ha