These are looking great Simon, you've obviously hit it off with the K-3 straight away! I really like the bird shots, but that last Regent's Street one has to be the pick for me. Looking forward to see what you can do, I think the K-3, DA*300 and Simon Arron will be a formidable combination.

Regards
David

Thanks Nigel, I tend to try and achieve a natural look and I don't use HDR to compress the dynamic range as such, I use it to ensure the full range is 'readable'. The natural light was very bright behind the old farmer, so this is how I've represented it in the image. What the HDR has done is enable me to present the bright background along with the details in the old man's face, whereas a single exposure traditionally processed would have compromised to some extent on one or the other.

Regards
David

I tend to shy away from HDR normally, but like many others I will use it on a very few occasions if the subject demands it. Here are three examples of shots by me where I think it may have helped:










Regards
David

2 and 3 are both very good images and appeal to me a lot. 3 is probably the best so far but I also like the way in number 2 you have used the long exposure in a creative and unusual way that not many would have thought of.

Keep them coming and don't criticise yourself as the shots are good and very worthy of being shown on here.

Regards
David

They are all very good sots Alan, I'm not going to try to pick a favourite. I'm sure you will more than do the K-5iis justice, I'm looking forward to seeing some wildlife shots with it.

Regards
David

For me the original composition is by far the best, it's a very unusual photo and all the better for it. However, I do have one problem and that is the very thing that everyone else has mentioned, i.e. the lighting. This shot has a savage dynamic range, from very bright to very dark and the sensor hasn't coped with it. The bright area is too bright for me, to the point where you have burn-out and a loss of all detail. It may well have been impossible to avoid this, but if so I would b=have cropped it harder at the top so that there was some visible detail near the top of the frame.

This might sound harsh, but that's how I see it, so I'm just giving an honest view.

Regards
David

Chinon Tubes will be winging their way to Vic Cross.

The vintage Firefly Slide Projector and screen are still available. If there are no takers I will donate to a Charity Shop.

Regards
David

TC without glass has found a home with Mike (Petrochemist), still have the other items available. BTW, the Chinon tubes do not have aperture contacts but will be fine with any lens that has an aperture ring.

Regards
David

I think it is superb, well done! The effect is spot on for a long exposure and is nice because the tones are more pastel than most I've seen like this.

Regards
David

I have a few items that I'm happy to give away free, if the new owner can collect or is willing to pay for postage:

1. Vintage Rank (Wray) Firefly Slide Projector, 1950's, full working order with portable screen and slide cartridge

2. Chinon K-Mount Manual extension tubes, set of 3, high quality Japanese made items, these will not stick on your camera! The anodising has already been scraped off to ensure the right electrical contact with the camera body

3. 2x Teleconverter with the glass removed - this is a superb short extension tube which maintains aperture contacts so can be used with lenses that do not have an aperture ring!

I would prefer collection of these items, especially the projector and screen, but will consider posting if pickup is impossible. I live in the Sheffield area and will supply address / contact details via PM for anyone that is interested in the items. If someone picks up, they might just get another mystery freebie too!

Best wishes
David