Very nicely done too, just the right length of exposure to give the clouds some good blur, but at the same time the water retains some detail.

Regards
David

Not sure I agree with you on this one either Nigel

I think you may have been prodding us with a stick to prompt responses and opposite views!

Keep it up - it makes for interesting debates!

Regards
David

Just for a bit of fun and to get used to using my newly acquired DA*50-135, I've taken a few shots of our Tibetan Terrier Daisy, in her normal poses at home tonight. I'm pleased with the results the 50-135 gives, it certainly seems to have some 'Pixie Dust' inside it!

CC welcomed as always. All shots with the K-3 at ISO 1600, F4, hand held at either 1/6 or 1/8 of a second shutter speed.










Best wishes
David

Not sure I agree with you Nigel. There's nothing that says a portrait should be shot at a wider aperture than f5.6 or f8, it all depends on the situation at the time, the focal length of the lens being used, the light, the background, the effect the photographer is trying to achieve etc. The best shots are often when the photographer 'goes with gut feeling' and lets the artistic side take over, rather than using pre-calculated aperture values for particular types of shots.

The same applies in the opposite direction to an environmental portrait shot, any aperture could be appropriate.

'Street' doesn't have to be about the environment, it can be about just the people within that environment, even if the shot is 'candid' it is often most effective when tightly framed to the exclusion of the subject's surroundings. That doesn't mean it's a 'portrait'.

Regards
David

Thanks for the clarification Rob. Is the peaking on the K30 the same as it is on the K-01? I understood the implementation on the K-01 to be better, but I might be wrong on this.

Regards
David

How far North-East Mike? There are a fair few of us in and around Sheffield and we meet up quite regularly. Keep an eye on the Forum for details of meets as and when they come up.

Regards
David

Sounds like a great idea, I would be very interested if this is possible.

Regards
David

I am going to go off on a tangent a little on this one. I have owned K-5's and currently own a K-5iis and a K-3. There is no doubt in my mind that the K-3 is by far the best and most flexible camera for use with manual focus lenses, for the following reasons:

- Viewfinder is marginally brighter
- The manual focus confirmation in the viewfinder seems to be more accurate than in previous Pentax bodies, especially when using wide apertures
- Metering is more accurate with manual lenses than any previous Pentax body
- The Live View has Focus Peaking - this is the single most useful tool I have ever used for manual focussing and it makes the task very easy once you have learned how to use it properly

So, my recommendation would be ta save up a bit more money and buy a K-3. Another cheaper alternative would be to buy something like a K30 and buy a K-01 as well. The K30 is a good all rounder whilst the K-01 is a magnificent camera for using MF lenses. It has excellent focus peaking and the same IQ as a K-5II.

Regards
David

Hi Duncan

I am pleased that you decided to slim your kit down as it gave me the opportunity to buy your superb 50-135 lens!

I can't speak for you, but can only comment from my own perspective that I would sorely miss my DSLR's and would rather have a DSLR with a flexible zoom rather than a more restrictive body and a larger selection of smaller lenses. You don't mention whether your holidays are normally based in one location (hotel, cruise ship etc) or whether you travel around and stay in different locations during the same trip. If it is the former, there would be no need to take all your kit on each trip out, you could choose the appropriate kit for the day.

Hope you make the right decision for you, good luck with your choices!

Regards
David

Many thanks to Matty for very prompt payment and for the communication during the purchase of my 16-45 lens. It has been a pleasure selling this lens to you Matty and I hope that you enjoy it.

Best wishes
David