This beast is quite new to me. I liked the earlier version of it better - this one is a bit too intense with the detail for my taste.

Some of those 'head square on' shots can be really effective, as you show with the small copper. Nice set.

No it isn't. A false widow is about the size of a small pea with a globular rear end usually in a dark purple colour with clearly visible breathing holes. You often find them under the lid of a wheelie-bin _ Arrgh ! The one you have here is an orb weaver. The big ones do bite if you meddle with them.

Here is an absolute monster - compare it to the size of the wasp - its fangs were a good 2mm long. The wasp's undoing was trying to steal a freshly caught greenbottle (just visible) from the web. It hadn't reckoned on the size and speed of the owner !

It's a valid point. I have to strain a bit too.

That's a super bargain. There's only one annoyance with K1s. We have all been conditioned to use our left thumb to view the results of our work - guess where they put the live view button?

The very distant water conveys the massiveness of the bridge quite well. Wonderful subject for a B&W conversion.
I think you deserve extra points for simply standing there!

If you are going to go down the 55-300 route I would really suggest the PLM. It is made for the K3ii and praised somewhere on the previous page. If you DO want a DA 55-300 f4.5 ED you can have the one that my PLM displaced for £100 + carriage. It's good with both caps and hood and has its box. PM if necessary.

You really have got some nice shots there. I especially like the cast metal tables and chairs. With regard to "green button" metering, habit tends to make us look through the viewfinder, compose etc. and only then do we grope for the green button, cursing the need to keep focus and composition steady. I broke that habit by deciding what I would photograph and how I wanted the DofF - (camera is in M mode and the C menu item has permitted aperture ring). Set the aperture manually on the lens and simply point the camera vaguely at the subject, pressing the green button at the same time. The shutter speed is now set as well. NOW you start the business through the viewfinder and simply release the shutter when you are ready. Once you have retrained yourself, the green button becomes a doddle.

A nice documentary set.

I like 5 too. You have been very painstaking with the composition and it has paid off well. We have had two Dogs' Trust dogs - both lurchers and both totally lovable.