Nipper, a couple more details on the body/lens combo you plan on using might be useful for folk to really help. For example, I wouldn't like to rely on AF-C with most Pentax combinations, especially prior to the K20D. You'll perhaps get more joy locking focus either manually or with AF-S on a fixed point and grabbing the bikes as they pass that point. Of course if you plan on catching them at their slowest, like a tight corner entry/exit, you'll get by with AF-C.

Don't be afraid to crank up the ISO at first, this will give you higher shutter speeds and the chance to use smaller apertures, both of which are more forgiving. The results will look a little static, so once you're getting comfortable with those settings then try opening up the aperture for some subject isolation (more critical to nail focus) or trailing the shutter a little longer (more movement and dynamic effects) I'd also turn off IS as it tries to counter most panning/tracking movement.

Composition will be determined by the track access/viewpoints available and the focal lengths at your disposal. Get some ideas beforehand of the kind of shots you'd like to tackle (google is your friend) but be fully prepared to discard them and make up more of you own.

My PPG has a few motorcross and rally pics, link should be in my signature below. They have full exif so might be of some use with regards to settings? There are also some 'straight out of camera' K10 jpegs from my first attempt at motorcross in 2008 here: link. Not works of art by any means but might give you some ideas. Again, I think the exif data is intact.

Functionality of the W90 is undoubtably cool, but I'm still on the fence with regards to image quality - need to make some prints before deciding. Photo taken in the Pennine Hills.

Lustre from DSCL for me too. Superb service and results.

Santa went through hell and high water to bring my pressie. The wrapping paper was knackered but the contents fine

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/digitalCG/w90_01_900.jpg[/IMG]

Yep, used it a few times now for tripod mounted work and proving very useful. To put this into perspective, I rarely bothered using LV (and certainly not AF in LV) on the K20 or K-x.

What's more, aside from being fairly quick it really nails focus too: the following is a 100% crop from the low-quality embedded jpg in a raw file:

[IMG]http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r35/digitalCG/IMGP1052.jpg[/IMG]

For low iso 'considered' shooting the K10 is still a superb tool, not sure it's worth selling at todays prices. The beauty of the K-5 is not just the sensor at higher sensitities but the whole package in terms of usable improvements - AF speed, quiet shutter, burst rate, electronic level etc. Of course, this depends on what you're currently using.

Having ignored the K-7 (predominantly used a kx the last 12 months) I made the K-5 transition and have refused to join in the initial fanfares - still trying to acclimatise, test and formulate an opinion based on my usage. A couple of weeks in now and I'm coming round to idea that like the little kx before it we again have something very much up to date and perhaps even a little bit special in the Pentax line.

Hi Mike, yes it will - used IR remote with my Kx. It can also be set so that the first press opens the shutter and the second closes it. Very nice for single long exposures, not much use for shot stacking though.

You don't have to spend a fortune on a remote either, I found a small universal remote from the pound shop did the trick

Anyway, back to the K-5...

All being well will be around on Friday, still trying to swing the Saturday too...

True story - I was a science teacher before I got into photography. Getting into schools is easy, getting photography permits/media passes for mundane and unimportant events can be far more difficult. This country is truly 'arse about face'* at times.



*British slang for 'doing things the wrong way'.

Government has always the same during my lifetime, no matter what colour tie they wear.

Back on track and I'm sorry to hear of your day Smutje, sounds frustrating but about par for the course these days. Chalk it down to experience but don't lose your rag with the original PR Manager - explain nicely and they may feel suitably embarrassed enough to organise things properly for the next event.

It's beaurocracy like this that make me glad I have the unobtrusive K-x + DA21/40/70 combo - stealth can sometimes succeed where permission fails