That's the reason why Hoya bought Pentax, to asset strip. They weren't bothered about developing the camera division. That's why Pentax fell behind the competition and why the Ricoh acquisition was a saving grace for the excellent Pentax engineers. That's why new products recently have been just stop gaps, because Hoya weren't interested in developing the brand so there was much catching up to do.

I say flip.

The left to right 'reading' of these images I think gives prominence to the landscape beyond the buildings. But I think it is the buidlings in both which are the more interesting parts of the images and need to be given more prominence within the landscape.

In the first the eye settles on the right hand third line, finding the gap between the trees. Cropping at this point, dispensing with the right hand side would make the mill more prominent in the image and would make more use of the lead in line of the lily pads. Flipping the image horizontally gives more prominence still and the lead in becomes an ideal left to right.

The second image I think has more potential as the building is much more interesting. The stone wall runs opposite to the 'reading' of the image and acts as a barrier to the pond beyond. The composition actually feels a bit uncomfortable. Flipping the image horizontally on the contrary makes the wall a perfect lead in to the mill. I would again crop in the gap and lose what becomes the left hand side once flipped. It's a shame about the keystoning which if corrected limits things a little.

I'd like to follow your images too, with whatever equipment you are using. The other forum has a section for images taken with other marques and it's nice to follow the progress of ex-Pentaxians that way. It's also a nice way of keeping those ex-Pentaxians in touch with Pentax and feeling part of it as you never know when someone might return to the brand. I think it's a positive myself and a shame that you wouldn't feel as welcome here.

I'm surprised that you haven't tried that lens. It's really exceptional, although a big lump. The sharpening is a bit too much for my liking, the background noise is a bit much. There is too much moire in the feathers for my liking as well. I'm always a little surprised at the test images they put out. Couldn't they get someone to take a better photo than this, I mean it's not a keeper is it with that compo and yucky background.

What's a Flurble?

It is so difficult to get a good meteors shot that I just decided to enjoy it instead.

A pretty good show here but I couldn't be bothered to set up the camera in the end.

There is a like button with comment facility at the American place. My beer stocks are holding up well but a bottle of Chablis has now disappeared. The skies are very nice at the moment, the crescent Moon is descending amidst wispy cloud. The Milky Way is making its first faint appearance. I have just fallen in a heap after colliding with the barbecue, a testament to the lack of light pollution and Chablis. Setting up the camera could be a challenge.

Nope, those measurements are accurate. My fridge though contains less beer than earlier.

Here is some more accurate data:

1.2 metres from fridge:




6 metres from fridge:





12 metres from fridge (too far):

Quite a long way. Countryside starts 10metres from fridge in kitchen full of cold beer.