This is a bit alarming, especially as I intend to upgrade some of my glass soon, I think I read that the 16-50 had similar problems when first relesed and I understand that ephotozine have not yet reviewed the lens because of that very problem.
You think Pentax would have learned from its mistakes.

As an aside to this post, why cant the focus point be displayed in the EXIF ? something for Pentax to think about maybe.

I suppose its also worth pointing out that longer lenses will generally have a greater minimum focusing distance, if you were up close you may well have been just on the borderline.

These Airfix kits are just amazing, and I cant even see the string

Nice shots Rob, I'd have been happy with any one of them. Looks like the 300mm is going to earn its keep.

1) Cayton bay, you cant really go wrong here when the light good, but without that sky the shot would be lost

2) An unusual take on Whitby Abbey Ted, did you climb the steps or drive up to the car park?

3) Now this one is difficult to place, it could be virtually anywhere on the Northumbrian coast I personally would have prefered more depth of field, but I suppose with the light as it was you did your best.

4) I would letterbox this by taking the top half completely off, from just above the tip of that sticky up anchor, I'd also crop that bit of white whatever off the right hand side.

PS; what did you think of proper Yorkshire Fish & Chips

I must add that theres nothing wrong with Don's suggested crop but you have to take into account that he is Canadian, and as such he's much better placed to comment on pics of Bears and Moose......not that we get that many Tigers in the UK of course

level it first

Then take that awful scalloped bit away, in fact crop up to the dark shadow from the bottom removing that strip of bright stone. crop in to the edges of both verticals on the "monument" on the right come in as far as where the branch meets the stone.

Use the clone tool to diguise the remains of the fencing on the right and left.

Thats what would happen if it was mine

No 2 is by far the better shot, I like how the necks form the letter M....is that M for Mute Swan?
The others fade by comparison, too much burning out on the first (though very difficult not to) and the second looks like you just wrung its neck .

Hmmmm,

Tying to steer clear of following on from previous comments.....

I tend to agree with Mike, not sure about removing the branch on the right though, maybe if you cloned the tip off so it didn't leave the frame, possibly do the same with the leaves on the left, adjust the levels and jobs a good un!

PS: I see you took this with your precious

Nice shot Peter, nothing wrong with the background, I'm really envious, almost as green as the spider

Sorry, it wont fit, I should have described this item as "cable switch F"