Totally agree with Andrew - one of my greatest photographic pleasures is seeing something in the viewfinder that I know will work well produced as a mono image and then finding out if I was correct. With the right subject - a well produced monochrome image can have much more impact than colour. If I were to choose my favourite 10 images I have taken over the past 5 years - I suspect at least half would be mono.

Carl

Welcome to the forum and the world of exposure compensation - which is completely normal - I regularly have my K3 set to anything up to +1 and my K5iis to -0.7

Carl

Even though it is the most photographed castle in the UK - this one has for a long time been on my 'to do' list.

I just hope that when I eventually get around to it - I manage to get a couple of shots as good as your floodlit shots - very nice indeed.

Carl

I also am currently using the K5iis and K3.

Which do I prefer? In all honesty - I do not know - I have had the 5 a long time and the 3 only a couple of months. I tend to use them fairly equally - the K3 was not intended as a replacement

To me - the K5iis - does handle low light slightly better, the K3 is marginally faster to focus - but you only notice if really looking for a difference.

My K5iis slightly over exposes (0.3)- the K3 under exposes - sometimes by as much as 1.0

I think I am starting to discover that some lenses seem to prefer the K5iis (e.g. Sigma 10-20) while others prefer the K3 (e.g. DA 17-70)

All in all - trying to be objective - I do not actually think that in the real world there is a massive amount of difference.

Carl

Classic shots in oh so many ways - brilliant set and the last one is so evocative of it's time - I can almost hear the music he would have listened to - can taste the beer he would have been drinking - and can see the dreadful polyester shirts he would have been wearing on a night 'up town'

Carl

A small sequence from my trip to Croft with Barrie Forbes last weekend. Not the best IQ shots of the day - but certainly the 'closest' racing of the day! From the second he clipped the grass - you cold just sense what he was going to do.

Carl

Nice set Barrie - particularly like the low angle on the second one and the slanted angle on the Porsche works well

Carl

Taken during the test



Taken after the test





Carl

Inferior? If it is made by Tamron and if it is nearly as good as their 70-200 2.8 - it would be a stunningly good lens.

Carl

Given the price you can pick one up for - I would suggest it is time for a replacement or an upgrade.

If you really do want another Km - a quick look on ebay shows that a number have sold recently for between £40 and £70. There is one for sale currently with 1 day to go at a start price of £59 and no bids - also includes the 18-55 lens - both described as little used and in perfect condition.

Or perhaps something a little better that retains the features you like - such as the ability to take AA batteries - e.g. the Kr - which reminds me - must get my Kr advertised on ebay - it has been sitting back in it's box for over a year!

Good luck

Carl