Best laid plans and all that ..... ! Sometimes (often) events are just beyond our control.

I don't think this is necessarily true (though logical).

The K5 wasn't an incremental increase over the K7 .. it was a gigantic leap. Why ? The competition. If you want to stay competitive and sell cameras then you need to not only keep up with the Joneses but go another step beyond. The K5 did this and the next iteration will have to come up with something beyond what the potential replacements for the D7k & 60D will produce, or at the very least stay level. Pentax have always been known for innovation and I believe they'll continue that trend.

Another vote for this post !

When they already have a 31mm f1.8 Limited ?

Really surprised at the lack of response to this question on this forum from over 100 views ! I guess not many people have shot at a fencing event and are reticent in hazarding a guess or offering an opinion ! Or I may have poorly titled this thread

I guess I should update my signature too as I have in fact sold that FA50/1.4 (actually it was an F 50/1.4 so another mistake in my sig) ! I do have a lovely Takumar 50/1.4 but unless I pre-focus and pray, I don't see it being the ideal lense. I tried to buy a Sigma 30/1.4 from my preferred retailer yesterday but there is no stock due to the factory closedowns after the earthquake in Japan.

I was lucky enough to find a great site on the web though and maybe if someone has a similar event to shoot (I noticed a new thread somewhere on shooting martial arts) then this may be relevant : http://www.fencingphotos.com/shootingfencing.htm

Probably for the angle I expect / hope to be shooting at (30 - 45 degrees) the 30 might have worked - but unless I get lucky this week it looks like I won't have it in time (I'm a little reticent in buying on-line as I like to try out multiple copies when buying new).

TAv is my standard mode so I'm very comfortable using it (I have set the max ISO to 6,400) and it is what I will be using as the lighting will be very variable but I need to keep the shutter speed up to capture the action, and I currently have AF mapped to the AF button - it's a bit faster than half depressing the shutter button.

For Day 1 I've decided to take the 43 Ltd, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 50-150/2.8, Takumar 50/1.4 (on the K7 set to 800 ISO - unless I can get the Sigma 30/1.4 before then) and maybe also the DA*300/4 (I was thinking of trying shots from further back for low DoF and high background OOF bokeh as it seems that usually the backgrounds for these events are distracting). For Day 2 I only take 2 or 3 lenses depending on how Day 1 goes !

Anyway - posted this here for anyone in the future, and their possible searches, looking for information on shooting Fencing events.

I know exactly what you mean Dave re. the occasional noisy hunting from the 55-300 (LoL at the 'thrown out of the hide jest). I was still impressed with the lense for the money (though may be the best 'value for money' lense is the Tamron 70-300). However when you want better quality I'm afraid there is a steep price curve.

The Tamron BB 500 mirror just has to be the best value 500mm out there ... if you are happy with MF and the restrictions that can bring, it just depends on your intended use.

I've seen some really great shots from the 150-500 and it seems like a superb birding lense !

This is a terrific set ! The first Grebe shot and the second Seal shot are my favourites.

I have been invited to back up on 3 more Pro shoots (another Ball, an International Fencing event and an amateur golf event) weekend after next and then do one on my own (well, with his assistant helping me out) in June (fly up to some city in the North of China).

The main lenses I have are listed in my signature below. I have two bodies K7 & K5.

I think I'm OK for both the golf & the ball, however it's the fencing I'm worried about. Typically poorly lit indoor arena though as invited photographers we'll have piste side positions and, I guess, be quite close. Flash is out of course.

We get two days (day 1 is for national events and day 2 is the international) but Day 1 is the money day (selling shots on the spot to family, friends & parents of the competitors) with Day 2 being for the organisers, AP etc.

I was thinking about using 3 lenses I own : 43 Ltd, Tamron 17-50/2.8 and Sigma 50-150/2.8. Though now I'm also tempted by the price of the Sigma 30/1.4 (about $450 here which means my kitty stays about half way to the 150-500 too ! ) as I've heard a fast semi-WA could be valuable too if we are close to the piste. Do I need a great portrait lense ? A 70 / 77 or Sigma 85/1.4 ? I do have the Tamron 90/2.8 - good enough in that light ?

I'm was going to get a 70-200/2.8 (Sigma for the HSM) but since I have the 50-150 and think it may be long enough (backed up by the *300), I'm going off the idea now.

What do you think ? Is there a gap or something I'm really missing ? I'll be buying another SD card and another spare battery too.

Kitty currently stands at about US$1,000 - 1,200 but I'd really rather not use it all unless I have to ! And I was beginning to think about a 150-500 to match my DA*300 for birding too *sighs*

Thanks for your advice !

Small world indeed Tony ... I grew up on Barrymore Way, sure you may know that ! Down Dibbinsdale, up the dip and along the road into Spital. Left there about 30+ years ago.

Whereabouts on the Wirral Tony ? I grew up in Bromborough !