Like these ...... I was going to shoot some of these the other day but they were a side event and you're right, they never sit still and move so damn fast after a couple of minutes I gave up and walked on !

I have both the K7 and the K5. I love the K7 - great camera, ergonomically everything just fits and I'm delighted the K5 replicates the K7 in that regard. There is no doubt that the AF in the K5 is superior to that of the K7. Not only my opinion but that of many testers - a Google search will validate that. Even that early youtube video showed this - using the same lense and same settings on both cameras, K5 was far faster.

However does that mean the K7 AF is poor ? Not in my book. I can say that over the year I have used it that the number of shots lost to a 'slow' AF are not more than a handful, though I'm not a sports shooter. Noise was maybe a larger concern but then - unless you print straight from the camera - again not a real issue because it cleans up very well with just a little PP. However I would rarely use the K7 over 800 ISO and never over 1,600; that was the main reason I bought the K5 - because of the new lease of life the high ISO capability gives to slower but excellent, lenses.

Most of the shots on my SmugMug account below were taken with the K7 (only very recent shots over the last month were with the K5).

At the new low market price for the K7 it's a steal.

Hope you don't mind Don - 5 mins in Aperture 3.

Original on the left. Sorry ended up with a small image !


[IMG]http://i53.tinypic.com/13yl6cm.jpg[/IMG]

Lovely shot indeed (I take it was with the DA*300 ?) - couldn't the eye area be selectively lightened in PP ?

It's a bargain ! The B&H one was $120,000. Keep it for 6 months then make your salary in profit. No risk *cough*.

i'd imagine the origin was either Japan or Vietnam

Strange - this is usually my complaint as Chinese internet connections are far far slower than those in the West however it's been no problem at all for me.

Some good ideas here guys !

I don't think I can be toooo flexible as that would mean horrendous stock levels but I'm coming around to maybe 2 or 3 packs based on different technicalities (macro, flash, landscape etc.).

What I'm trying to do is put together a package where people will look at it and think 'even if I don't need 5 of those items it's still good value for money and maybe I can easily sell off the items I don't want ... thereby recovering a little of the expenditure and making the package even better value' !

I've had Sensor kit & square (Cokin style) Filter Kits mentioned too.

Interesting info Petrochemist. However some of those guys distribute from warehouses in country (USA / Canada / UK for example) after importing in bulk, and others dispatch from HK because it's cheaper.

Be happy to welcome you Joe !

Lens Cloth & Grey Card - added. Thanks for the suggestions !

Lens hoods - screw into the filter thread and come in different sizes so should fit any lense of that filter size.

Manixzero - thanks for the tip but I've lived in Shanghai for the last 15 years and know all the places to go to here to buy all the products, new of course !

Guys n gals maybe you can give some advice here. I am playing around with the idea of putting together a value pack of items that I can pick up at great prices in China (from my local mall in many instances) and that would provide great value for money for a lot of people.

It's only really worth my while doing this as a package though, as Chinese overseas postage rates can be exorbitantly high ..... more than the UK for example.

I would want around 15 - 20 items in the Value Pack, including such as :

Single camera strap - (Chinese equivalent of Black Rapid) (if preferred then a double camera strap could be included for a small extra ... or two singles).

WB Lense Cap (s) - slips on in place of your lense cap (different sizes available, 49mm up to 77mm) to enable you to set a very accurate WB in camera for difficult scenes.

5 way mini Reflector - folds down, weighs nothing and would easily fit in a large purse, bag or back-pack.

Rocket (type) blower & Lens Pen (two ended, brush and cleaning tip).

Softbox for pop-up flash.

Remote Control - cable or IR

Generic Metal Hoods (petal or wide) - for 49mm or 52mm or another popular size.

Soft lense bags (S,M,L)

Pop-up Flash cloth diffuser (fits in your pocket - I carry one everywhere).

Flexible legs tripod - similar to the one you already know, for wrapping around things ! In three sizes !

Mini-Torch - powerful yet tiny.

Wireless flash triggers

Wireless flash controllers

Water-resistent camera covers (some Pentax users smiling here - but what about using your non-water-resistent lenses too ) ?

Extension tubes

and other bits and pieces that you always mean to buy but either never get around to it or they seem expensive for what they are.

Postage to Eur / Aus / USA

... and maybe an interesting novelty item or two like a Simalens 100/2 (flexible plastic lens - I have one on order to try this out first - comes in various mounts), has a 45 degree flexible head with slip-in aperture 'disks' for a toy camera look.

It would be around US$150 including postage (and of course a little profit !) and could be tailored to Pentax, Nikon or Canon shooters.

Can you think of anything else that all shooters need that should be in there (can't be heavy or bulky) and what do you think of the idea ? Could be a nice gift idea ? I'm really interested to hear if it's something you think some people - even if not you - would be interested in.

Thanks for ANY comments !