Presumably you are hand-holding because the bird is moving, and a tripod will restrict your movements.

I have had some success shooting (biggish) flying birds with my F* 300mm in continuous focus mode on the D. I wouldn't like to try using a manual focus lens. My M 400mm wouldn't work at all.

You need a short lens (physical length, not focal length), and so the 300mm works well. Long lenses are too unwieldy to move quickly.

With birds, you can't very well pre-focus as there is generally no reference point, unlike with, say, motor-racing.

This is one area where, IMO, AF is pretty much essential.

Unless your rifle shooting experience includes shooting flying ducks with a .22 (which is what one of the old white hunters in Kenya used to do) I am not sure it will be much help. It's following the bird that counts, not superb aim.

G

Please, I don't want to know!

G (having paid quite a lot for my F* 1:4.5 300mm. No regrets, though)

It's actually an SMC Pentax-A* 1:4 300mm.

The * means it's special.

Here are two comments from the notoriously picky PDML:

".... the quality is staggeringly good."

" .... best lightweight hand-holdable long telephoto there is in all of God's creation."

I don't think Pentax have ever made a long telephoto that was less than excellent. And this is one of the better ones.

I'd offer you lots of money for it, but I already have a 300mm. Also pretty good. Pentax naturally.

G

I've always used mine for generating acetylene. Useful for when the batteries in the flashgun go dead.

But seriously, great idea, Liam. I've already modified one of mine.

G

A doctor writes:

"Three stiff Scotches before bed. You won't need any further dessicant in the morning."

I have adopted the Reilly method. My lenses sit on open shelves in a bookcase, where they make a nice sight and are always ready for action. Pretty much the opposite of their owner.

G

It should be. Pentax hasn't altered it's flash interface for many years.

G

Go for it.

My 400mm is the simpler and much older M version, optically the same I think as the K, and indeed the earlier 42mm Takumar.

It's a very sharp lens though. Your FA* should be even better.

From a design point of view, it's not difficult to make a good tele (I believe), and an expensive modern one should be very good indeed.

G

Pentax was the first camera manufacturer, I believe, to patent a method of image stabilisation, but have not until now produced an image-stabilised camera.

It will be interesting to see whether the *ist D repacement due this autumn will have IS.

One thing people forget is that IS only stabilises the camera. It does nothing to reduce blur caused by subject movement. If you shake, it'll help. If your subject shakes, it won't.

A cheaper solution is to reduce the alcohol intake. That'll save money in two ways.

G

Don't worry, the extra-sensory perception experts on here will soon work out which camera you are talking about and fix it automatically over the ether.

What, we don't have any ESP experts? Oh, dear. Sorry, Tapper, you'll just have to use human speech, in the form of text, to tell us what you are on about.

G

In the past few days, I have often received this response when trying to send a message:

Failed sending email :: PHP ::

DEBUG MODE

Line : 234
File : emailer.php

In fact, the message usually has been sent, often twice.

Any clues as to the cause? A new, "improved" version of the software, perhaps?

G