If you can find one then the Pentax K 28/2 is generally regarded as one of the best ever. You could also try the DA 35 macro or the FA 31 Ltd if your budget stretches to it.

As for the zoom I've never regretted buying the DA12-24. See if you can find a Samsung branded version as they go for less and I think a few dealers may still have some kicking around - if not they (Pentax and Samsung) come up in the classifieds here sometimes. The DA16-45 has a fan base around here too.

We country dwellers plead ignorance...

I'm glad number 3 is popular as I've got several similar shots. That's the same cow in number 4 (on the right) - she follows me everywhere and has become my moo-se.

I'll get me coat.

Yellowhammer isn't it?

It has rekindled my lust for a DA*300

Lane shooting is a distant cousin of Street shooting with fewer actual people in it and more cows as a rule. In my defence this is easier to walk to from chez hefty1 and more pleasant on a sunny spring day.

[IMG]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd37/hefty1969/IMGP9101.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd37/hefty1969/IMGP9092.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd37/hefty1969/IMGP9045.jpg[/IMG]

The odd angle in the last one was as a result of her licking my jeans to see if I tasted of apples, behind me was another cow trying to sneak her tongue into my jacket pocket. As I'd just taken this photo my phone went off in said pocket, she jumped, I jumped, the cow in the picture jumped and a group of around ten cows who'd stood around watching me get mugged scattered like a bomb had gone off. They came back after a couple of minutes but none of them have tried to get in my pockets subsequently.

The above were all taken with the K10D and DA35 Macro. The one below with the K2 and 50/1.2:

[IMG]http://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd37/hefty1969/img021.jpg[/IMG]

The K2 one was taken a couple of weeks ago, but I'm waiting on more film to come back from the lab which has shots taken last week when the weather was brighter.

C&C welcome as usual.

It's not a bad photo pauly, I just don't think it's one of your better ones. Technically it's hard to fault but it doesn't really make me think of anything in particular.

IKB was probably one of the greatest engineering geniuses (genii?) the world has ever known, so for me I'd like to see something that reflected that. Partial scaffolding around it would be ideal, and you could keep the same composition - unfortunately it doesn't look like it's going to need renovation anytime soon. Failing that you could try a different composition from the other side of the road and include the traffic as part of the scene (assuming there's a road and traffic there of course).

You normally have a good eye for these so I'm sure you'll come up with something.

+1

But I prefer 4 over 2 as there's better eye contact. I also like the trapped on an eternal bus journey motif that number 4 has.

The 40mm is only "too small" if you do a lot of manual focussing - there's not much to get a hold of.

Both the 35 and 43 (and 40 for that matter) are exceptionally well made with very tight tolerances - both should outlive all of us. Having said that, I've never used either in more than spitting rain - just in case...

Actually you can forget the firmware - I just had a look on Pentax's site and the K100D Super appears to be unique in that there has never been a firmware update issued. They must have got it right first time!

Try changing the battery type though and also try resetting the camera to factory defaults (it'll be in one of the menus somewhere).

Good luck!

I have the 35 Macro Ltd and 43 Ltd, I've never shot with the 40 Ltd but found it a bit too small when I played with it in SRS - I have fat fingers.

I love both of them dearly but if I could only keep one then it'd be the 35 Macro for its sheer versatility.

Expect to pay around £400-450 for a used 43mm.