Had the camera given you the green autofocus confirmed symbol in the viewfinder, and did the viewfinder image look in focus before you fired the shutter?

John

Surely they are both pretty good optically? The 14mm is bulkier and heavier than the 15mm but is a stop faster. I'd say neither is better than the other, they're just different. The 15mm is a limited lens so they seem to command a higher price but test results seem to put them pretty close to each other with regards to performance. Cannot see a good reason for anyone normally wanting to keep both unless they're collecting Pentax lenses.

John

The OS in the Sigma seems to eat battery life much more than using in body stabilisation. Well done Pentax, I reckon your system IS better.

It would also be fiddly if you had to swap the settings on the lens and body over each time, turning one off and the other on just to use that lens so I'm glad it isn't necessary. But not only that, there's two OS settings on the lens to choose from if you can remember which is for what! Thank goodness the in camera version works just as well. Carry on as normal.

When I got my 150-500mm from SRS it was something of a bargain compared to all the other mounts they sold and what was on eBay. However I cannot see it listed presently, wonder why.

John

Probably by size comparison it looks it! He's jealous!

John

The Tamron 1.4x converter is pretty good (excellent even!) and you only loose one f stop. I can vouch that they work fine with SDM as I have one. The SRS one won't.

The converter is a much lighter option than adding a Bigma if you're out in the field humping your gear about but optically a lens without a converter should normally be better. But the 60-250mm sounds a pretty good zoom (I haven't had one to try) so may well work just as well if you can find a Tamron/Kenko 1.4x converter to try on it. It takes up little space and weight and can always be used with any tele lens (they are not so good with wide angle lenses.)

John

People never used to worry about grain with high ISO films in low light situations so maybe it isn't worth worrying unduly about noise in digital. A noisy picture is better than no picture, and at least the K-5 is giving better results in that respect than earlier DSLR's. Another year and newer cameras maybe results will be even better still. Just live with it for now!

Nice set of photos, by the way. Used to live and work around there a few years ago so brings back memories.

Typically in #7 no trains were imminent! Nothing's changed!

I can't notice front focusing in the pictures you posted?

John

I hadn't spotted that. Thanks.





John

Rather them than me!

John

My first digital camera was an ION. I believe it was the very first digital camera, albeit it recorded stills in analogue video. Then I bought the Mk2 version. Guess they are collectors items now.
Previous to that I had had a brief skirmish with a Zenith SLR followed ASAP by an ESII, ME, MX and K2. I got CBA (a similar affliction to LBA!)
I've still got them all. Eventually I wanted a DSLR and the best buy looked to be an EOS300D. But I was never overly keen on it and missed using my array of old PK lenses. To replace these with modern Canon equivalents would have broken the bank. Then one day I spotted an ad in the paper for a K100D on special offer. It was reasonable and I bought it on spec just to use my old lenses. Then having used it I thought the resultant photos from the standard lens blew away what I was getting from the 300D. I did some lens comparison tests and found the standard Pentax zoom was a great lens compared to the Canon equivalent. LBA and CBA then recommenced with a K-m, a K200D, a Samsung 20D and now a K-5. If Canon had provided a half decent standard lens I may well have stuck with them. Even their prosumer zoom paled to the Pentax equivalent. I'm sure the best of Canon is good but not the ones I had! What's more, while I was saving up for the newer Pentax digital lenses I had a good range of old ones I could use in the meantime. It seemed a much better bet.

I think Pentax lost their way in the ist era when these cameras looked pretty pricy for a plasticy looking camera, nothing like my old ME/MX etc. From the K series I reckon Pentax got back on track and agree with the OP that the K-5 is indeed genius! I wouldn't want any other DSLR apart from perhaps a full frame K-?? that is no larger than the K-5. I'd love a full frame DSLR but not one of those huge things that I could if I wanted go out and buy today. So let's hope the progress continues.

John

Thanks.

John