The MkII and WR versions of the kit lens are really pretty good, but the next step up would be the 16-45mm f4 or the 16-50mm f2.8 or the 17-70mm f4. The 18-135mm WR is a useful choice but probably more on a par with the kit lens for quality.

The airports actually have viewing areas where there are routinely lots of photographers taking pictures of planes. Manchester has a great viewing area. Liverpool has a good view from Speke Hall next door, at least of part of the runways.

I wouldn't go so far as to say a user's opinions are worthless, that's a bit extreme maybe.

A user can know very definitely whether a lens is sharper than others, whether it's well made, but most of all whether it suits for the subject matter undertaken. It is helpful to have used a wide variety of lenses of all makes to have a wider experience to judge by, but that's to be expected.

At the moment one of my favourite lenses is the 77mm Limited, but on the web there's not much difference between that and many other lenses that cost a good deal less.

It takes more than a scratch or two to show up in an image, usually as flare. Ironically, the "blooming" of uncoated lenses by age resulted in reduced flare and increased contrast, which is how coating of lenses came about.

A 1.5 stop gain is a pretty wild figure I think. Blooming does increase transmission, if I remember correctly by maybe 0.5 stops.

It's true that some writing is read the other way round. Whether or not that translates into a different way of looking at images I'm not sure, perhaps it does.

It's a fair point - we read left to right. I tend to think that left to right pictures may look and flow more naturally, but change it to right to left and it creates maybe a sense of tension in the image.

Having said that, my picture that David refers to is just the way round as seen. I'll have a look at it and see what happens when reversed.

Isn't it just....

That is just overt temptation Gwyn, a carrot dangling in mid air....I'll look forward to when you list it in Classified Ads!

Ah Chris, that was not my argument. What I actually meant was that from a legal point of view if someone posted something truly disgraceful or illegal, maybe something libellous, then there would be a record of it. Under those circumstances it would be wise if a photographer did not post such things in the first place, because they potentially don't go away.

I agree with you that the argument "if you've nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear" is untenable - the potential for misuse of information is very real.

I would love to have an 18-135mm, but it will just have to be added to the list. The lens is virtually silent and one of the fastest focusing I have used.