As is the tradition now, I'll join in by posting twelve of my favourite images from 2017 which represent my year. Not one per month but a good spread that covers from the first days of January to boxing day.

2017 was maybe the most photographically varied year of my life, mostly due to the amount of travelling and other things I've done - trips to Edinburgh, Japan, Aragón in the north-east of Spain, my first ever music festival and a trip in a hot-air balloon... I also shot quite a bit of film as well as digital, and I hope that my photographic and post-processing skills have improved too over the last trip around the sun.

So picking just twelve images from such a year was extremely difficult, but I think they represent my year fairly well. I've put them in (more-or-less) chronological order, so that they tell the story of my year (at least for me).

I hope 2018 is as productive, and we kicked it off with 11 days in Italy, which is not a bad start. I have my fingers crossed to manage a short trip to Paris (photographic heaven??) in February too.



Looking out by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP7732a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Mad Cool 2017, SFXn, Superia Premium 400 020a (Ryan Adams) by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Mad Cool 2017, SFXn, Lomography CN 400 071a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Tokyo by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Tokyo by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Tokyo by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Japan Pentax MX Ilford Delta 400 037a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Japan Pentax MX Ilford Delta 400 149a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP9302a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



2017-11-06_10-56-26 by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP3212a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

Unfortunately, until Pentax release a revised version of the lens, the best solution is to buy a Sigma or Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 instead.

I wouldn't touch any SDM lenses with a barge pole, even though the WR would be really handy.

Many thanks.

I think the same film gear (MX, M 50/1.7, A 28mm) will be going with me to Italy next week as I really enjoyed using them in Japan I think Rome could be great for B&W film too. I'm tempted to take a 6x6 folder for medium format too, but I think it might be too much weight.

My wife and I went to Japan back in June and had an incredible time exploring this fantastic and beautiful country. I posted a thread of the film pictures I took there (https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/pentax-mx-in-japan-59461) and now that I've finished processing the digital ones, I thought I'd post some favourites.

You can see everything in these two Flickr albums:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/69424694@N06/albums/72157681642464004

https://www.flickr.com/photos/69424694@N06/albums/72157684669687365

For anyone thinking of going, I thoroughly recommend it. These were all taken with the K3 and most with the DA limiteds - 15, 21 and 35mm but also some with the 18-55 WR and the A 28mm f/2.8, though I had a couple of other lenses I used occasionally. Changing lenses was a chore but I enjoy using primes and am glad a took the DA limiteds rather than the Tamron 17-50mm on this occasion.

All images from the city of Tokyo and surrounding areas, including Hakone and Kamakura.

Comments and feedback very welcome.



Tokyo by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Tokyo by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Tokyo origami by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Japan by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Tokyo by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Tokyo by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Hakone by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Tokyo by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Tokyo toad by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP9695a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP9726 by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP9846b by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP9937a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP0382a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP0409a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP0596a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Tokyo panorama by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Tokyo by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP9918a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP0008a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP0144b by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

Many thanks

My wife and I went to Japan back in June and had an incredible time exploring this fantastic and beautiful country. I posted a thread of the film pictures I took there (https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/topic/pentax-mx-in-japan-59461) and now that I've finished processing the digital ones, I thought I'd post some favourites.

You can see everything in these two Flickr albums:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/69424694@N06/albums/72157681642464004

https://www.flickr.com/photos/69424694@N06/albums/72157684669687365

For anyone thinking of going, I thoroughly recommend it. These were all taken with the K3 and most with the DA limiteds - 15, 21 and 35mm but also some with the 18-55 WR and the A 28mm f/2.8, though I had a couple of other lenses I used occasionally. Changing lenses was a chore but I enjoy using primes and am glad a took the DA limiteds rather than the Tamron 17-50mm on this occasion.

All images from the city of Kyoto and surrounding areas, including Osaka, Nara and Himeiji.

Comments and feedback very welcome.



Japanese dragon by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



The great Budha by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Trump by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Kyoto by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Dotonbori by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Kyoto by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Himeji by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP8663a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP8802a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP8812a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Frog by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP8874a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP8912a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP9138a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP9302a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP9373a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP9612a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



Garden panorama by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP8985a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP9211a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP8966a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP9294a by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr



IMGP9385b by Jonathan MacDonald, on Flickr

Alas, this opportunity slipped through my fingers, but the 18-135 is still on my wish list and I hope to get one before too long.

Hi all,

I might have a chance to buy a used copy of this lens at a good price but I suspect it doesn't have the hood. It looks like there are no third parties manufacturing replacement hoods so that would leave me three options:

1. Use it without any hood
2. Pay for a genuine one, which costs far more than a simple piece of plastic has any right to (45 quid normally, Microglobe (who I've never used, have it for 21.16 GBP)
3. Use a collapsable 62mm rubber hood

So I wanted to ask if anyone here has any experience of using this lens without the hood - how is it with regards to image quality?

Of course, if anyone has any links to third-party or cheap genuine Pentax hoods for this lens then that would be more than welcome too.

Many thanks

Three lenses? That's a lot of choice.

Of stuff I own, the K3 and DA 35mm limited. A macro lens opens up a lot of photographic possibilities in places that are otherwise lacking them.

I'm assuming the desert island has an electrical socket, otherwise I'll have to choose the MX, A 50mm f/2.8 macro and a large supply of Acros or FP4+.

I'd recommend trying before you buy on both of these - both have quite a few reports of front or back focusing, so always best to be sure you get a good copy and can change or return if needed.

I have both (but not looking to sell either) and both focus well. If your camera allows AF adjustment then that's a good start.