Second post with some more to come. This DA40 XS was purchased from this forum a few months ago and I have to say that I've been really impressed with it. A few sample images:










The lens comes with Pentax push on front and rear caps, as well as a step up ring and metal hood. Loads of fun and excellent image quality at a bargain price. Price is £110 incl RMSD










I accept PayPal (price above is net to me) or bank transfer, and will ship (with insurance) abroad.

Cheers,

Jon

First of a few posts to come.... changing circumstances (nothing horrendous) mean I need to really prioritise and think carefully about my kit amongst other things. And that thought has led me to the realisation that I am rarely using all my dSLR gear as compact and/or mirrorless solutions work just as well for what I need. So the first of a few classifieds to come...

Tamron Pz AF 1.4X teleconverter

Boxed and in excellent shape with caps (the rear cap is a Pentax push on one; I don't have the Tamron original). I purchased it from this forum a few months ago and found to my delight that it is every bit as good as its reputation. In my case, I used it mostly with the 135/3.5 compact when travelling abroad and wanting a bit of extra reach. Here's an example:




I have also tried it with more modern lenses to check that all works as it should, and it does. Optics are mint and cosmetically it is in excellent condition, showing only minor signs of careful use. The best TC I have used without doubt. Price £165 incl RMSD.










Tamron 70-300 Di LD Macro 1:2

Boxed and absolutely as-new. I'm the first owner and purchased this lens in December. I posted a few images from the lens here:

link

Bottom line is that the Tamron is superb value and in some regards outperforms the Pentax 55-300. It's sharper (check out the tests at Photozone for example) and keeps a faster aperture for more of its focal range (the Pentax stops down towards f5.8 rather quickly). It offers a useful 1:2 macro but does suffer a little more than the DA lens from fringing - although that is easy to process out nowadays. It is a full frame lens ready for when Pentax supply the body to go with it!

The original receipt will be included for the remainder of the guarantee period, and I also registered the lens for a five year guarantee. I don't think that is transferrable but I will keep the registration details in case the new owner has problems, so I can help out if necessary. Price £65 incl RMSD

One image below - trust me, it is as-new:




I accept PayPal (prices above are net to me) or Bank Transfer. And I will consider postage within EU to countries where it is possible to use Airsure delivery. Please PM if you have any questions.

Cheers,

Jon

Particularly like the truck shots - the HDR look works particularly well with those kind of subjects. I'm left wondering about the final two - I wonder if I may have got much closer to ground level to take those shots and attempt to add some more drama to the composition as well as the processing.

Cheers,

Jon

Matt you have a pm. Cheers, Jon

Hi - yes I do have one and can send some samples. Will send a PM.

Cheers,

Jon

Having used the X10, X20 and MX-1, I'd say the Fuji's deliver nice colour and better Auto White Balance performance (although the latter is not an issue for raw shooters). The nicer colour is not necessarily more realistic though - actually I think the Pentax gets closer to reality.

With the X10, you need to learn how to use the EXR sensor to get the most out of the camera (and that means sticking to 6MP images to get some seriously good dynamic range - there are ways of doing it in raw but it's painful). At full image size, it blows highlights quite easily and has particular issues with reds - which rapidly turn lurid pink in some artificial lighting conditions. I felt like a beta tester with mine and I think it had a few too many rough edges that have been sorted out with the X20 (including a more useful viewfinder with information on things like shutter speed, aperture, and focus confirmation).

The X20 is better than the X10 for JPEG and raw images. Finding a good raw processor for the X Trans sensor is not easy though - Adobe haven't quite got there yet, although I can still squeeze more out of the images at base ISO using LR than I can get with out of camera JPEGs. Even with NR turned down to the minimum, the JPEG engine in the X20 smears detail at ISO100.

Obsessive pixel peeping suggests my X20 is about one stop brighter than the MX-1 when set to identical aperture, shutter speed and ISO with all other enhancements turned off, so it's possible that part of the explanation for the MX-1's comparatively good high ISO performance may be a slightly optimistic view of its reported ISO. Nevertheless, I think the MX-1 image quality stands up extremely well compared to the X20, with less noise (at reported ISO) and sharper, crisper detail. This is true in raw and JPEG.

The X20 and MX-1 are both great cameras although the latter appears to be planning on going inter-railing with my daughter soon.... I wouldn't buy the Fuji expecting better IQ or general performance though - it would need to be based on your view of handling and other features.

My father loves his X Pro 1 and does not miss the Canon 5Dii that it replaced...the Fuji is that good. Some shops might offer part exchange for your equipment, or you could try the classifieds here (or on DP Review). I think there's always a market for good stuff (eg the Limiteds) but shifting old legacy lenses and basic kit lenses can be a little harder unless you price them competitively.

Hi Stu,

I think UWA lenses are some of the hardest to use to best effect. It's not something I've ever mastered to my satisfaction but others do brilliantly.

I think using them mainly to "fit more stuff in" is a recipe for disappointment, and my most successful UWA shots have tended to be when the subject is very close to the camera, or where there is something of interest in the foreground even for landscape shots (cue the hackneyed seascapes with large wet rocks in the foreground....), with strong compositions, leading lines, etc. Playing around with perspective and taking shots that make the viewer feel they are in the middle of the action seems to be the way to go...which means you need to be particularly brave with people shots as you'll be right next to them.

Perseverance I suspect....I never mastered my UWA and gave up in the end. It's just not me but I admire people who use them well.

Cheers,

Jon

Agree with just do it. And add adjustable NR to the firmware update please!

I'm not keen on the idea of running two systems, and don't see CSCs as an addition to dSLR - more of a replacement if they happen to be better suited for what you need. When I use the SLR, it's unlikely that I will venture out with more than one lens on the front and two in my pockets (or bag). For other occasions I have the MX-1, which is a great compact solution which offers decent image quality and plenty of flexibility, and a Fuji X100, which offers a very different experience than either of the other two - and is actually my camera of choice unless I need to use one of the others.