Thanks to both of you for your time and thoughts - if you don't mind following this topic, I'll get back when I think I have something concrete to show for your advice. To answer your questions in the meantime:
David, yes, I use centre point AF almost all the time. Disabling the AF shutter function is not something I would have thought of, but will now. I'll also set up a test for possible front-focussing as you suggest and see what that brings. What you have said about stability is obviously more important than I thought with this lens set-up. I haven't habitually used my tripod in the past (it normally has a telescope on it!), but it looks like I need to start!

Carl, keeping the desired point of focus and not slightly missing it on moving subjects may be an issue - I guess the way to check that is to practise on static subjects in the short term. I haven't tried the comparison shots you suggest yet - only splashed out on the TC quite recently and haven't had the chance to use it that much yet, but that's clearly something I should do. I need a couple of calm sunny mornings so I'm not fighting the elements as well as getting to grips with complicated technology!

I seem to get reasonable results with landscape shots (some more of them coming up shortly), but really want to improve the quality of my long lens stuff. There are lots of forum users with standards to aspire to!

Thanks again,

Thanks, David, just the kind of comment I was hoping for that gives me something to think about. I'm aware that some of my shots have sharpness problems without really being sure why. All the above were handheld, so I'm reluctant to start changing focus settings without eliminating problems caused by me first! The dragonflies in flight were really hard to get, so my arms were drooping a bit by the end. I'm not sure a tripod would help to capture subjects flying in all directions as fast as these do.

If I may ask, what is it that suggests front-focussing to you as a possible problem? I regularly have difficulty with depth of focus with subjects like these - if the head's in focus, the body's not and vice versa.

Anyway, I had another good day out today at Fairburn - a selection follows, this time all taken with a tripod (hence no in-flight shots!), some with the converter and some without - I won't say which at this stage. Again, I'd be grateful for suggestions for how to improve.

Thanks.
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Took my new 1.4 rear converter to Fairburn recently, paired with DA*300mm and K-5. I know these may not be the most interesting subjects, but would appreciate any thoughts on room for technical improvement given the equipment used. Thanks.

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Lovely shots of a hard-to-find species these days, Alan. So hard to get real sharpness of fuzzy fur like you have done. No. 3 is the one for me - a suggestion of tense alertness that you don't get from the more common nut-nibbling stance. Brilliant!
Regards,

A few garden shots I've been meaning to process for ages (and still lots more to do!) All taken on a sunny but also very windy day with K-5 and 18-135mm lens, except for last two which are with DA*300mm. All comments welcome as always!
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Thanks

ps. my wife likes lilies, believe it or not - I rather like the more humble number 6!

I like 1 and 3 too - the wider perspective lets the full effect of the light and the mist come through. Does no. 1 need a tiny bit of straightening? Surely the horizontal is based on the water surface in the distance, which to me looks as if it drops slightly from right to left. If you view it with grid lines, it just needs rotating a tad clockwise.
Regards,

Fantastic detail and sharpness for such a huge crop, Alan. It must have been miles away!

Thanks for your comments, all.

Some are certainly "a touch soft", but the question is why? Is it that my lens is not as good as the DA*300 (most probably) or is it my fault for getting the settings wrong (highly likely)?

In all honesty, I found it hard to get the shots I wanted on the day and checking the camera screen after each one became a bit of a bind. I had the camera, as I often do, on TAv with automatic ISO, which I think now was probably a mistake. Could have done with you there with me!
Not a disaster, but not what I wanted either, so a bit frustrating!

All part of the learning curve, as they say!

Thanks to all for your kind comments - I must say that I really do like the seascapes myself. I went up to Northumberland expressly for the Farne Islands trip, but needed to walk off a huge serving of fish n chips the night before the trip and fell lucky with the light (which was nowhere near as good on the islands the next day!)

I agree about the intrusive copyright thing - I was messing about in Photoshop and ended up making a bit of a mess of the batch processing, but should have spotted it earlier. Should have added that the shots are all with the K-5; the birds with Sigma 120-400 and the scapes with the Pentax 18-135, which is a lens I really like for speed and sharpness.

In reply to David Robinson above, I've been here all the time, but I'm not a prolific poster! Mainly because I still regard myself as a novice and am frequently overawed by the quality of so many posts which mine don't match up to. I've got a few landscapes I could ask for comments on, so maybe I should be a bit more active!

If you've read all this and are still awake, thanks again!

Grateful for some tips for local sites from Alan (Blythman) which led to these birds, plus a few scenic shots of a lovely Seahouses evening. All comments/criticism welcome!

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