When I'm printing volumes or large formats, I use a web-based printing service. I upload the pictures and they send the prints a few days later. I've been pretty happy with it - until recently.

The two services I've used are www.dlab7.com and www.foto.com.

The problem with dlab7 is it appears to be run as a hobby. The site is down for extended periods sometimes and, when it is up, it only works about half of the time. If you do manage to upload and place and order, the service is good and I've been happy with the results.

However, I fear the day I have a complaint. As far as I can tell, dlab7.com is run by 7dayshop.com who have an appalling reputation for customer service - and rightly so.

A 10"x8" print costs around 70p which is expensive by comparison with other services

foto.com offer a large range of sizes - going right up to nearly 30"x20" but I've had annoying colour casts (which I've not investigated yet), their web site is multilingual (one page will have bits in different languages!) and their upload process is much less slick than dlab7's. This last issue isn't a bother unless you're uploading large numbers of prints.

I was surprised to find foto.com prints only at 300dpi. I was expecting it to be at least double that.

I've just ordered a 23"x15" poster from foto.com so I'll let you know what that come out like. (It's a composite of 3 shots from my K10D.)

I notice someone here recommends ProAm but they don't seem to offer an upload service so rules them out for me.

Any other recommended services?

Hi.

Work and parental commitments rule out night classes at the moment but also, the local colleges don't have anything very useful.

I'm considering a home study course.

Thanks for the link.

I'm considering studying for a higher-level photography qualification. This is mostly for my own gratification but it would be nice if I got something recognised at the end of it. Full-time employment dictates that this needs to be a home-study course but I can take time off for course work.

What's out there? What's worth doing? Has anyone any experience of suggestions?

Thanks.

Nah! Too fussy. He needs to clone out the tree and that inconsiderate attention-seeker on the right. Then we're getting somewhere. Maybe the dog and the houses, too. But nothing else.

Nice moody picture, just as it is.

I've just tested and can confirm that dcraw version 8.62 and ufraw 0.11 both now support PEF raw format as produced by the K10D.

Neither of these versions seems to have hit the repositories yet (which seem some way behind as far as Suse and Ubuntu are concerned). Nevertheless they're both easy to build from source and I had no trouble getting them working.

I'm delighted with ufraw which has saved a photo that I'd cocked up the lighting on.

I think Image Magick runs on Windows and that's very configurable for slide shows.

Other programs to consider which do excellent slide shows:

• gqview
  feh
  kuickshow
  picasa

To list the ones I can remember. Some of those are Linux only.

Peetle's post isn't hazy or out of focus and that was taken the same way. Also, the view of the moon through my neighbours reflector telescope was extremely crisp and clear. That would be going through the same atmosphere .

Although, I wonder if city (dirty atmosphere) and country (not so dirty atmosphere) makes a difference.

My neighbour had her reflector telescope up in the garden last night in preparation for a Moon/Saturn thing she was getting all excited about.

Expecting not very much, I stuck my K10D on the eyepiece and was surprised at the clarity and detail I could see. I snapped a few pictures:




There are more at the link in the sig.

I am now looking for a T-ring adapter so I can do the job properly. Can I find one? If anyone knows of any for sale, I'd be interested. Thanks.

OK. Thanks for the info.