6 years ago I bought one used, VG condition, from a forum member, paid £185 including p&p. However, as always, something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it at the time of sale. Advertised prices in the usual places seem to be about £150 so perhaps £200 + p&p is a bit high at the moment.

Steve

And my lack of time is mainly due to a large Lurcher .

Steve

If you haven't had it very long, haven't used it heavily and haven't dropped it or done anything else that might damage it internally, then I would go back to the shop with camera and lens and say 'look what's happening'. You don't say whether you are in the UK or not, but consumer law in the UK does provide some protection for used goods (although not as much as for new).

Unfortunately, the behaviour of the lens sounds suspiciously like a known problem with the Pentax Q 06 lens - different camera system but a retractable lens like the 55-300mm PLM. Someone stripped down a failed 06 and found that the cause of the problem was a broken ribbon cable that flexes to allow the lens to open and retract. The lens suddenly does strange things and never works properly again. It happened to mine... .

Steve

For me, getting it right in camera is a luxury that is possible only when there is plenty of time available - which there usually isn't. Tripod, get the framing right, wait for the clouds to shift a bit... those were the days! But circumstances have changed. Now it's usually a matter of getting it as close as reasonably possible in camera but allowing space to crop later. And taking several versions and choosing the best later. Macro, though, is a different matter entirely, particularly if doing a focus stack. Cropping just means wasted pixels when the idea is to get as much detail as possible. I will, however, crop to square or another format simply because the sensor I have to use is 3:2.

Steve

Can you tell us which version of the lens it is. There have been several versions. The latest one (PLM version) has the focus motor in the lens, previous versions were focused by a motor in the camera body.

Steve

I'm no Ansel Adams and my current dog walking circuit is definitely not around Hernandez. But having decided that sunset was over, turned off the camera and told my ever-patient dog that he could continue walking, I turned round and felt in a small way what Adams must have felt when he saw the moon rising over Hernandez while driving - an overwhelming urge to stop what you're doing and shoot the moon! However, unlike Adams, I could go back over the following days and shoot the moon again and again. Here is the result. Four shots spread over a week starting on 21st June (the longest day) and all taken within about half an hour of 10pm BST.

K3iii + DA55-300mm (original version) for all shots. It was tricky to get a suitable exposure for the last two which would show detail on the moon, retain some foreground colour and be OK for a low light, hand-held shot with a slow lens. However, the K3iii's SR and ability to hold detail in deep shadow came to the rescue. What a lovely camera!

Thoughts, comments etc. welcome as usual.

1. 21 June 2026



2. 23 June 2026



3. 27 June 2026



4. 28 June 2026



Steve
PS: I couldn't get the full moon on 30 June. Too much cloud .

The colour one for me, too. The rust/water contrast gives a much more 'open' feel to the photo. Probably something to do with my brain associating the colour of the sea with wide open spaces whereas a different shade of grey doesn't have that association.

The blurred seed heads is an interesting experiment. I think the reason it doesn't work very well is that there isn't a distinct subject to draw the eye away from the blur in the foreground. If a bigger version of the tower in your last (poppy) shot were put in the middle distance of the seed head shot and a bit was cropped off the bottom of the blurred area, then it might work.

Sensitively and delicately put. I might just start using it to explain my situation, too.

Steve

Your patience and persistence is to be commended, sir!

Your mill project seems like the sort of thing that will keep you occupied for the next eight years . There are people that visit this forum who are well versed in the subtle art of using flashes and may be able to offer advice if needed.

Steve

OK folks, I did ask that comments in this 'Your Photos' thread should be on matters relating to the photograph itself. I am pleased that some folk enjoyed the photo and would have been pleased with any other comments on the photo, whether positive or negative. It is therefore disappointing that the thread has taken the direction it has. I am now going to ask a Moderator to lock this thread, which will unfortunately prevent any further comments on the photo itself .

Steve

Please keep comments in this 'Your Photos' thread to matters relating to the photograph itself.

Thanks

Steve