Since you like gadgets, dislike the faff of changing lenses, are getting a bit fed up carting a load of gear around and are thinking nature stuff, how about having a go at macro? A single macro lens (100mm or thereabouts) would be enough to get you up and running. Beyond that, there's any amount of gear and gadgets that can give you more magnification, better lighting, rock solid stability, finer focussing etc. etc. etc. Have a look at what 'coker' achieves from his K5 and various bits of kit. And to see what fun can be had lashing together all sorts of gadgets and using them in unusual ways, have a look at the 'Penny macro contest - revisited' thread.

Steve

I find that if I change batteries very quickly, there's a good chance it will remember date and time. But it must be very quick - replacement close to battery door and right way round, open door, out with the old and in with the new, no hesitation or fumbling. No guarantee that it will work with anyone else's Q though .

Someone on the American forum dismantled a Q and posted pictures. It's not for the faint hearted!

Steve

Well done. In the 40+ years I've lived close to Portland, I've never thought it worth going there to see the sun rise. You've almost convinced me it would be worth doing. But my biological clock is much more aligned to sunsets...

Was it breakfast at the Lobster Pot??

Steve

And a good example of the difference a good hammer and nerves of steel can make !!! What a good way of using a rainy day.

Steve

During the first lockdown the local bypass was almost silent, nearly no vehicle noise when sitting in the garden or walking the dog round the adjacent fields. Unfortunately, the noise is back again .

On a positive note, my wife is now having weekly home deliveries from Tesco rather than me having to spend one evening a week wandering around the local store . Will it last? Who knows....

Steve

Nope. It's a sunflower (as per title above the picture :wink One of a several flowering at the moment, all from the same packet of 'red sunflower' seeds and all with different markings!

Steve
PS: I can now see why you thought it was an osteospermum. Similar, but a big difference in size!

The title would have been 'Bees At Work' except that the second one looks more like a fly than a bee. All are quickly taken shots of visiting pollinators that happened to appear while I was photographing garden flowers. Hesitate (or change the aperture) and the shot would have been lost. K3 + F135 f2.8 used for all.

Thoughts, comments welcome as usual.

1. Sunflower @f4.5



2. Golden Road @f4



3. Crocosmia @f2.8



Steve

Lovely photo, good background and not the usual wings outspread 'look at my gorgeous colours' shot. Personally, I think the face/head of a butterfly is its most interesting bit, and you've got it nicely.

Steve

The birds definitely work for me. Not so sure about the dotty sky though - perhaps if it were blurred a bit?

What was the result of the encounter?

Steve

Beautiful, remarkable, definitely inspired and having that indefinable LennyBloke style. A pleasure to look at them - again and again and again.

Please say that getting those water drops from the fountain took hours of concentrated study and effort and it wasn't just a quick grab shot - my wife has a similar fountain and all my attempts to produce water drop pictures have been miserable failures...

Steve