That's the definition of a hobby! And much the same as what happened to me. Give it a while and you'll find it impossible to imagine life without it.

Nice pictures, too, particularly the 'pirate' ship.

Steve

There are a few on the usual auction site.

Steve

I second Peter's observation about AF speed of the DA*300 not changing. The K3iii can't make the motor in the lens run any faster. I haven't been able to do any birds since getting the K3iii earlier this year but have tried the camera and DA*300 with and without the 1.4TC on other subjects. It does seem to lock onto focus more quickly than the K3 (original), particularly at lower light levels - probably due to a better AF algorithm in the camera giving more accurate instructions to the lens.

It may or may not be relevant to your interests, but I've also been experimenting with using AF for hand-held macro (insects etc.) with a screw-drive macro lens (I usually use MF for macro but eyesight is deteriorating...). Area AF does respond very quickly to subject movement and I've found the joystick unexpectedly useful for moving the selected area around while trying to track bugs and bees. I haven't tried tracking a bug moving against a changing background - that's another experiment to add to the list... .

Steve

Thanks.

The light was rather tricky, but full marks to the K3iii. Av, -1EV to protect the highlights and let the camera do the rest. Plenty of scope for pulling detail from shadows (RAW files of course). It wouldn't have been possible with my first DSLR (K20D, still have it), I'd have had to sacrifice either highlights or shadows. 13 years of sensor development really has made a difference !

Steve

Nicely done. Can't see any Spaniards, though. Any chance of getting some shots with the galleon under sail?

But where's that bloke Drake when you need him? Still playing bowls, I expect...

Steve

I totally understand what those squashes have done/are doing to your garden. Exactly the same happened to me last year when I grew butternut squashes. Even after following Monty Don's advice on Gardeners' World to cut back the runners once the fruit was growing so all the energy would go into the fruit, they continued to take over the garden - over fences, up bean poles, into the pond. Still, the butternut squashes could be eaten. And there's still butternut squash soup and other concoctions in the freezer. Just a couple of spaghetti squashes this year, not quite as rampant but still vigorous!

Steve

Dorset County Show was held over two days of brilliant sun, cloudless sky and temperatures in the high gazillions. With hardly any shade for visitors, except under canvas which just added humidity and animal odours to the temperature, there was no alternative but to wander around getting hotter and hotter until you felt like dropping or the sunburn got too sore.

But the show must go on and for some people it meant performing in conditions that were, to say the least, challenging. So to acknowledge their magnificent efforts in conditions that none of us expected (rain and mud are more usual) here are some shots of the noble few who got hot in order to entertain the rest of us. And just in case you were wondering, the chap on the big steam-powered thing really was hot - he had just been shovelling coal into the fire.

Photos taken with K3iii + my usual walkabout kit (16-85mm and 55-300mm).

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Steve

On second thoughts, that should have been where the flower used to be attached. Too late for a simple edit .

Steve

Yes, a nice image. Composition and textures are spot on . Looked at big, no matter where I start looking at the picture my eye always ends up at the nicely textured disc where the stem used to be attached. As the photographer intended, of course...

But how do you know when a grey gourd is ripe??

Steve

Love it!

The Pratchett quote seems strangely appropriate for the timelapse ...

Steve