Specifically:- Please get rid of those ads that take up so much room on the right of the page. Put them at the top, or at the bottom, or give us the option to lose them completely please.

Like so many other things in life, this site is no longe quite so good, now that it's been 'improved'.

I'll be more specific when I have more time . . . maybe. Change for change sake I think. It being database driven may make admin easier, but to sacrifice so many useful features?

This thread was the result of my having to choose between the Pentax DA* 300mm and the Sigma EX 100-300mm. I chose the Pentax lens and have not regretted that decision.

No preference Chris, just that I think they are more freely available. The silver and black versions are of course optically identical and IQ is similarly identical. They are both known to be soft at wide apertures at the long end, which I think is true of many zooms.

The silver is actually just paint . . . on top of black plastic

Also, I was just propogating the little jokette that was made earlier.

The one recurring criticism of the FA 80-320 is it's IQ at the long end. It's still a cracking good lens for the money, and it can be used on film SLR's.

That said, I've moved up to the DA* lenses and mine doesn't get used any more so it'll go on ebay, with a non-Pentax rubber hood.

Oh, and mine is a silver one and I'm sure the photo's I get are better than other's get from their black lenses

You might have accidentally dialled in +2ev compensation. Press the +/- button on the back of the camera and check that the top plate LCD shows 0.

The Stroboflex bracket is a bit expensive, but for me, at the time, it was the easiest and quickest option. I was never very interested in Blue Peter as a child so never got the hang of sticky backed plastic 'n string 'n stuff.

Note: Blue Peter is/was an english TV programme for children where they were renowned for making useless objects out of household bits 'n bobs.

I don't have the equipment, expertise, or patience to produce kit like Clarky's so I ended up buying a Stroboflex twin flash bracket (from Australia).

To go with it, I bought 2 x AF240FT flashes (they have the 5P socket for cable connection) from ebay, one is mint, the other is useable. I already had the cables and hot shoe adapters. All this goes on my *istD and I have TTL flash control of the 2 x AF240FT's. This rig does of course work with the K10D, but with manual flash control.

Whilst I already have 2 x AF360FGZ's which could be controlled wirelessly (if that's a real word), the AF240FT's make for a lighter rig and still has plenty of flash power.

As luck would have it, the Stofen Omnibounce diffusers from my AF360FGZ's fit the AF240FT's width and can easily be held in place with tape.

All I need now is a decent subject and the time to chase it

Some of us don't get out much

Do Egret pics come more 'decent' than that? I'd be more than happy with it.