In this order:

1. Silkypix (www.silkypix.com) - available in free and paid-for versions. I use the paid for one. Incredible colour control and excellent image quality with very good sharpening and noise reduction.

2. Capture One LE (www.phaseone.com) - bundled free with SanDisk Extreme III cards Great image quality (better than ACR, IMHO) and very usable. Lacks some features that I use a lot in Silkypix (arbitrary rotation, vignette control, distortion correction, upsizing etc), but still a very good output.

You'll find my brief guides to both C1LE and Silkypix on this site

Hope that helps!
Matt

And ACR isn't even the best converter either
Matt

ROFL

(PS. How long will it take before I notice any effect?? )
Matt

Not as far as I'm aware.
Had the A version and it's just deeeelicious. However, my poor eyesite means I get better results from an AF lens. (Another member here has my old A version )
Matt

I would rate the 50mm/1.4 as one of all time favourite lenses.
Incredible image rendition and extremely useful for low light photography and portraiture. Used at around f/2.4 it renders skin tones wonderfully.
Here's a shot with the *ist-D: http://www.ephotozine.com/photo/401536
(I also have a rather nice 36"x24" canvas of it in my office )
Bokeh is silky smooth... buttery and sublime. Out of focus highlights are well controlled and pleasing (with the 8 blade aperture) and the sharpness is pretty much as good as you'll ever get when stopped down a little.

Did I say I liked the f/1.4??
Matt

Each user can, though, hide their online status...
But, as John says, one of us is usually around pretty quickly

If you do send a PM, then it will appear in your "Outbox" until the person has logged on and seen the message. Then it goes into your "Sent" items. That way you can tell if it's been read

Matt

Close enough: I'd start with a macro (like the SMC-F 100/2., or extension tubes
Light: not too sure, but reckon that angled and diffused light would be a start. You'll probably need a reflector or two as well. I'd try something like 30 to 45 degree angle... and possibly a polariser might help.
Matt

Appreciate the thought John... I've already tried that. It was close, but no cigar - as they say
Too much pressure lately and not enough time just to look for photo opportunities
Hopefully have a photog day out arranged in a couple of weeks... that may help a touch
Matt

(Hint: there's always a good Google search that'll find what you don't know already )

Well, I do know this... I've been in a serious creative slump for the past few months and can't shift it

Glad to help out here though
Matt

It's not random - you have the CAPS LOCK on

Turning CAPS LOCK on will go to "precision" mode where there's a cross hair so you can get exact placement. Caps Lock off will go back to showing the brush outline.


Matt