Wow great and sharp shots - excellent work!

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Great captures John - definitely in the right place at the right time. Really sharp and frame-filling - well executed!

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Wow, what utterly stunning images. Thanks for posting the link... I fear the contest may be a little out of my league but maybe I'll hunt through my achive and see what I've got...

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I think it is something like this... When talking about 'stops' in respect of shutter speed, each movement of one-stop is effectively achieved by halving or doubling the shutter speed in question... the camera will select shutter speeds along a continuum with the fastest being 1/8000th of a second (or something like that) all the way up to 30 seconds, or longer when 'self timed' using bulb mode.

Therefore the sequence of shutter speeds which represent changes of one stop is: 1/8000; 1/4000; 1/2000; 1/1000; 1/500; 1/250; 1/125; 1/60; 1/30; 1/15; 1/8; 1/4; 1/2; 1 second; 2 sec; 4 sec; 8 sec; 15sec; 30 sec.... i.e doubling the exposure time to get the next in the sequence (or halving if going the other way). (The actual speeds selectable on the camera will probably be more than this as it probably allows for variations of a third of a stop or something like that).

Therefore if you had a shutter speed without filter of 1/4000, and then you used a '4 stop' ND filter, assuming all other aspects of exposure stayed the same (same ISO and same f-stop) then the new shutter speed would be 1/250th (four stops along from 1/4000th). In you example, where you had a half second exposure time at f36, then a 4 stop filter would give 8 secs I think. A 'bigstopper' (a ten stop filter I think) would give an exposure of several minutes and you would need to use bulb mode and a timer - but the effects could be magical because in that time the clouds would have moved and they would be rendered as such in the final image.

The camera meter, as it works through the lens, will indicate the appropriate shutter speed when the filter is attached, although it will only go up to 30 secs I think.

I have a couple of ND filters, including a big stopper. I, like you, wasn't sure about what to get and didn't want to splash out straight away, so I got a couple of screw in Hoya 49mm ND filters from amazon which were pretty cheap, and are fine for use with the DA ltds I have as they all have a 49 mm thread. That would also be the case for your FA50 but I don't know about the 18-250... I too have been interested in the variable ones but never actually seen one 'in practice....

Hope that helps

For travelling I use a Velbon Luxi and like it very much. As long as you're not using some huge weighty lens it preforms pretty well and packs down very small and light. Simonkit was selling one yesterday (link) although i think it is now sold... I The only other thing I would take (although it depends what you think you might be photographing) is a couple of ND filters (including a 'big stopper') and a remote control (although these things would be less useful if you don't have the tripod (or similar) as well...

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I agree with Trickletreat - especially that the second shot is lovely I think it could also make a nice B/W image with all the different zones of texture in it. Well worth a third visit I reckon!

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Congratulations Mark on the success in the Landscape Photographer of the year! very well deserved. I shall look out the book and take a look

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Gosh what an outstanding set - there's so much that I like here it's hard to know where to start! I agree with John that the last is gorgeous. I love the water in the first, and the B/Ws are fantastic - especially the old man of storr.



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Very accomplished pics - Il like them very much. Nice one!

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Gosh it's hard to come up with seven! but I think I would have a core four of:

DA21 Ltd
DA35 Ltd
DA* 50-135
DA* 300

and then to that I would add

DA 10-17
Sigma 100-300 (and sneak in a 1.4x teleconverter as well)
and lastly... DFA100 macro

Mind you, ask me tomorrow and i'll have changed my mind!