That does look a bit tasty - I would be very interested in this potentially, but the indications are that it will only be Canon, Nikon and Sony mount. Still, you never know…

Cheers

Wow some great shots there - especially like 1 and 3 from Kuala Lumpur, they really pop!. I agree with you about DXO Optics - I used version 8 and now 9 and think it is a really top piece of software. Only drawback I have found is that it does not yet recognise the K3 so I can't process K3 pics using it. Hopefully an update will be along soon…, am hoping for great things from it applied to high ISO K3 shots

I have been using one for a couple of days now, and for the most part I think it presents very similarly to the K7/K5 as you might expect. I think the increased number of functions where you hold down a button and turn an e-dial is probably a reasonable approach to the number of things they have shoe-horned into the camera and coupled with the main screen it's reasonably intuitive.

The shutter sounds absolutely brill and I got a bit of a shock the first time I autoficussed a screw drive lens as it seemed to me rather noisier than the K5 - I think there is a beefed up motor so that might explain it. The screen on the back coupled with the high res sensor seems to make the images positively sing on the back of the camera - not bad on the big screen either once downloaded

I think the resolution/noise concerns are valid. I think in the case of the K3, which I have shot almost exclusively at ISO 3200 since i have had it (!) the noise can reasonably be said to approximate more closely to film grain - it's a bit like shooting Tri-X 400 film rather than Pan F if that makes sense. Contrast with old style pink/green blobby noise like I used to get and it's a whole different ball game IMO. There are a few images on my flickr if anyone wants to check them out. So far I have only been able to process my RAW files on my ageing version of PSE. Normally I use DXO Optics pro and I would love to see how its noise reduction operates on the files - as yet it has not been updated to accommodate the K3 though.

My only real bugbear (and I suspected it would be as much when I saw the first pictures of the back of the camera) is that the AF button has been moved. I use that to auto focus exclusively as I don't really like the function on the shutter button very much, and I also wear glasses and always use my left eye in the viewfinder… that might make me a rare case, but the position of the AF button on the K7/K5 meant that my thumb just sat alongside the bottom of my nose and didn't foul on the right lens of my glasses. Now, my thumb is right across the right lens of my glasses and leaving greasy smears all over it, am sure I'll get used to it but I am using the bottom of my t-shirt a lot more to wipe my glasses!

All in all though, I think it is a good package. I have also been using a full frame compact recently, similarly with a 24MP sensor and I think the images from the K3 compare pretty well - the images from the FF are spectacularly good from a noise perspective - it simply isn't an issue, although some of that might be due to PP. Will see in due course.

Overall I think it represents a good evolution from the base K5 and I am delighted with it, although I never had a K5ii/s so can't comment on how much it is a step up from those.

Cheers

I have a bunch of cameras spanning four different makes and they all make me smile! although they shine in different environments and I tend to use them as the mood takes me. The one I bought most recently I got second hand - tried it first in the shop on a whim and then it (literally) nagged at me for a couple of days and in the end I had to buy it - I was sweating as it cost me an arm and a leg! (clue: it's a full frame compact for anyone wondering..) - but I have to say it truly rocks and I don't fret about it for an instant. Mind you, so do my other cameras… can't put a price on happiness

Cheers

In terms of auto focussing speed, I can vouch that the sigma 100-300 and 70-200 are both faster than the DA* 300, and the 70-200 I have (the HSM but non-OS version) is the fastest of all (i find it very quick on the K5). The only drawback is that it gets rather confused with the sigma teleconverters (last time I used them together it started scrolling through a whole range of different f numbers, and the autofocus is lost). I have little experience with motorsport but think I would tend towards the 100-300…

Cheers

That's a beauty - splendid colours. Nice one

Cheers

Many congratulations - great shot. Well done

Cheers

Yes I like that too - and the other movies linked to from your website - especially the wasp chewing wood.

Nice one

Thanks Stuey and David

Certainly not bad. I like it. I have often thought that looked a bit like a Thunderbird too! cool