I'm very glad to hear that, thanks! At least I know that past efforts and mistakes were worth it.

I admit to having found photography in this sort of woodland environment quite difficult. I find you can have a sort of focal point in the foreground, but the wider view is so easily a tangle and mess of conflicting elements as there's no order in the scene. Also contrast is hugely challenging and if there is any sky visible it is difficult to keep the exposure under control and still get detail on the ground and shadow areas.

Anyway, here's my latest attempts - all with the K7 and Samyang 14mm f2.8, all shot at f8.0.

Coombe Wood is near Croydon, along the tram line running towards New Addington.


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Please tell me how I've done this time !

We all have different priorities, and we are lucky that we have a choice with our cameras. Whats best for one photographer is not necessarily best for another. Whats interesting about the K30 is that a lot of owners of the model don't use the scene modes on it - Pentax has put them there as they target the intended market, but the camera is being used by a different target market. What does that say about the K30?

I have in fact tried a K30, a few times in a Currys shop - of course thats not the same as using it properly, but enough to get a feel and sense of the ergonomics and features. But I'm not trying to dismiss the other Pentax models - not at all - in fact my advice to Snoops when he originally asked about the cameras was to recommend he bought a NEW K50! But he sees the extra features & physical controls as important, something to 'grow into' apparently, and I can understand that decision.

What I meant earlier is that it was not the K7's sensor that sold me the camera (and the Pentax brand) in the shop ... (how can anyone really compare sensor IQs in a shop?) ... but the rest of the package - construction, feel, usability features, physical controls, and the clearly sophisticated and extensive customisation options - the truth is I doubt that I would have been much interested if I'd been trying the K30 then, it doesn't have those same features that stood heads above the competition .... I actually didn't care that much about the sensor! There's much more of importance to a good camera than its sensor.

Hence my wry comment about 'them' selling all their other Pentax's ... See, that's one of the enduring strong points of this forum - endless comedy and dry humour moments

Maybe they had to sell all their other Pentax cameras in order to get the 645z? Under those exceptional circumstances the Olympus pic might just be acceptable.

I love my 135mm prime for Portraits. Sure, I'm standing back a bit, but the perspective is beautiful as is the oof background at f2.8 or f4.0

Good points David, the IQ and build aspects are always key. What are some of those other features that you would not want to compromise on? I was sold on my Pentax K7 in a shop where I could hardly make proper sensor comparisons ... It was what I could see,feel and take control of on the camera itself that elevated it above the competition.

Well someone at Pentax designing cameras presumably thinks extras such as more custom settings and grips are important to some ... Lucky we have the choice and you were able to choose a K30. Truth is I wouldn't be using Pentax if we didn't have the K7 or K5, I'd have chosen an offering from another brand that offered important photographic physical controls and extensive function options plus battery grip ... I doubt I'd be so satisfied with the package though, and its value.

Nice shot Steve ... I can see its brighter and a little more yellow saturation,but its not really clear what adjustment parameters were active on the brush. Knowing this would be helpful. FWIW I actually prefer the slightly darker original .... I do agree that most of us should be doing more and more PP at the computer.