Thanks, I appreciate that. I was impressed with the effectiveness of the camera / lens and SR system combination. I didn't know at first if they would be very sharp, but when I opened then up on the computer I found they had the appearance of being taken on a tripod!

That sounds logical David, thanks, I will certainly try that technique when I get hold of the right adaptor.

I agree that whilst its not the job of camera makers to produce guides to photography technique, some detail and 'situational instruction' on the application options and choices for various settings and features should be part of their remit. It would help users get more out of the camera earlier and therefore feedback in better user appreciation.

Ahrrrgh! , its always that Lightroom thingy popping up again and again and again ... Can't understand why anyone would want to keep it simple - much more fun to make it really really complicated !!

Sledger, referring back to above, you are a real player, and thats great ... I agree totally that its about learning and sharing ... and a little bit of fun along the way as well

Thanks to you for sticking to your guns, I've learned something (and possibly a few others looking) ... I went back to the camera info and the K7 itself to check on the ISO issue, and I am wrong - setting ISO manually before starting recording does not have any real effect. (I had been doing it and assuming it did, because I set ISO 800 in low light and ISO 100 in good light - the results were different so I imagined it was responding to those inputs).

In fact the camera applies ISO (and framerate) automatically in response to light levels. The aperture can be fixed or automatic (through the menu item setting), or in the case of a non-DA / FA lens then fixed on the lens aperture ring. This would be for any desired creative lens effect. The camera adjusts the gain to get correct exposure. We can compensate this by 2 stops up and down if wanted.

SLEDGER 1 / MCGREGNI 0

Thanks for the encouragement I enjoy getting in close to these sort of subjects, so you're guaranteed plenty more from the K7 & I ...

Is it recently on digital you used tubes, or are you talking about back in the olden filmy days? Because I used the LCD live view feature for focussing & shooting with the remote - mirror is up already which is a bonus for vibraction control, and with the info button I zoomed into the centre focus area at 4x magnification for very precise adjustments. It helps that the Tamron 135 has a big focus throw, but the LV technique is really a great help for this kind of photography!

Looks like a good visit, excellent opportunity, and you've made the most of it. Best for me is clearly the outside view from the tower, which is beautifully captured with all the elements working together - quirky angle, nice balanced sky (although pushing the limits a bit over on the right side there), and a pleasing compo that makes the eye roll around in circles starting from the foreground towers.

I appreciate the challenge involved with the wide angle, and you've squeezed an amazing amount from those interiors onto the sensor. The framings are all excellent - unfortunately the distortions are a bit too much for me to enjoy, and I find the processing style a bit harsh .. rather grainy textures, full of detail, but I think a little softer might improve them ... is there an easy way of reducing whatever micro contrast / sharpening method you used ?

Thanks, I appreciate you taking a look ... the extension tubes were a great recommend from forum members, and clearly an excellent choice for what I wanted - doesn't seem to be any loss of quality. I am still interested in a closer focusing lens though, just for the extra convenience for those chance shots when the tubes may be too much faffing.

Thanks Alan, and thanks also to Algi, Philip & Stan for your positive comments. I'll try and shoot more riverside images when I get the chance.

You're right Alan, my shots from within the built environment seem to get more popular appeal, whether its architecture details, low light buildings or shop window display dummies!

But my photographic heart remains out there in the fields & hillsides ... and you can all look forward to the fruits of my forthcoming trip to Dorset! Just wait for my series of images documenting a range of West Country campsite dog exercise fields, all reproduced in stunning HDR with the detail in the shadows on every blade of grass fully revealed !! !!

Ya see, thats whats so great about this forum ... you can have a fight with someone on the other side the world about whether a K7 is abysmally woeful for video or superb in every way! Surely one or the other MUST be right ?? Or is the truth somewhere more in between ....

Anyway, a good debate is what its all about, and our man in Oz is clearly up for it there ... I vote he should be renamed SLEDGERPANTS, clearly a suitable opening to be filled at present ...

Now, back to the fight, I mean debate. I maintain its unfair to label the K7's video recording abilities as they have been by Sledger earlier ... at the same time I myself will not try to claim that the camera is the ideal or first choice for professional grade video work.

But as has been mentioned, and examples linked to, the camera can output high quality video. My point is that it has the technical capability, and I believe when operated well it can deliver the goods. Lets face it, a high quality video production is not about the camera alone ... you need the peripheral equipment that goes with it, the creative control and planning, shooting technique as well as careful judgement of lighting and other environment matters. When all that comes together properly then the K7 will perform.

Most of us 'normal' photographers don't have the time or experience to ensure all of this happens each time we hit 'record'. I might get some of the items right on occasion, but never all at once, so there's always some compromise in amateur causal DSLR video work, which is going to relect through in output quality.

Regarding the latitude, I understand the point now about exposure 'leeway' - its true that there's not a great deal of room to manoeuvre when adjusting the brightness and contrast of K7 video files, so its important to get it as near as possible to optimum when recording. I don't have experience of the other Pentax cameras, but its reasonable to expect the later sensors to improve this aspect, I accept that.

The menu items listed above there for the K5II do not add much of significance I would suggest - 'cross processing' and 'digital filter'? Unlikely to create any more real 'quality'.

Anyway, lets keep it about the features available and techniques to employ and develop to get good consistent video output from our Pentax cameras ... with careful thought and planning our current and previous flagship models, going back to the K7, are all very capable I would argue.

Sorry, I haven't used the Sigma 105 on Pentax, so please correct me, but I activate catch in focus generally by setting AF.S on the camera - it is deactivated by switching to manual ... but then this is with lenses that don't have a focus switch .... ??