Its a valid idea of course David, unfortunately I don't know of any way to use filters with the Samyang 14mm - it has a bulbous-type front element and fixed petal hood, so I don't think any standard holders will work - no doubt something could be constructed, but I imagine the risk of flare is fairly high?

Do you think the HDR image (my no 12) appears 'unnatural'?

Thanks for trying that Rob, I've been experimenting a bit as well - unfortunately can't post the images until very late tonight as I don't have a strong enough WiFi connection for my laptop for now.

The next darkest image was very underexposed, I doubt you'd get much quality brightening out of it at all. I'm not sure how much difference the improved later sensors would make, at least in a practical sense for this particular image?

I have processed a blended version as well, with the best I can do on the ground from the one DNG plus a different optimised processing for the sky only from the same file, then composited them in PS. That was the best I could do from a single exposure. Should have them up much later tonight.

So Rob, do you feel the scene demands the HDR technique?

The HDR Question

gwing has kindly offered to try a single shot version, and I will show the unprocessed 'originals' from the mid to high range of my 5 brackets, as well as my own attempts to produce the best result from those single frames.

My own belief is this ... this scene IMO is beyond the DR of our cameras - yes, you could shoot it all right, but any single exposure is a compromise as you can only pitch it for the highlights unless you are prepared to accept a blown sky. And I also believe that what is commonly accepted as 'natural' is in fact just a way we have got used to seeing scenes with a high DR reproduced by the tradional photographic process. HDR offers to only way to display the scene in a manner akin to how our eyes can perceive it - thats my theory anyway

Lets try it out - I'll upload some versions soon for comparison!

I did read it, but I thought you meant just some images from that album were not Pentax.

So then, how about a few recent ones of the style, shot on Pentax? The we can comment on them here, and those who are interested can go on and explore more with the links.

I liked the style of what I saw BTW - good contrast and bold lines that stand out graphically, very effective B&W, I can appreciate that and I don't really like B&W!

Daniel, I have always found this section of the forum great for detailed 'peeping' at specific shots, and you'll certainly encourage better quality commenting if you provide the photos right here so everyone can see exactly what is being referred to. I suggest you choose a few Pentax ones and put them right on here, and at the bottom the links for checking out more of your stuff in general.

I agree with Smeggy - I've had a quick look at the facebook shots, that site doesn't do much for me so I'm not really drawn to explore much there - but put some on here and I'd be glad to look in much greater detail.

Thankyou David, and I am very glad about all that ... I was practicing landscape technique and the shots gave me, the camera & the computer, a very good workout! I take on board the other points about the compositions and 'grab factor' of some of the shots. I did try hard to get interesting foreground and viewpoints into the distance, but there's no doubt that there's more potential to explore, and I'm not far away so chances will come.

With all thats been said on here recently I think we can all agree that its a combination of of artistry and technique that will produce the best images - you said something similar recently David about processing skills and their importance and I agreed with that.

lovely again Tom - I do still prefer some of the portrait versions, if only because of the way they bring that foreground detail right under our noses.

Pentax Digital Camera Utility will work equally well with DNG files, so I guess that makes it 'compatable' with any camera that can record DNG. Most camera settings and custom controls are very similar on all of our DSLRs as far as understand it, so my points about it being suitable & familiar to those who use the camera controls would still apply I think.

A user who did not have an installation disk or previous version installed though may have to find another way to install it after downloading - I'm sure there is plenty of help available on this.

Glad you think so ... The aim very much just to boost visible DR without too much of the hdr 'look'. I wonder if anyone would have noticed. If I didn't say?

Smeggy, thanks for commenting and its always good advice, although in fact a few are shot near ground level, perhaps knee height.

My assessment of the hdr scenes, from taking single test shots, was that I had no chance of getting the natural DR in a single shot, and not just because its a K7. The HDR is no hassle, gave me great enjoyment actually both shooting the brackets and the detailed image work on the pc.

Does anyone really think you could record and reproduce the scene as lit in my no.12 there with just a single exposure?

The HDR ones are 7, 11 & 12 .... they were processed in Photomatix Pro 4 using either 4 or 5 exposures, and in 7 & 12 I made separate HDR versions for the sky as well and blended in PS. I was pleased with the shots as I was handholding and using auto bracketing, which can often give ghosting troubles caused by slight movements. I used HDR because it was impossible to get balanced detail on the ground without the sky blowing out massively. But I've tried to use it subtly here - have I succeeded?

Its the nearest to it I'll be getting for now unfortunately , so my brief is to work at making the most of it. Here I was looking to emphasise the starkness in the lighting and deep contrast in the shadows from the trees, and of course try to get that all important foreground interest at 14mm.

I'll check out Hamsey Green, thanks CMW!