Thanks Darkskies for your detailed explanation and specific scenario examples. I do accept that really low light shooters will be wanting all the help they can get!

My point was mainly about the relative cost / size /weight / IQ equation, which is clearly a fairly complex equation for each individual. I was just thinking that the price for one stop wider aperture on a lens is quite high ..... But that the cost of one stop higher ISO nowadays is considerably less. Processing abilities and software choices for noise reduction are going to add a lot of value for some as well.

Good luck at the Gig tonight ....ah, can you take a few at F4 with one stop higher ISO for us please

Oh yes, I meant to ask, I was thinking of trying out some gigs .... Does anyone know what sort of maximum aperture lens I should be looking for to pair up with the K7 ....?

Sour grapes Peter, because I can't have a K1 or new F2.8 zoom!!

I do think the practical differences for many images would be marginal, yes. Perhaps for long exposures an extra stop, even on a K1, might bring more noise, I can see that.

I just wonder whether F4 zooms, more economical in price and more compact, might attract many times more buyers and be a boost to the business?

No, it can't be that easy! You can't just say you use it .... That doesn't count. You would have to show that the images were better than what they would be if shot at F4.0 and one stop higher ISO ..... With a K1 I wonder if that might be quite difficult?

Apart from the D FA70-200 it is hard for me to understand why the new full frame lens range needed to be with such a wide aperture as F2.8 ....?

I can see the practical purpose in the 70-200 (ie. portraits). But in all honesty, are there any images that you could take with the 15-30 that would look any different if shot at f4.0 instead of F2.8? And if someone could demonstrate any difference, could it possibly be worth the price paid, both financially and in extra weight/bulk ?

I appreciate that no one has had the choice yet, so I can't criticise those who have bought them, but is the F2.8 designation not as much a badge of prestige as it is a practical benefit?

Following updates to the most recent 'X-TTL' firmware versions, I have now had time to test my set-up properly. Previous bugs with 2nd Curtain Sync and Manual HSS have been resolved.

I have posted a User Review of my V6II / RF60x / X-TTL system at PentaxForums.com ...... please check it out : link

The translucent mirrors were on their original models. I believe they are all discontinued now and all recent models are mirrorless.

The advantage of the DSLT was obviously the view through the lens, plus the lack of mirror movement which gave higher frame rates. But this was at a time when EVFs were not as developed as now. As I understand it, from the point of view of Sony at least, the supposed advantages of translucent mirrors became outweighed by the supposed benefits of their newer EVFs ..... ?

Presumably there was some light loss as well? In any case, it seems to have been abandoned by those who made them in favour of totally mirrorless designs.

There are some nice muted colour tones here, in fact the colour ones are almost monochrome! It adds a certain serenity which goes well with the location and time of year.

I do notice you tend to chop things off ....eg the groynes and rows of rocks. I'm sure this is you working to isolate elements within the scene, and concentrate attention. However I do wonder if the compositions would be stronger with a wider sweep and allowing the full lines of objects to be within the frame .....?

I agree with all that's been written above . Based on what you have written yourself so far, then at this stage you should avoid all filters. Until you have studied up more on filters then using them is more likely to degrade your image quality rather then enhance it

The most important accessory to start with for your old lens is a good hood. This will help the lens to produce it's best, especially in sunny conditions.

Hello, to help I think we will need to see an example image, plus the key settings.... ISO, aperture, focal length, and approximate distance from the flash to the subject. Also exactly which lens was used. Plus the mode on the flash and camera. I'm afraid that all of these details will be significant if there is to be a good chance of isolating the problem.