Thats a lot of the fun for me too! I'm often not happy with the amount of DR compression applied by camera JPEGs, highlights especially. Anyway, you've done a great job yourself then.

Are these Camera JPEGs? They look very well processed with a good controlled dynamic range ... by that I mean proper shadows but with visible detail and no blown highlights. A good set demonstrating the practicality and quality of the camera.

Looks like some fill flash going on there ! Nicely balanced exposure as a result

The shadow is a secondary element and doesn't carry enough weight ... the main subject is clearly centre with a uniform background - as such it presents the classic problem of such compositions - the eye fixes on the subject then wanders off in various circular, unfocused movements. For this reason I think you're wrong not to try crops in other proportions. But Alistair, its your shot, your choice

It sound to me like the same lens - the 'a' presumably refers to it having the a setting on the aperture ring. As I understand it the original 'K' lenses did not have this, then the 'M' series came along with it.

I agree the 'M' (or a) 28 f2.8 is excellent. Davidstorm has often reported that the f3.5 version is better, but I believe he still finds the f2.8 very good, although like me maybe he doesn't shoot often wide open? I've never found sharpness an issue - the only issue of note I've seen is a fair bit of CA / PF in backlighting, but I guess this is in common with many lenses of the era.

Here's one with mine at f3.5 ...







And a couple at f5.6 .....

A K3 user will need to respond of course, but for experimenting purposes I'd try the shutter button to 'start' the operation after setting it. The convention for most of these sort of things is to use OK for confirming things on the menu screen, then shutter button to actually 'trigger' it to happen.

I've heard that the k3 manual is a bit short of some detail - can I assume your issue here is one of them? In any case, just try some of it out - set a small figure in the boxes and try the shutter as I've said and see how long it all takes.

This has got a nicely well controlled exposure balance (better than other recent ones Alistair :wink - clean bright sky without blowout and the dark subject contrasts perfectly with that. Good detail also (see the grass) plus the sidelighting complements it all very well.

I see the shadow, I get that, but still think the women needs to be more off-centre.

Once again here we are taken into the heart of the action, right up close & personal to those providing it and enjoying it. Clearly for Smeggy, these aspects are the 'signatures' - I think in general the 'with the crowd' shots are the most distinctive, unmistakable, in fact often uncomfortable to me, whilst the performer shots are more mainstream, but very effective. I enjoy them more for the extra softness and warmer lighting, probably also the perspective from longer focal lengths.

It shows me just how varied and wide-ranging the view into life photography can provide .... and how differently we approach it .... I clearly need to get out more, but the truth is for me heading off with the camera means trying to get as far away as possible from people and sounds - in fact I actively aim to exclude people from my shots (apart from the family ones obviously). Smeggy is the opposite - actively heading to the action and noise, thrusting right into the middle of it, and as I said before I find some of the results rather jarring and uncomfortable - its very in yer face. No doubt though, its all very effective!

No, I remember another one that got 95, and that had better depth of field and less noise on the sky - that's 2 things really, so this should have been 93, but I'm being generous because I know the K3 is a great camera

That's 94% from me David.