Very nice light, and creative angles! That first one looks like an aerial shot taken over mountains.

It sounds like the situation is actually that you can't engage Manual mode with auto - ISO activated. That makes sense to me as Manual really suggests full fixed control over all three exposure settings. The mode indicates Tav to reflect the practical reality.

It's probably not very well spelled out, because it seems to trip up many people. Also earlier cameras, such as my K7, don't even have Auto-ISO in any modes other than TAv. I don't even think P mode is auto-ISO on the K7 .....green mode presumably is....?

The other benefit of a grip is the extra surface contact area with the hand and fingers .... There's just more to hold onto and conform with the hand, so greater tactile feedback and security. That adds up to more stability, but of course it needs getting used to over time to embed the feel .....

When I take the grip off the K7 now (never for actual photography) it feels like a dinky little wibbly compact!

(and for those who didn't know, 'wibbly' is the technical term for using a DSLR without it's intended battery grip accessory...... If you combine that state of affairs with a long lens and/or shaky hands, that is then termed 'wibbly wobbly' )

Some amazing fluorescent greens there Derek!

I should think that LV might be better suited to tripod work... ? Certainly I think that if relying on Shake Reduction in LV that the magnifications involved can cause the SR system to really struggle. I definitely agree that a magnified LV for focussing for tripod work would be great, as it is for landscapes as well, but I imagine would be fairly hair-raising for close up work if needing SR.

Its a creative choice Peter, so there might be a purpose to different zoom settings ... however I have never found one apart from the widest setting (as you were thinking). The general aim is to fill the entire umbrella or softbox with light to the edges in order to create the widest spread and softest light when very close, without any hotspots.

A zoomed in flash head can create a brighter spot in the centre, which might be distracting on someone's face if it hits the cheek or forehead for example. I usually also set my flash head to the lowered 'macro' position in order to direct the beam towards the centre of the umbrella, again trying to create an even spread.

With a softbox then there is even less reason to zoom in I think .... they were not originally designed for use with Hotshoe Flashes, but rather studio bare bulb types, and the best result comes from light that reflects from all of the internal walls, top, bottom and sides. A hotshoe flash can't do this very well as the light heads forwards, so again the widest zoom setting is going to be the best here. I actually use my softbox with a Gary Fong Lightsphere attached to my Flash head, inside the softbox, in order to simulate a bare bulb type of light.

With a big umbrella, and for softboxes, a case could be made that we should in fact use our Flashes Wide Angle Panel in order to further widen the light spread.

Generally modifying the spread of light or angle from the umbrella or softbox is probably best done by moving it around, or partially closing the umbrella if wanting to restrict the light. When the modifier is turned slightly away from the subject to create a fall-off, this is known as 'feathering' the light, and is a softer way to change the angle that the light is hitting the subject from rather than flash zooming.

Yes, me too, the way that those tiny white flowers pop out is beautiful.

A lovely mix of colors .... The blue on the bird is beautiful. Another exotic bird well recorded Don.

If it gets a few of us facing the lens instead of the viewfinder, it's surely a worthwhile thing!

Thanks Derek! Mrs McgregNi has a good shutter button finger for sure ....she just doesn't have any interest in any of the other buttons or settings, so lucky that I do!

Maybe this can trigger a forum selfie shootout ? !

Thanks also Gajan, I'm really pleased you saw the thread.

The flower ones for me Derek ....(I'm afraid I'm still going to take a lot of convincing to enjoy bug macros!).

No 3 really appeals.... It has everything! Despite having just posted a set of flowers with black backgrounds myself, I know that this approach is not always attractive. Here your one with the lovely soft background works so well, everything (composition, colors, bokeh) supports the flower.