That's a cunning idea! Alternatively just leaving the camera in a cool part of the house (like the hallway) for a couple of hours before fully bringing it into the living room helps.

The shed anchors the composition, giving it a focal point which the other shots lack IMHO

Patrick was an absolute legend. His enthusiasm was infectious - I would put him in the same camp as Attenborough and Dawkins. RIP, sir!

But Smeggy - Pentax don't make a screen like the EE-S. Therefore it can't have any value, can it? (Despite numerous reports to the contrary). In any case, if you're having trouble focussing your 50mm/f1.2, the answer's simple - use autofocus instead, using your kit lens set to 50mm. Job done!

Very good Simon, as usual, but no. 2 is an award-winning shot. I expect to see it on a book cover or calendar sometime soon!

PS How do you get to these place so early - do you ever sleep in the car?

I think I've made up my mind then! The K10D will be my camera for flash and 'perilous situations' where I'd be scared of taking a more expensive camera! For more general use (95% of my picture taking) I'll use the NEX.

Of course if a K-x comes up in the £120-150 price bracket (like the last one that sold for £120!) things might change

Using simple language, people who have used special focusing screen like the Canon EES report that the out of focus blur seen through the VF is 'blurrier' than with the stock screen, making it easier to determine what is in focus. Comparing what you see with the stock screen, and the resulting picture at say f1.4, the standard screen doesn't actually give a completely accurate impression of DOF. You see narrower DOF on the picture.

From what I have seen, I don't think shooting manual lenses at below f2 is something you prioritise in your photography John, so perhaps you just aren't seeing the issue.

Saying 'AF is probably more accurate' is somewhat beside the point of this discussion!

I've just offloaded my K7! I would prefer to spend closer t0 100.00 really. For high ISO work (i.e. not using flash) the NEX is great, comparable to the K5. It's just the flash functionality which is poor.

Thanks for that, that's helpful.

I have kind of half migrated to Sony NEX - the bodies just work so well with my M and K lenses. But the flash system on these cameras is terrible, locking you into crummy proprietary flashes (until the NEX6 came out with a standard ISO hot shoe).

Rather than upgrade to NEX6 I am contemplating getting a bargain-basement K10D, but since Kx and Kr bodies have come down a lot (under 200.00), I'm wondering whether to stretch to one of those instead. For flash work will I notice the difference in image quality? I don't particularly need the smaller bodies, as the NEX caters for that, and I doubt I'll often lug the K10D for outdoor photography.

I am really gonna bust a gut to make this - either date! (My vote. Alport Castles, but anywhere in the peak is fine with me!)