Remember you need a lens with aperture ring if using cheap 'dumb' extension tubes - an M50/2 or similar off-brand lens would probably be the cheapest good option.

Good shots! I suppose it would have been asking too much to use a diffuser/softbox and/or off camera flash in this instance? Lol...

Good light George, a tad bleached out on some of the buildings though.

When my gearbox went, I ended up having to spend 6K on a new engine, so count your blessings!

You'd be better off with a genuine fake (like the 7 day shop ones) than a fake genuine battery

Sold to SMC.

Liveview is best for subjects that don't move much in relation to the camera - you nail the focus in LV and then don't touch it until something changes. This is handy for shooting performers who are rooted to their mic stand, macro photography etc... but agree, a bit frustrating if you are roaming about with your camera or are shooting a moving subject!

I actually find seeing the shake reduction in action quite helpful, and of course you are reassured that you cannot take a picture before it fully engages. However on nailing the focus I often go out of LV and return to using the viewfinder (taking care not to move the camera much - dof usually allows a couple of inches breathing room).

I cannot wait to try the K30 with focus peaking and a faster refreshing LV mode, which will make all this much easier.

That's much improved. Maybe they're preparing for a full move to an online magazine? With all that content online, there's even less incentive to pick up a hard copy at a newsagent. Last one I picked up was full of chaff including one photographer's inexplicable quest to photograph multi-coloured water droplets that looked like hideous 1970's coloured glass ornaments.

Just a further note, after checking out yesterday's shot, if the camera is giving you slightly underxposed images when metering through the lens, dial in +0.7 or +1 EV of exposure compensation.

And another thing - the Helios 58mm is great wide-open. I have a K-mount version, and shoot it wide open all the time. Nice bokeh.

Actual photo:

By turning the focussing wheel slowly and noting when the green hexagon comes on and goes off, and estimating the correct focus position somewhere between the two, you can get pretty close. As noted above, live view is probably the most accurate technique. Hold the camera rock steady in front of you and focus using an 8 or 10x view. Use a higher shutter speed to compensate for holding the camera like that.

If you are stopping down to f5.6 or smaller, you can get away with focusing 'by eye' with the regular focusing screen or simply ensuring the green hexagon is lit.