if the comments are about the 'burnt out highlights' then try turning down the contrast in the Menu - it's like printing on a Grade 1 paper in the darkroom. I did the Fun-Run and Half-Marathon in Brentwood and when the sun came out the contrast was terrible so I turned down the contrast a notch and the results were good. ( I'm a digital beginner )

A bit of weak flash would have helped too (or a white reflector) . The eyes are 'dead', no sparkle because of all the toplighting. I set my flash on my digital to -2 in a dull light situation like that.

John Riley offered a studio course I remember , in the Pentax magazine and got NO takers! I have studio lights like benjikan ( Multiblitz, Bowens etc ) BUT I do not have the 'team' of make-up artists, clothes stylists and handymen to make the props ( or the studio space - I have to move the furniture in my lounge here ) . Terence Donovan came to a camera club meeting and said the average amateur or local 'Professional' will never get the results as they do not have professional make-up for the models- using the 'girl next door just home from work in the office after a stuffy trip on the London Underground' cannot compete!

I think the experts should warn the newbies here that if like ME they have Windows ME Edition the Pentax Software doesn't work also I tried the GIMP to try out using 'RAW' and that would not come through either ! Maybe someone could tell me how I can get something to work with RAW on Windows ME Edition.

Re prints; I was given this computer by Sister-in- Law so my kids and I could learn computing stuff; there was an Epson 300 printer with it but sister-in-law's son had messed about with it, hardly used it and inks all dried up so didn't work any more. wife had treated me to an Epson R265 with 'Claria' inks but haven't got it up and working yet - need some help from a computer expert as instructions are not easy to understand.

Here are some Fish-Eye lens experiments: I was given the attachment years ago in USA on a Pentax Club trip by one of the members; it is screwed onto the 52mm filter thread of the 18-55mm kit lens. I have seen these only on a computer screen ; probably look terrible if PRINTS were made ! 6mp JPeg Best setting. Program Exposure.


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All taken in Brentwood, Essex, UK

Not quite sure to reply here in the sacred 'Digital' part as I'm really only an 'Old Film Bloke' reluctantly playing with digital, but my thought are that if I take everything at 10.2 MP I have to throw away lots of digital info when downsizing to e-mail my pics to local newspapers when they want about 4MB max (I usually make important landscape shots 1500 pixels wide, portrait format ones 1200 pixels deep, as I know they will only make them 2 columns max anyway). So I set 6MP JPeg 'Best' and still get 17.2 MB files, so if I was to PRINT or have the 'images' printed up to A3 Exhibition size then I would use the 10.2 MP setting.

I put that web-site into 'Favourites' then when I can understand it all it will be very useful !

I took some off out TV when I was testing my new K10D with a Pentax-A series 50mm f1.7 lens; it was easy; I found set the white balance to fluorescent Daylight,set shutter priority to 1/20th sec, ISO to 100 and it comes out well! I just DELETED all my TV pics today or I could have shown you one !

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Brentwood Firemen: 6MP JPeg best, ISO100,18-55mm lens aperture priority @ f8,fill-in flash at -1 stop compensation.


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Irish Dancers: ISO 400 this time, built-in flash used, 18-55mm lens


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Brentwood Fun Runners: the Editor chose THIS one ,not any of the action shots ! 18-55mm lens, ISO 100, fill-in flash at -1 stop.


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Sainsbury's Car Park taken on last Sunday when I did the Fun Run.


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Well, I tried out my Metz 45CL3 with Pentax dedicated module and it worked, didn't blow up the electrics ! ISO 200, aperture f8, bounce flash.