I'd find that useful too.
I remember some DIY macro fittings, I've seen on the forum before (I think they were by Clarky but not the same as on this thread).
I've not come across many DIY tips here, but I've a collection bookmarked from elsewhere, for when I've time...

Mike

On Saturday afternoon I took over 400 shots of the powerboat racing at Harwich.
Hardly any (only the start runs) used less than 600mm (900 with crop factor).
I used a F100-300 with 2* TC, A 600mm reflex (often with the TC) & a telescope 1000(-4000) equivalent (none of these numbers include the APS crop factor) .
I'd have loved to have a really long option available! (the telescope doesn't focus well when zoomed in).

I've only had a quick look through so far, I guess it could be under 20% that are sharp enough to keep & I'm quite please with a few of them.
Checking on the charts It seems that none of the boats would have come within a third of a nautical mile of me during the racing. (I didn't bother much when they were over ~1nm away, though I did get a soft image of the plume of spray as the first marathon boat finished at Roughs Tower (~10nm away IIRC!)

For events like this a very long lens (or a helicopter, and a moderatly long lens!) is essential.


Sadly shortly after I left one of the competitor's died, apparently from his boat flipping over at speed.

Mike

With Mass production you aren't paying extra for the free view option. Making a model without it would cost more, due to limited demand.

Mike

I've done better cost/postage wise. A SDHC card reader for 24p including postage that arrived from HK in ~1week & works fine.
Mind you I haven't yet dared upgrade the firmware on my camera so the 4GB card I got it for is still blank.
Mike

Welcome to the forum Jules.

If your budget is tight, you might do well to consider the kit 18-55 lens, which is often reckoned to be remarkably good and can be brought for well under £50!
If you want longer focal lengths or faster lenses many of the A series lenses (you may have used these with the ME Super) are excellent value for money and should work fine with the K7 as long as you can remember how to focus manually. (F & FA series are often quite cheap too)
The older M42, M & K series lenses will work but exposure is more awkward requiring 'green button' use for stop down metering.

When you feel ready to 'grow into the system' you can investigate the newer digital specific DA lenses, and higher grade limiteds, etc.

Focal lengths shorter than the kit lens are only available in expensive lenses designed for the smaller sensor, or via screw on adapters which seem to be of dubious quality.

There is a recent thread on lenses for under £50 which may be of interest.

Mike

Great camera!
Shame about the body finish, but I could probably scrape those crystals off...
Say 80% off list to account the damaged body & I'd be tempted to upgrade my trusty k100d.

As it is I thick its likely to make finding controls more difficult, and the look is c**p.

As my lenses are nearly all in the sub £50 bracket I won't try to class them as truly good or bad.

However I've been plesantly supprised with these:

Tokina 80-200mm (SZ-X 200) PKA f4.5-5.6 macro zoom (£15 e-bay)
Cosina PKA 100mm f3.5 Prime MACRO Lens (£50 Rocky cameras)
Pentax F100-300 AF f4.5-5.6 (£45 e-bay)

I've not used these enough to form an opinion on them, so far they have given a mixed bag with some pleasing shots:

Mirage 28mm f2.8 PKA Macro (£21.50 e-bay)
Rioch XR 600 reflex f8 mirror PK (£50 from this forum)
28mm f2.8 M42 Photax Paragon (£5 charity shop - with case & 58mm skylight filter)
PENTAX SMC FA35-80 f/4-5.6 A/F (£28 - ebay)

This has been disapointing (OK as a scope but not as a lens):

Tasco world class f16-f64 zoom telescope & T2 photo adapter (£47 e-bay)

And this is proved to not worth the space it takes up in the house let alone a camera bag!

NEEWER filter mounting 2* tele adapter (£10 e-bay)



I guess the lenses that have been in the family for years don't really count

600 Reflex arrived safely.

A quick trial suggests its an improvement on my old 500.

I think it all depends on how you plan to use you monopod.

I've read many comments on the web saying a ball head is a disadvantage on a monopod as you can rotate or tilt the 'pod - these generally recommend a simple unidirectional tilt head.

If you use one of the more solid bracing positions it seams a decent ball head might come into its own (though the monopod can still be readily rotated).


The idea with QR plates is you have one per camera/lens you plan to mount - if it's in the wrong place you don't have enough plates!

I only use the one body, but I've got 5 plates & I'm planning on getting (or making) more, and a few more clamps. Before using an Arca style dovetail QR I'd never found them worth the effort, but being able to balance a long lend properly, or make minor adjustments in macro work give added extras to simple speed of mounting...

Mike

If you don't fancy DIY I see Rocky cameras has quite a few different second hand brackets for £2-£5 (plus postage)

http://www.rockycameras.com/flash-35mmdigital-14-c.asp

Mike