Good to hear Michael: look forward to seeing some of your images.

Jon

ME Super now adopted and shortly to be dispatched to its new home

Comiserations to all those expressing interest who missed out this time round.

Zyxel NAS taken and moving to a location in Surrey 😉

To be clear, if either of those already contacted decide not to proceed, then I will move on to the next of the original respondents.

First 'refusals':

PM sent to michaelblue (ME Super) and to johnx (Zyxel)

ME Super (RM 24h £4.45; 48h £3.35)







NAS 310 (RM 24h £4.45; 48h £3.35)














Several expressions of interest. Offers will be made in the order they were received.

Both in very good condition. ME Super was fully functional when left to me by a relative several years ago, since when has been stored carefully but unused.

Zyzel NSA 310 (single drive only) is fully functional. Compatible with all versions of Windows up to and including Windows 10 and probably Linux, too.

Images and more details on request.

My preference is for those wishing to make use of rather than seeking to sell on.

If there has been no expression of interest by midday on the 20th, both will be given to the local charity shop.

Jon

A stunning and deeply visually satisfying set that capture the essence of this beautiful landscape superbly.

Deeply envious that you live there as, I once did many moons ago

Of course, you could always cover your bases with a Sigma EX DG Aspherical 12-24mm F4.5-5.6 link (and link to the 'In Depth Lens Review' contained therein).

If this option appeals, I have one in tip-top condition which I purchased in the belief, mistaken as it turned out, that my life would not be complete without greater coverage at the wide end. In practice, my photographic interests don't really allow for a lens of this type and neither do I own a FF body on which to exploit its full potential. They are not that common in KAF mount, although two are being offered for sale on fleabay at the moment. The starting bid for one is £330.00 link and the other with a ridiculous (IMO) BIN price of £580.00 link

PM me if you're interested.

Jon

All your comments are much appreciated.

Whilst I quite often post to the Gallery, I have very rarely submitted my images and invited constructive criticism on this or any other forum. It is reassuring, then, to learn that I am not entirely delusional in believing that in the years since I first became interested in photography (early 1970s) I have progressed and achieved a degree of technical proficiency in close-focus/macro photography and, by inference, the processing of my RAW images.

The comments made regarding my image cropping choices are well-made and helpful. With this particular set I did indeed struggle with the cropping primarily for the reason identified: my fascination both with the bees and the structure and geometry of the ivy flower heads on which they were feeding. Although this was not something I was fully conscious of at the time of editing, I can now thanks to your input, certainly see and understand how this might cause the viewer confusion when attempting to identify the main subject and hence purpose of the finished image.

With regard to the comment of Lubbyman, of my three macro lenses, the others being a Pentax DFA 100mm and a Sigma EX DG 70mm, the Irix is the one I find most satisfying in use, due to its heft, quality of construction, ease of focus and the manner in which it renders colours and OOF highlights.

My next favourite would be the Sigma which is similarly well constructed, but more compact and with the benefit of AF. Its rendition of colours is less spectacular (more neutral?), but it loses nothing in terms of sharpness when compared with the Irix and 'pips it' IMO, albeit not by much, in terms of micro-contrast.

I hesitate to describe the DFA 100mm as my 'least favourite' macro lens, but it is certainly the one I find least satisfying in use. Not because it lacks sharpness or is anything less than satisfying in terms of colour rendition, but due to its lesser quality of construction and less than stellar overall AF performance. Certainly, it would be the lens I had least difficulty parting with should I ever face a temporary liquidity crisis