The first one for me Brian. Don't really know what your idea was for the pic but these are my thoughts.

I'd have kept the detail in that glove - in the other pics she could have her hand in a black sock! That glove is detailed and sexy.
Soften the skin a tad - IMHO natural looking skin like hers is always the best I'd be careful and remove maybe only a little of the very few skin blemishes she has.
Try to keep the colours in her hair.
Adjust the lighting to remove that black shadow line along her elbow.
The background is distracting - maybe simple black card?

I've never been able to get the wife into this pose - infact I've never been able to get anybody into this pose - I'll keep trying

When I saw them pics Chirpy my LBA kicked in, real nice first pics
When I saw Dan's pics it kicked me harder still.

Number 1 is a corker Dan, the bird and the colours are fantastic but that bird, the reflection and the colours in number 2 are something else

Nice pic Terry.

Yep I passed a magnolia today with tons of buds on it, nice to know whats just round the corner .

Thanks for the info Jon - had a big long read tonight over at pentaxforums about the 48 - seems its very good but doesnt have an 'A' setting???
Dont know enough to know if this is important to me or not .

The 58 seems to be the top of the pops with a lot of people over there and I think I read on here someplace that SRSChris recommends it over the 540.

With 2 360's as Don says (or maybe now 2 48's?) I've a couple of lighting stands in the loft (from my way back when ME Super days) that I could use to attach 'em and try and be creative with.

This spending has gotta stop soon. Who said digital was cheap

Hi Don - you think it's much better to have 2 360's than a single 540?
I suppose the flexibility and 2 * 36 = 72 which beats 54 - though I suppose it isnt as simple as that

A K10D by the way.

Daft but I never thought of that Don - keep what I've got cos with the kit then there's no real gap and opt for a flash unit - and maybe pick up some fast 2nd hand glass on ebay when the card's cooled....sounds like a plan - cheers Don.

Only problem now is choosing between the Metz 58 and the Pentax 540

Thanks everybody for your thoughts.

@Nimitz - that 28-70 sigma gets lots of good sharp reports and if I thought I wouldn't miss the wide angle would be my choice - but I might always be moaning trying to screw the lens wider.

@Snadalholme - thought loads about that 17-70 - seems perfect except for the speed of the glass - now if that was only 2.8 fixed...

@niblue - the classic 16-45 and very reasonable from Chris at SRS and would be another favourite if only it were faster. Don't think I'd miss that gap from 45 to 70 - This is a deffo in the running.
(the star 50-135 in a few months might just be on the cards - hoping it'll drop in price)

@poppy - re. the kit - it's a great lens for the pennies - on ebay it goes for silly amounts, but it just isn't fast enough and people keep on comparing it to say the 16-45 and the big difference in the two. Well done on your ribbon by the way .

@John, niblue and Don - I know I keep on about fast glass but I don't have a flash yet and setting up lighting just wouldn't be on the cards in Church. A 540 probably soon but I'm a favourite like most of us in the flattering effect of ambient and was hoping to capture the moment just available light.

Going to sit in a corner and try to make a decision - will let you know which won the day - thanks again .

robby

Hi - Better kit glass LBA is kicking in and my list has narrowed to;

Sigma 28-70 2.8
Sigma 24-60 2.8
Sigma 18-50 2.8
Tamron 28-75 2.8

Ive already got the Sigma 10-20, Pentax 50 1.4 and Sigma 70-300.
Wanted something that would capture people in small informal groups in the interior of buildings as I'm off to a christenng in a couple of weeks. I do like fast glass and love the wider angle so I was going down the 18-50 road until a friendly tog said I'd be better off with the Tamron 28-75.

The star 16-50 is orribly expensive and the mixed reports are not good.

Did also toy about picking up a Sigma 20 1.8 - real fast but fixed and the bank account would still need to fund another. (Real tempted though - very fast and wide(ish) )

Doing a search and people seem to like the Tamron and the Sigma 18-50 gets good reports but cant find much about that 24-60 and I'm thinking that the Sigmas wider 4mm over the Tamron might be better for me than the loss of 10 and the far end.

Any thoughts appreciated.

robby

Picked up a fantastic condition Sigma 70-300 APO macro complete with caps and case for a real reasonable £70.
More of a wide angle person but as my biggest is the kit lens at 55 thought I'd try this bigun' and also to have a go at the macro world.

Anyways postie dropped it off this morning and in between the downpours I snapped these, no I know they're not much but with a bit of practice (if it ever stops raining) I think I could improve .
Seems a big bargain of a lens and now would love a fast glass one but don't think somehow I'd get this sort of price .

Hey Harry - I like it.

Often do HDR in PM and it gets as wild as this - most times it just looks overboard on a landscape pic but I think it works well on the streetscape.

Might just have cropped out that left hand white doorway at the expense of the street furniture. Think the lights work well - maybe would have cloned out the 2 minor reflections in between the 2 sets of lights.
A close to the wet floor shot may have worked.

7a.m. - well done.