K7 a good piece of kit for most needs. I migrated from the K20 with which is shares the same processor, so my obs are more to do with the improvements in useablity.

I like in particular the ease of changing the ISO without going into the menue functions.
I'd have prefered the same chasis as the K20 as I find the fit to my hands isn't quite as good.
Live View works (if that's afunction you want)- on the K20 it was not very user friendly
Above 1600 ISO, it is supposed to struggle compared to more recent offreings. Not a problem for me - I'm more a landscape photographer than people or sports 'tog, so I rarely ever use any setting above 400, let alone 1600.
Like all bodies, the better the lens on the front, the better the result.

I like the K7. It's the body I take out and about most in a non work related role (K10 now used for work stuff). Pentax user controls are easy to use, logical and will cover more than most of us here will every use. It's a good buy, especially now the price is down below £700.


Steve

On a sample count of 1, try DS Colour Lab.

My wife had my shot of Mt Cook (see my gallery) printed in Panoramic format. Nice result - she sent them a copy of a print marked up with the crop lines she wanted and the image on a CD. Took them a prompt to work this out but they did phone her to query the discrepancy between the file image dimensions and the canvas ordered.

So
plus for customer relations,
plus for result,
slight minus for not examining the order in full first,
plus for turnaround time,
plus for price

Others have used them - got the link from this forum.

HTH


Steve

It would help if you had indicated if this is a beach holiday or a touring holiday.

Long ago (1989) I passed through Thailand with 2 ME Supers and 3 lenses - 28mm, 50mm and 135mm. The Royal Palace in Bangkok needed only the 28 and 50mm; the Kwai Bridge and railway works with this combo and the floating market likewise, though I'd been better of with a third body using 200 or 400 ASA slide rather than the 50 and 100 Fujichrome I had loaded.

If I was going back, a bit of extra width for the Palace and the Temple of the Golden Buddha would be useful, wouldn't need any extra length for the Kwai and the ability to change ISO on the fly would be a boon for the floating market.

Didn't do any beaches or go north, so can't advise on these. The trip was a 4 night visit as part Kuoni 3 week Far East package trip inc HK, Sing, Thailand with a week in the Maldives.

HTH


Steve

I'd echo most of what's already been said - I used a K10 with an FA 80-320 and an ist D with a 50-200 for my time in SA back in Jan 08.

300-320mm is too short for most birds and insects - dung beetles and Giant Herons excepted! The vehicles are limited to the park roads, so wildlife will be 25-100yds back from the road and anything interesting half masked by foliage. Water holes will be productive in the dry season, but the viewing point will be mid range so as not to interfear with the animals natural habits.

The 55-300mm will be your starting lens with the 24-70mm very handy. The 50-135mm is great in low light but probably too short. As space/weight not an issue, I'd take it in the vehicle but not expect to use it. Likewise the 12-24mm. Very few landscape shots to be had on this stage of your trip that will benefit from this width. Monopods aren't very easy to use in the sort of vehicle you'll be using, unless the roof's off and you can stand up

So my top tips:
Use spot metering and focusing as default
Use custom functions to allow ISO changes to be done on the front thumb wheel - the light changes v fast around dusk and dawn
Have a rocket blower accessible to declag the front of the lenses.
Use your lens with it's hood on - animals always appear at the extremes of your vision, so lots of swinging arms, shoulders and peripherals that could catch the front of your camera as everyone tries to get a view.

Above all, relax and enjoy.


Steve

Evicted mouse for third time this morning. Released away from the cats with dry cover and plenty of food available.

Eviction order should have been served a few days ago but SWLTBO opened the trap too wide to check the contents and mouse jumped out, did a hand brake turn around the island unit and back to whence it had been captured.

Steve

Danny - was this the unit you brought to Lacock with the on loan K7?


Steve

My Sigma 135-400mm developed a similar fault - even when in A, camera unable to control aperture. Lens hadn't been dropped or ill treated - just developed a fault.

Repaired by Sigma for just under £60 inc P&P, VAT etc. Postage cost me a shade over £20 (first class recorded next day delivery, £400 insured value).

HTH


Steve

Mouse is back. Bag in the bin under the sink been ravaged. Rather pointless as all food waste goes into special roddent resistent recycling box on the work surface.

Going to mark the varmint with a dab of paint when it's captured and release it at the bottom of the garden - well away from the house and where there is food on the ground as spilled from the bird feeders.



Steve

Jon - I've got the 50 & 100mm D-FA macro lenses plus their M series counter parts.

Happy to look at meeting up - I'm in Bath - a mere 35 miles down the M4 from the magic Roundabout. PM me if your interested.


Steve

Another lab used by a few here is The Darkroom UK, based in Cheltenham.

link

Service on slide process and mount always been fast and reliable. Not tried any of their other services but looking at a poss panoramic mounted canvas print of Mt Cook, so may give them a go.


Steve