Unless you really need the cash for something else you really need/want, keep them. Although, TBH, they are more easily replaced than Mannesty's 135mm, they are true "icons of photography". Both lenses are on my wish list although I think my next expensive purchase (whenever I happen to have some cash to spare ) will be a telephoto. I am very well served for lenses less/equal to 135mm.

(Edit: Apparently the less than/equals to sign isn't allowed...)

Best wishes, Kris.

I like the "free slr". The seller clearly realises that most sales are for the lens and not the body!

K.

I wasn't too happy with the processing of the sky so I have reworked it a little.

As to cropping out the monument, I have tried that too. I did take some care to omit tree branches in the background when I took the shot. Personally I prefer to keep the monument as (a) it shows it is clearly a statue and not a person and (b) the long thin crop necessary is uncomfortable. What do you think?







Best wishes, K.

I went seriously off landrovers when a Dutch lady knocked me off my bike and smashed up my knee with one. Although I can see the advantage in a muddy field, what on earth is the point of those gas guzzling monstrosities in the middle of London?

The dedicated macro lens will have a very flat field of focus which means you can photograph a piece of paper on a copystand and it will all be nicely in focus. Usually (I don't know about the Nokton specifically) "normal" lenses do not have such a flat field. This really is less of an issue with macros of flowers and the like.

As to focus rails, not that I know of. Sadly, the Pentax one is as rare as hen's teeth (I have only seen one on ebay in three years!). Some of the others are quite expensive. There are cheap Chinese ones on ebay but I have no idea how rigid they are (obviously a wobbly focus rail is less use than a chocolate teapot). Sadly, the cheap Chinese ones are not so cheap I want to gamble on one!

Best wishes, Kris.

The K200D is a good camera and capable of producing excellent pictures. You won't necessarily do any better with the K-x.

As to editing on the computer, you will have to do some if you want good photographs. You don't have to go overboard with HDR, cloning or whacky effects but digital images need a little tweaking to get the best out of them, e.g., adjusting levels, contrast and sharpening. This is no different to making choices in the darkroom really, such as doing a test strip for exposure, choosing one paper over another or deciding on what grade of paper to use. If you are worried about noise, that can also be dramatically improved by using the tools available, such as the noise reduction in Lightroom 3 beta 2.

If you already have a set of good manual lenses, the best thing you could do is invest in a good quality split screen to help with focusing such as the one from katz-eye. I have only just fitted one in my K20D and should have done so ages ago, it makes a hell of a difference.

Good luck with photographing your child!

Best wishes, Kris.

I picked up this lens from a forum member a short while ago to go with my SF7 and have been trying it out on my K20D. I took the following snap of my local church --- St Marys in Wheathampstead --- this afternoon. I was pleasantly surprised by how sharp it seems to be! This was shot wide open (f/4.5).




100% crop




Not bad for a bargain priced lens.

K.

SMC "K" 135mm f/2.5 lens with a small extension tube.




K.

It was shot at 10mm and so I'd guess the Siggie 10-20mm lens?

K.

Somewhere in the guts of the menus there is an option of "allow AF with remote" (not sure of the wording, have a hunt through the menus).

K.