The reason I was trying the XP2 / store processing route was to and avoid the fogging problem I had with the three rolls you processed for me last time! My cunning plan was to buy the XP2 in the US and get it developed before I came home so it didn't get x-rayed.

Oh well...

K.

Lovely shot. Galoot's suggestion seems a good one.

K.

I would tackle a zoom myself, a bit more complicated than a prime. Alan does a good job with servicing though if you want to send it off.

K.

I thought at first you had a light leak but then I realised it is hexagonal in shape and must be the biggest flare I have ever seen. What lens did you use and were you using a lens hood?

I like the shed and there is potential in the scene but the flare has rather messed up the shot.

Best wishes, Kris.

Interesting difference! I never go over ISO 400, and try to stick to 200. Since I have started using Lightroom 3 beta 2 I now occasionally go up to 800. All quite a luxury for me after 25 years at 64 ASA...

Back on topic, I tried disabling the AF on half-press but kept forgetting I had done it and panicking that the SDM on my 50-135mm had died again.

One thing I did notice when taking the falcon picture was that the centre point wasn't quite accurate. When I pointed the lens at the bird's body it focused on the trees behind, but when I pointed it at the feet I got accurate focus. That might go a little way do explaining some of my duff shots!

Best wishes, Kris.

I subscribe to B+W Photography. Not many equipment reviews, lots of pictures, some film based stuff and generally a good read. I also get "View camera magazine" but that is a bit specialist! I have noticed that in the US there are many more magazines which are portfolios of images rather than endless reviews of the latest cameras. I rather like these as I am mostly looking for inspiration rather than the MTF figures of the latest glass (yawwwwnnnn...)

In AP I never read the camera reviews (why would I want to, I am not going to buy a new camera any time soon). I mainly look at the images/portfolios/competition results and I like the "icons of photography" column. My other magazines I keep, AP I tear out the icons column and recycle the rest.

It is a lot better than it was in the 80s though when it was half-jokingly nicknamed Amateur Pornographer...

K.

When I was at school I decided it would be good to learn something useful so I did 'O' level cookery. I was the only boy in a class of 18, and all the girls had already done 3 years worth of classes while I was discovering that metalwork was never going to be my thing. I'm not a chef, but I don't do badly either in the kitchen or the BBQ. The main problem is the expansion of the midriff. My ladylove and I are big curry fans but the MSG in takeaways sets off her migraines. As a result, we have both become dab hands at rustling up some nice spicy food.

Best wishes, Kris.

Although I don't personally need long fast glass it does seem as though Pentax aren't doing themselves any favours by having such a gap in their line up. What is odd is that they used to have a good range of long lenses. I know you can pick up older long lenses or 3rd party ones but lets be honest, many people buy into a system for less than rational reasons. As I was standing looking in the window of Jacobs this afternoon, all those big Canon monsters that few of us could ever afford certainly made good looking eye-candy. It would have been nice to see some big white Pentax lenses with their ally trunks and red lettering to balance them out. I was reading about a extreme wide angle Nikon lens which was in all their catalogues for years. Apparently they only made about 300 of them! People's perceptions and dreams are as important as the reality when it comes to marketing.

Best wishes, Kris.

PS Gareth, good luck with the new kit!

It hadn't last time I emailed Dave but that was a few weeks ago now.

Best wishes, Kris.

Here is a shot taken using the K 15mm. I took this for the "evolution" competition but went with a different photo in the end. I have left it uncropped for comparative purposes. It isn't as sharp as the DA12-24mm lens but I cannot use the latter on my film bodies.

Best wishes, Kris.