Welcome to another round of Picture of the Week (POTW).

POTW is a great spot to show off any shots you take or are editing within the thread's date range. In other words, you can post your shots from this week AND last week.
Please consider including in your post any special circumstances or tips on technique or equipment which might be interesting to others.
Please identify your camera and lens if that information is easily available to you.
Also, please consider inviting other Pentaxians to join us.

Some rules:
1) No theme, just post your favorite pix
2) Six or fewer images per person per thread to prevent thread bloat
3) Any Pentax, Ricoh or Samsung camera, film or digital

The current host will invite a new host via Private Message (PM). If possible, the new thread will be linked to the previous one and the new thread will start on Sunday. If the thread doesn't start, please contact bluestringer, Moderator, via PM.

Here are the records of previous POTW thread hosts: 1 Peter Zack, 2 Eaglerapids, 3 rmtagg, 4 Peter Zack, 5 daacon, 6 Bramela, 7 mtnbearhug, 8 dantuyhoa, 9 gawan,10 roentarre, 11 daacon, 12 Kris, 13 mtnbearhug, 14 SCGushue, 15 daacon, 16 maxwell1295, 17 dantuyhoa, 18 daacon, 19 maxwell1295, 19(2) daacon, 20 Bramela, 21 Syb, 22 maxwell1295, 23 maxwell1295, 24 dantuyhoa, 25 Gawan, 26 Peter Zack, 27 borno, 28 daacon, 29 gawan, 30 Damn Brit, 31 maxwell1295, 32 maxwell1295, 33 dantuyhoa, 34 daacon, 35 Peter Zack, 36 Damn Brit, 37 Borno, 38 Kevint, 39 Peter Zack, 40 Timbo13, 41 daacon, 42 daacon, 43 gawan, 44 dantuyhoa, 45 daacon, 46 Rense, 47 daacon, 48 Rense, 49 borno, 50 Rense, 51 daacon, 52 Peter Zack, 53 Peter Zack, 54 dadipentax, 55 David Whiteley, 56 planedriver, 57 daacon,58 Bramela, 59 daacon, 60 gawan, 61 virgilr, 62 daacon, 63 RickL, 64 Peter Zack, 65 Peter Zack, 66 Causey, 67 daacon, 68 Bramela, 69 georgeweb, 70 daacon,71 seacapt, 72 daacon, 73 AOski, 74 Rense, 75 eccs19, 76 daacon, 77 xs400, 78 daacon, 79 Bramela, 80 Borno, 81 legacyb4, 82 daacon, 83 gawan, 84 Rense, 85 Peter Zack, 86 davef, 87 davef, 88 xjjohnno, 89 Bramela, 90 Peter Zack, 91 daacon, 92 stevebrot, 93 reeftool, 94 jezza323, 95 oldschool, 96 Iris, 97 Rense, 98 planedriver, 99 xs400, 100 Peter Zack, 101 Netuser, 102 Photolady, 103 Tamia, 104 Irishwhite, 105 Ramseybuckeye, 106 xjjohnno, 107 Bumbibop, 108 JeffJS, 109 Tpeace, 110 Nomad, 111 Photolady, 112 rparmar, 113 Peter Zack, 114 casil403, 115 Tamia , 116 JeffJS, 117 bbluesman, 118 Clou, 119 ruggiex, 120 Jimbow007, 121 jmschrie, 122 VaughnA , 123 pop4, 124 casil403, 125 woof, 126 twitch, 127 stevebrot, 128 ohce, 129 jmschrei, 130 photolady, 131 photolady, 132 bbluesman, 133 rparmar, 134 reeftool, 135 reeftool, 136 Oldschool, 137 xjjohonno, 138 KarenH , 139 Rense, 140 daacon, 141 Tamia, 142 JeffJS, 143 bbluesman, 144 fotaki, 145 fotaki, 146 Woof, 147 Bramela, 148 Bramela, 149 Tamia, 150 Nomad, 151 Clou, 152 drugal, 153 rparmar, 154 Nomad, 155 jmschrei, 156 noelcmn, 157 noelcmn, 158 rwfarnell, 159 ramseybuckeye, 160 christophleipzig, 161 JeremytheIndian, 162 SpecialK, 163 emetcalf, 164 emetcalf, 165 stevebrot, 166 rparmar, 167 Mattt, 168 JeffJS, 169 jmschrei, 170 fotaki, 171 xs400, 172 TOUGEFC, 173 TOUGEFC, 174 Warped, 175 MaryAD, 176 Davidw0815, 177 baro-nite, 178 baro-nite, 179 pentaximus, 180 lukulele, 181 lukulele, 182 rob 1234, 183 lukulele, 184 lukulele, 185 pentaximus, 186 ramseybuckeye, 187 ramseybuckeye, 188 StDevious, 189 Free Soul, 190 Clou, 191 brvnara, 192 pentaximus, 193 Noelcmn, 194 Noelcmn 195 GmcarsMAN, 196 jmschreii,197 wolfiegirl, 198 xjjohnno, 199 Arn , 200 Peter Zack, 201 bluestringer, 202 cif, 203 Rollsup, 204 noelcm, 205 Davidw0815, 206 Davidw0815, 207 cif, 208 ramseybuckeye, 209 paulh, 210 Oldschool, 211 SpecialK, 212 mecrox, 213 pentaximus, 215 bramela, 216 jmschrei, 217 Exandr, 218 Noelcmn, 219 Noelcmn, 220 sergiu, 221 sergiu, 222 sergiu, 223 sergiu, 224 sergiu, 225 sergiu, 226 sergiu, 227 sergiu, 228 Davidw08, 229 reeftool, 230 reeftool, 231 cif, 232 mecrox, 233 mecrox, 234 glennbp, 235 glennbp, 236 pentaximus, 237 pentaximus, 238 pentaximus,239 Paul, 240 Nick Nero, 241 Arnold, 242 Arnold, 243 Arnold, 244 Arnold, 245 Nick Nero, 246 ramseybuckeye, 247 ramseybuckeye, 248 Douge, 249 Douge 250 Douge, 251 Dr Orloff, 252 lukulele, 253 lukulele, 254 nosliwmit, 255 nosliwmit, 256 nosliwmit, 257 casil403, 258 casil403, 259 Davidw0815, 260 Davidw0815, 261 ruggiex, 262 ruggiex, 263 mecrox, 264 pentaximus, 265 pentaximus, 266 SpecialK, 267 SpecialK, 268 filoxophy, 269 mecrox, 270 mecrox, 271 mecrox, 272 Paleo Pete, 273 Paleo Pete, 274 geomez, 275 geomez, 276 geomez, 277 mecrox, 278 mecrox, 279 mecrox, 280 Noelcmn, 281 Noelcmn, 282 Noelcmn, 283 Noelcmn, 284 Noelcmn, 285Alkazalsir, 286 StephenHampshire, 287 StephenHampshire, 288 wolfiegirl, 289 Bucfan1234, 290 nosliwmit, 291 wolfiegirl, 292 wolfegirl, 293 ramseybuckeye, 294 ramseybuckeye, 295 josh-fuggle, 296 mattb123, 297 jcdoss, 298 jcdoss, 299 Papa Lazarou, 300 Bucfan1234, 301 Bucfan1234, 302-noelcmn, 303-noelcmn, 304-noelcmn, 305-noelcmn, 306 noelcmn, 307-atupdate, 308-atupdate, 309 mecrox, 310 mecrox, 311 mecrox, 312 Papa Lazarou, 313 Papa Lazarou, 314 lukulele, 315 lukulele, 316 cif, 317 cif, 318 mecrox, 319 mecrox, 320 pentaximus, 321 pentaximus, 322 pentaximus 323 pentaximus 324 StephenHampshire, 325 StephenHampshire, 326 Jessesdad, 327 Catscradle, 328 Catscradle, 329 Catscradle, 330 Catscradle, 331 Imatginarium, 332 Imatginarium 333 Imatginarium 334 Imatginarium 335 Imatginarium 336 Imatginarium 337 Imatginarium 338 Imatginarium 339 Imatginarium 340 Imatginarium, 341 phoenixvision, 342 dave kitson, 343 Wolfeye, 344 Noelpolar, 345 Noelpolar, 346 K David, 347 K David, 348 Hattifnatt, 349 Hattifnatt, 350 TimPGH, 351 TimPGH, 352 Glenn5995, 353-Simon_199, 354-Noelcmn, 355 noelcmn, 356 noelcmn, 357 noelcmn, 358 noelcmn, 359 noelcmn, 360 ramseybuckeye, 361 ramsbuckeye, 362 Flugelbinder, 363 K David, 364 K David, 365 K David, 366 K David, 367 K David, 368 Hattifnatt, 369 Hattifnatt, 370 Hattifnatt, 371 Hattifnatt, 372 SointulArt, 373 mecrox, 374 mecrox, 375 mecrox, 376 mecrox, 377 reeftool, 378 reeftool, 379 reeftool, 380 K David, 381 K David, 382 K David, 383 K David, 384 K David, 385 K David, 386 K David, 387 K David, 388 K David, 389 K David, 390 smf 391 smf 392 smf 393 smf 394 smf 395 smf 396 smf 397 smf 398 smf 399 smf 400 smf 401 smf 402 smf 403 smf 404 smf 405 smf 406 smf,407 ramseybuckeye, 408 ramseybuckeye

[smf]

Thanks very much for hosting!

I have a bee to add to your bird. (Does this mean this thread must now be rated PG or PG13?)

The image was captured with SMC Pentax-M Marco 1:4/100 on my handheld K-S2.

Pollen — perhaps moistened with nectar — is on the hind legs.

Best wishes to all.

[Apet-Sure]

Another bird. IQ is not great since I was shooting this handheld with a manual focus 400mm lens and just trying to grab a shot before he flew away. Pentax K10D with Vivitar 400mm f5.6 (Tokina 8 element version).

[stubyles]

Not a Bee, but a splendid Bug (Empis livida), a handheld, 3 shot Focus-blended image.
Taken with the FA100 Macro on a K-1 in TAV mode.

[EBirdy]

I rented the Pentax 14mm 2.8 lens this past weekend to test it out for a trip I have planned at the end of July. These are 2 shots taken with it on my K-30.

The keyhole is at Casa Romantica in San Clemente and the interior shot is on Balboa Island, Newport Beach when I took their historic home tour Saturday. The house pictured is referred to as the "Jaws" house.

[perspicador]

Canada Geese

[ramseybuckeye]

Thanks very much for hosting!

I have a bee to add to your bird. (Does this mean this thread must now be rated PG or PG13?)

The image was captured with SMC Pentax-M Marco 1:4/100 on my handheld K-S2.

Pollen — perhaps moistened with nectar — is on the hind legs.

Best wishes to all.

I think we'll keep the G rating Stu, excellent bee!

Another bird. IQ is not great since I was shooting this handheld with a manual focus 400mm lens and just trying to grab a shot before he flew away. Pentax K10D with Vivitar 400mm f5.6 (Tokina 8 element version).

It's definitely good enough! Gorgeous woodpecker and a beautiful background.

Not a Bee, but a splendid Bug (Empis livida), a handheld, 3 shot Focus-blended image.
Taken with the FA100 Macro on a K-1 in TAV mode.

It is a great pic, but what is that scary looking thing?

I rented the Pentax 14mm 2.8 lens this past weekend to test it out for a trip I have planned at the end of July. These are 2 shots taken with it on my K-30.

The keyhole is at Casa Romantica in San Clemente and the interior shot is on Balboa Island, Newport Beach when I took their historic home tour Saturday. The house pictured is referred to as the "Jaws" house.

Cool place, is that where parts of the movie were filmed? You'll have to give us a report on the 14, I never see much about that lens.

Canada Geese

Excellent, I recently had taken several shots of geese families in the water, harder than you would think, I had very few keepers, none this good.

[stubyles]

It is a great pic, but what is that scary looking thing?

It's a Dance Fly, not sure that I'd want to dance with it though.

[EBirdy]

Cool place, is that where parts of the movie were filmed?

I had to look up why they called the house the Jaws house - here's what I found: "Lautner, an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright, built the two-story house at 804 S. Bay Front in 1979. It has been affectionately known by locals as the "Jaws" house because the shape of the balcony resembles a great white shark's open mouth. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and Newport Beach's list of historical landmarks." It's 2100 sf and the new owners paid $3.7M for it in March.

I really liked the 14mm lens - I used it during both the day and at night (shooting star trails) and was happy with the result. I would say it's a lens that benefits from the use of a tripod though, even during better lighting. I have read some not-very-flattering reviews of the 14mm here on the forum, but it seems largely to have been some sort of a production issue, because my version worked perfectly. I'm going to test one more lens over the Fourth of July and then decide which one I will rent for our trip to Lone Pine at the end of July.

[mattb123]

I went out with a friend who is a champion endurance mountain bike racer for some photos with the moon on the local trails. This was hard and the keeper rate was lower than I'm used to. At least I got a few I like and some ideas for the future to make them better.
K-3 & DA* 60-250


The next evening I wanted to shoot moonrise over the creek at a spot I visit regularly but thew clouds blocked the shot while I got attacked by mosquitoes. Fortunately there were some nicely illuminated storm clouds instead so I didn't come home empty handed.

645D & FA 45-85


I also visited our local museum, called The Pioneer Museum. In addition to all sorts of pioneer themed items they have a great car collection that I spent a little time checking out the other day.
K-S2 & DA15

[mattb123]

To follow up, I was wishing for cleaner high ISO ability and I just ordered that piece of the puzzle today but now I'll probably want a longer lens too...

[ramseybuckeye]

I had to look up why they called the house the Jaws house - here's what I found: "Lautner, an apprentice of Frank Lloyd Wright, built the two-story house at 804 S. Bay Front in 1979. It has been affectionately known by locals as the "Jaws" house because the shape of the balcony resembles a great white shark's open mouth. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and Newport Beach's list of historical landmarks." It's 2100 sf and the new owners paid $3.7M for it in March.

I really liked the 14mm lens - I used it during both the day and at night (shooting star trails) and was happy with the result. I would say it's a lens that benefits from the use of a tripod though, even during better lighting. I have read some not-very-flattering reviews of the 14mm here on the forum, but it seems largely to have been some sort of a production issue, because my version worked perfectly. I'm going to test one more lens over the Fourth of July and then decide which one I will rent for our trip to Lone Pine at the end of July.

Thanks for the history and the lens review. Renting is a nice way to test a lens.

I went out with a friend who is a champion endurance mountain bike racer for some photos with the moon on the local trails. This was hard and the keeper rate was lower than I'm used to. At least I got a few I like and some ideas for the future to make them better.

Good stuff Matt. I try to catch every full moon and I know if can be difficult, that is an exceptional shot with the bike. That had to be somewhat difficult to find the right shooting distance to use 250mm and get the moon large in that terrain. But the mountains are a nice advantage too since you can change elevations of shooting angles - to an extent LOL. Clouds have ruined more planned moon shots than I care to count.

[Scorpio71GR]

I have a few shots I can contribute. Taken yesterday at our local Garden and sculpture park.
K3 and Tokina 400mm AF

K3 and DA*50-135

50-135

50-135 135mm f2.8

50-135

50-135