[paulh]

Super Takumar 20mm, of course.

Lovely shot as usual Dave. What is the significance of the cross? A burial ground at one time?

Playing around with some subtle IR emulation in post on this one - K10D with Tokina 28-70:

[rayallen]

RAAF Base Williamtown is about 1.5 hour's drive north from home. It is also now being used as Newcastle Airport but air force planes take precedence. I put my Tamron 70-300mm on the K10D and here are a few examples.

Hawk 127.




Jetstar commercial aircraft.

[Patriot]

The Goblin Guardians
Goblin Valley State Park, Utah
DA* 16-50mm F2.8

[Dartmoor Dave]

Thank you J8B, Ray and Paul.

Lovely shot as usual Dave. What is the significance of the cross? A burial ground at one time? Playing around with some subtle IR emulation in post on this one - K10D with Tokina 28-70:

Great use of IR emulation, Paul: subtly lightening the greenery without the effect being too obvious. I often use the IR filter in Alien Skin Exposure to do the same thing with B&W shots.

Windy Post Cross is one of the ancient medieval crosses that marked the routes across the moor between the monasteries at Buckfast, Buckland, Plympton and Tavistock. Nowadays we've got compasses and Ordnance Survey maps, and GPS for when the fog comes down so thick that you can't see the tips of your fingers, and mobile phones and helicopter rescue if things get really bad. But for those medieval travellers there was a very real risk that they might not get to their destination alive. Even if they avoided getting robbed or stumbling into a mire, they could still simply get lost and end up wandering for days until the exposure did for them. And of course they really did believe that the moor was inhabited by ghosts and witches, and Old Crockern and the Wisht Hounds and all sorts of other demons and ghouls. So the stone crosses guided the way across the moor for them, and you can still navigate that way today sometimes, but for those medieval monks each cross must have also felt like a place of safety where they believed that their god would protect them.

RAAF Base Williamtown is about 1.5 hour's drive north from home. It is also now being used as Newcastle Airport but air force planes take precedence. I put my Tamron 70-300mm on the K10D and here are a few examples.

Those look great, Ray. Is that the autofocus f/4.5-5.6 Tamron 70-300mm? After the Torbay Airshow a few weeks ago I was left thinking that I could really do with something a bit longer and more autofocussy than my old manual 70-200, and the Tamron looks like a good bet if it can produce results as sharp and colourful as that.

---------- Post added 06-23-17 at 10:13 AM ----------

The Goblin GuardiansGoblin Valley State Park, UtahDA* 16-50mm F2.8

Another beautiful shot, Patriot.

[rayallen]

Thank you J8B, Ray and Paul.

Those look great, Ray. Is that the autofocus f/4.5-5.6 Tamron 70-300mm? After the Torbay Airshow a few weeks ago I was left thinking that I could really do with something a bit longer and more autofocussy than my old manual 70-200, and the Tamron looks like a good bet if it can produce results as sharp and colourful as that.

---------- Post added 06-23-17 at 10:13 AM ----------

Yes, Dave, it is the AF version. Full details: Tamron AF 70-300mm F4-5.6 Tele-Macro 1:2 LD Di A17. It's good value too. I paid about AU$250 in 2008 and it is considerably cheaper now. It has always been sharp and it also does a creditable job as a 1:2 macro...as long as you stand far enough away! It has never disappointed me.

[MrTiburon]

Couple of old shots

[ChristianRock]

Yes, Dave, it is the AF version. Full details: Tamron AF 70-300mm F4-5.6 Tele-Macro 1:2 LD Di A17. It's good value too. I paid about AU$250 in 2008 and it is considerably cheaper now. It has always been sharp and it also does a creditable job as a 1:2 macro...as long as you stand far enough away! It has never disappointed me.

I have that same lens, and so far it has kept me happy and I haven't felt the need to buy a 55-300. I haven't shot it with the K10D yet as it always stays at home in the K-S1 bag... it's used mostly for our kids sports. For playing around with tele, I have the SMC-A 70-210 f4 which I love.
On the Tamron, the "macro" setting works well, I think, in the 180-200mm range, where it's not quite 1:2, it's more like 1:3 or so. But it gets good results. At 300mm where it's 1:2, to me it's just way too soft. Maybe it's my copy that is softer on the long end... but I had the same problem when I had the kit lens (18-55 AL II). I could get good close up shots in the 45-47mm range and even 50mm was still ok, but at 55mm the closeups were not only soft, but washed out without contrast. At least the Tamron has contrast at 300mm

For 1:2 macro, one doesn't need to spend much. The fantastic 50mm f4 Macro (available in K and M versions, and also as M42 Takumar) is great and can be had for 60 dollars most of the time (there's one now at Kenmore Camera for that price, M version, for 59 dollars shipped, exc condition). Friends don't let friends use zooms for macro

I might have posted this one here before... don't remember... K10D and SMC-M 50 f4 Macro.

[35mmfilmfan]

with the obligatory pony in just the right position. Well trained by you, of course.

I think that they're inflatable ones he brings in his truck.

[Dartmoor Dave]

I think that they're inflatable ones he brings in his truck.

Oh no! My secret has been discovered!

[paulh]

Dave, thanks for the background on those Dartmoor crosses. For some reason, it makes me think of the early scenes in "An American Werewolf in London". Also, those inflatable ponies are a neat trick. I'm gonna be on the lookout for some genuine inflatable Texas Longhorns now!
Great work by everyone lately.

Diverging paths at sunset, with the F35-70:

[ChristianRock]

I don't know if y'all have seen the flickr page of Jean Joachin but he uses a K10D for his landscape shots, usually with a DA 21 Limited, and the combination is breathtaking. I think I might need me a DA 21 now
It's a great showcase of what the K10D can do in the right hands... I imagine that a good size print of his pictures would be just stunning.

[ChristianRock]

K10D CCD colors bought to you by the SMC-M 50 f/4 Macro

[rayallen]

K10D CCD colors bought to you by the SMC-M 50 f/4 Macro

That's a great combination, CR - K10D and a 50mm Macro. Extremely pleasant images. I especially like the one of the window planter box. TFS.

---------- Post added 24-06-17 at 09:10 AM ----------

I don't know if y'all have seen the flickr page of Jean Joachin but he uses a K10D for his landscape shots, usually with a DA 21 Limited, and the combination is breathtaking. I think I might need me a DA 21 now
It's a great showcase of what the K10D can do in the right hands... I imagine that a good size print of his pictures would be just stunning.

CR, thank you for that link. He sure has captured some beautiful scenery and I am now following him. I think he must have glued that 21mm onto the K10D. I feel that my LBA may not be cured after all.

---------- Post added 24-06-17 at 09:31 AM ----------

Windy Post Cross is one of the ancient medieval crosses that marked the routes across the moor between the monasteries at Buckfast, Buckland, Plympton and Tavistock. Nowadays we've got compasses and Ordnance Survey maps, and GPS for when the fog comes down so thick that you can't see the tips of your fingers, and mobile phones and helicopter rescue if things get really bad. But for those medieval travellers there was a very real risk that they might not get to their destination alive. Even if they avoided getting robbed or stumbling into a mire, they could still simply get lost and end up wandering for days until the exposure did for them. And of course they really did believe that the moor was inhabited by ghosts and witches, and Old Crockern and the Wisht Hounds and all sorts of other demons and ghouls. So the stone crosses guided the way across the moor for them, and you can still navigate that way today sometimes, but for those medieval monks each cross must have also felt like a place of safety where they believed that their god would protect them.

Thank you from me too for that very interesting narrative about the crosses. I was not aware of the terms Old Crockern or Wisht Hounds so I consulted the ultimate oracle - Mr Google - he knew all about them and now I am much wiser. I am in your debt for passing on such information to us.

And, please believe me, I had no idea about the inflatable ponies and if I had I would not have revealed it.

[paulh]

I don't know if y'all have seen the flickr page of Jean Joachin but he uses a K10D for his landscape shots, usually with a DA 21 Limited, and the combination is breathtaking. I think I might need me a DA 21 now
It's a great showcase of what the K10D can do in the right hands... I imagine that a good size print of his pictures would be just stunning.

Very nice shots CR...and thanks for the link. Some amazing work on display there!

A couple more from the same outing as my previous post. F35-70. Just beyond the foreground foliage is a tiny sliver of the lake, a little of which is visible if you look closely.

[Dan James]

K10D CCD colors bought to you by the SMC-M 50 f/4 Macro

CR, what are your thoughts about the M Macro 50/4? I've just added some shots to my Flickr, and whilst I think it's a fantastic lens, I prefer using M42 on my K10D on Av mode than the green button with M mode for M lenses. I don't know, it just feels more fluid and intuitive. Plus the lens is only f/4 and whilst it's very sharp at f/4, with less light coming through to the VF it's obviously a bit trickier to focus than say an f/1.8 lens. I'm thinking for my needs something like my Super-Tak 55/1.8 plus an extension tube will give just as good results and for me be easier to use. I also have a Flektogon 35/2.4 which focuses down to less than 0.2m out of the box, which 99% of the time is as close as I need, and even a 50/1.8 Pancolar that goes down to about 0.35m, again close enough for probably 80%+ of close shots.

Anyway, I'd be interested on your thoughts.

Here's a couple I took most recently with the K10D and said lens, SMC Pentax-M Macro 50/4...