I don't really see the likes of the PEN doing much harm to smaller DSLR sales, as for what you get they seem rather overpriced to me. Very elegant certainly, but not that much smaller than a K-x with the right lens fitted and the K-x gives you more options.

Assuming you want a hood for the 18-55mm, don't buy a genuine one. I have a Chinese-made copy that fits perfectly and cost me around £10 delivered. See here.

Exactly the same shape, clicks on reliably, and shows no signs of being brittle or falling off. Assuming the one in that link is from the same factory it'll be fine.

There is nothing whatsoever wrong with the DA L lenses, they are optically identical to the non-L versions. You're not getting a lower spec by buying them, you just have to buy a lens hood separately.

It must depend on the batteries. I use Energiser Lithium in mine and I get six months or around 600 shots per set of batteries. I do know that I tried some normal Duracell AAs and it ate them pretty rapidly, so it's worth paying the extra for good cells.

There is a visible marker rather like that on the old film AF bodies, with two brackets around the centre spot. I never find it difficult to get mine to focus on the right thing, providing the subject is a decent size.

Yes, your lenses will work on digital. As they're both Autofocus you just have to clip them on and off you go. Make sure that the aperture ring (if they have one) is set to "A" and they should work seamlessly.

Your 50mm f1.4 will work but it'll be manual focus. Assuming it's the "A" model then you'll still be able to use all the program modes on a Pentax DSLR, if it's the earlier K or M version then you'll need to use stop-down metering.

P.S. The singular of lenses is "lens". Not "lense". Some people around here get a bit annoyed by that misspelling!

Yep, as I understand it the FA-J lenses (minus aperture ring) were designed for use with these cameras. As with the DSLRs the body sets the aperture.

Buying a camera with multiple program modes and AF, then just using manual everything with thirty year old lenses...

I always think the K/M/A series lenses with pull out hoods are very neat. It becomes a reflex to pull the hood out as you remove the lens cap and push it in when you put the cap back on. No risk of losing the hood and it's always fitted, but doesn't take up any more space in the bag.

I don't understand urban 4x4s at all. It's downright cruel to keep them away from mud like that! A proper 4x4 has mud, dents, scratches, and a driver who knows what all the extra levers do.

I use my Discovery to get to places that you'd stand little chance of reaching on foot in reasonable comfort, which makes for good photography:

Are these like the Pentax 1.7x thing (ie providing auto focus for manual lenses) or are they just straight through AF teleconverters?

Only if you used the same login for both sites. Otherwise they won't know who you are!

That's a very old urban myth, although I bet it has happened a few times.

I remember Fifth Gear testing the rear impact protection on MPVs (because, like many of us, they were worried about how close the third row of seats were to the back of the car). Problem was, they didn't do a proper test. They should have had a HGV in front of the stationary MPV, to stop the energy of the crash from being dissipated by the car being pushed along by the impact. I suspect their findings would have been a lot worse in that event!