A few weeks ago I'd have said FA43, now I'm quite smitten by the DA35 so I think I'll plump for that.

The lens on the camera and the one in the background look like Takumars of some description (55/1.8 and 200/4?), the one in the foreground looks like a zoom (and judging by the grip profile I'd say a Sigma), no idea about the one in the middle but I'd wager it's a third party 28 or 35mm.

I've used my K10D + FA43 more than any other combo I've ever owned by a clear margin - although I can see the DA35 overtaking the FA43 within the next couple of years.

Back in the film days I owned many, many cameras including SLRs from Rollei, Olympus, Minolta, Pentax (the 110) and Praktica (and a Leica M6 rangefinder) but the camera that got used most of all was my little Rollei B35 (early German made model with Zeiss glass) - so easy to slip into a pocket, I could operate it blindfolded and it always took cracking photos. I'd love a digital version of that with a decent sized sensor.

Any monochrome picture you take, whether produced in camera or on your computer, has been created from a colour original.

The sensor on a digital camera always records in red, green and blue because that's how it's set up (Google Bayer Pattern for more information). Any monochrome end product is a processed picture so yes you'd generally expect to get a better result using your PC.

Having said that, any improvements are likely to be marginal at best and so if you value convenience then there's nothing wrong with letting the camera take the strain - especially if you like the results it gives.

The K10D really is a very nice camera, I think you'd be pleased with it.

To be honest you don't have that level of control in the top-of-the-range SLRs so I doubt it's do-able in one of the Optio series. Not that there's anything wrong with Optios, it's just not a common feature on any compact camera.

The K10D certainly does, I'm pretty sure the K100D doesn't - not from the pop-up flash anyway.

If you get an external P-TTL gun (like the AF360 or 540) then that can do second curtain flash. The only problem is that after the recent price rises an AF360 costs more than the average second hand K10D...

I've used that lens at motorsport events (in fact its only real purpose for me is motorsport) and it's quite capable as long as there's some reasonably good light.

Keep it below the 300mm max (around 250 is good) and have it stopped down to f/8 and the results are suprisingly good.

Speak for yourself! I'm still hankering after an orange one with a blue grip

Keep an eye on the Classified sub-forum here - we often get pre-loved Pentax bodies passing through. Welcome by the way.