The Pentax Laboratory software that comes with the camera can always be used to convert RAW files.

Any version of full Photoshop from 7 onwards will do more than anybody could ever learn to do. Maybe a second hand purchase of Photoshop 7?

Exactly right.

That depends. Compare the 55-300mm zoom and the 300mm f4 and see how the dimensions totally change. An f4 design might need more or fewer elements depending on what it's compared to and may also be more or less of a telephoto construction.

It's not just a matter of using larger elements when a lens is a wider aperture design.

Obviously I meant when presented as a problem to Pentax when I said all faulty cameras had been replaced. The experience is that cameras were swapped with very little difficulty, providing that was what was asked for presumably.

Anyway, there's little point crying over spilt milk. The nitty-gritty of it is what happens when as individuals we find a fault. Providing that is resolved to our satisfaction then the problem is sorted.

Whether it's brake faults on batches of cars, sensor stains, faulty lens batches or whatever else, nothing manufactured is immune from these things.

People do it all the time. "I'm getting married in May, you've got a good camera, would you do the photos?" means would you do them for free, "for the experience".....

The length depends on how strong the telephoto compression is. Newer lenses are stronger telephoto designs. This normally introduces some pincushion distortion.

It's the same with watches, but the phrasing for all waterproof items seems to be more of a "if you don't have it serviced we don't guarantee it's still waterproof" variety, rather than the more extreme "it won't be waterproof after 12 months."

DSLRs also have a recommended servicing interval "one to two years to maintain high performance" - I don't know anybody who does that!

Increasingly I like using short telephoto lenses (50mm - 100mm) to bring out details in the landscape.

Sometimes the ultra-wide 12-24mm Pentax lens gets used if the foreground and background can be unified in a composition. That is, wide blank areas can be avoided.

Professional for a seller means behaving in a manner that inspires the confidence of the buyer and encourages the development of mutual trust. It is a matter of behaviour, being helpful, pleasant, but not too familiar and thus invading the buyer's personal space. It is a matter of doing what we promise to do, promptly and efficiently.

Some people are very professional, some are sloppy and don't do as well in business. A plumber who arrives, assesses a job, writes the details in a good notebook, phones back with an accurate quote when promised, is acting professionally.

A plumber who scribbles some details on the back of an old envelope and has to be pursued for a price is not. Of course the professionally acting plumber could be lousy at the job, but that's another matter.