Setting WB has been well covered above. Just a mention that in creative photography we shouldn't get totally hung up on correct technique. Some of the greatest photographs have broken the rules, and this can apply to white balance as well. If you don't want a technically neutral result, then WB enables you to set up any colour balance you want...

Of course it is a good idea to know the way to set WB and be able to manage it properly. Knowing the method is necessary before we throw it away in a bid to be creative.

Yes.

Photoshop has a colour profile, perhaps Windows Explorer doesn't?

The M series lens has no A setting on the aperture ring and also no electrical contacts.

The A lens will be fully compatible with the DSLRs, but only manual focus of course.

Supply and demand means prices for these are quite high. Check out www.ebay.co.uk to get a very good idea what the going rate is.

The missing link is that a 16-45mm f4 lens would be unthinkable in 35mm. Ultra-wide to standard....it would be complex, huge and very, very expensive. Even an 18-55mm would be almost as tall an order to produce.
Have you ever seen one with full frame coverage?

Now I know that the coverage is probably similar to a 28-80mm lens, but a 28-80mm lens for APS-C would indeed be small and compact. As are the DA prime lenses on offer.

We never get something for nothing.

If a 105mm and 50mm macro lens had the same minimum focusing distance then they could not possibly be both 1:1 The 105mm must be just over twice as far away for the same magnification, and this is what is found.

We use the SMC Pentax-FA 100mm f2.8 Macro, which is superb. We have seen results from the SMC Pentax-F DA 100mm f2.8 Macro and , despite what any reviews may say, that was also superb.

Macro lenses are normally used stopped well down, so wide open performance may not be an issue. There's always the possibility that a soft wide open image could actually be very useful for portraiture.

In any event, I would suggest the longer macro lenses are more versatile.

When that happens we will yearn for the days when we enjoyed the Classic Simplicity of the Pentax K10D...

Pentax have an arrangement with Samsung to let them market the Pentax range under the Samsung name. The cameras and lenses have all been made by pentax, but who knows what is planned for the future. Partnerships may be the way forward for smaller companies as these days Big Business seems to be the only way to survive.

The new lenses have motors in the lens for focusing which could add speed and reduce focusing noise. The K10D is compatible with both types of lens.

We were, but I was trying to make a "catch all" statement, because really the 55mm and 50mm are pretty close and are both standard lenses.

Of course it could get very out of hand if we started including 40mm and 43mm lenses as well.