I think you mean Bicubic Smoother, which is indeed best for up-sizing. Can't say I agree about the incremental upsizing though - it used to be a good idea but isn't really necessary now.

If you keep resampling something it is bound to cause a loss of information.

For downsizing it's worth remembering to use Bicubic Sharper, which will help to retain detail for web based images.

Hope you are successful!

That's a bold first step. Now you know you can do it....

The 16-45mm is better than the 18-55mm, but the cheaper lens is still very respectable. I use the 16-45mm.

The 16-50mm isn't here yet and is an unknown quantity. It is expected to be a high grade lens.

When using studio flash I just try a few WB settings to see which one I like. Something slightly warm usually, and more often than not AWB is just fine.

It isn't necessary to have an accurate WB, just one that gives you the required "look".

An usused K10D should be in a sealed box. Mine came shrink wrapped with the box for the lens, so there was no doubt. In any event, you can tell a new camera because the first time you switch it on, and only that time, it asks you to set the date and time.

If it's an ex-demo model, then why not ask for a discount? After all, you can get an unused one for the same price they have quoted!

I haven't actually done this, but there is a video section so I think the answer will be yes.

I do quite a few talks at our own and other Photo Societies, and used to prepare these using Powerpoint.

I did this again the other day and it was just dreadful compared to what I have been doing more recently. The only reason for the hiccup was a computer crash that had lost my registration for Pictures to Exe. That has now been corrected and it's fantastic to have it back.

PtE enables me to prepare all my slides in Photoshop and then just drag and drop them in to create a slide show, automatic or manual as I wish, with or without music. An absolute doddle and one payment gives you free updates for life. For those who don't know, the slide show created is a self executing file, which means it will run on any computer without the need for any software.

www.wnsoft.com is the place to get the trial version, which can be upgraded to a full version with a registration key.

It's a very nice bit of software.

I think it must depend very much on our individual eyesight.

I have always focused using the general ground glass of the screen and so modern screens actually suit me very well for manual focusing. It must be because I am very short-sighted and don't have any difficulty with fine detail of nearby objects (such as the screen image).

On the other hand, I have known people totally unable to use a Spotmatic or an ME Super, because they can't focus it.

One trick worth trying is using the camera wearing reading glasses, as the screen image is around 1 metre distant.

Not I, Sir...but someone might be.