If you use studio flash, it can be slightly inconvenient to have to re-adjust the aperture after zooming.

If you use a manual camera you might have to re-meter after zooming.

It is a minor point in some ways, but it is a point, and depending on the sort of photography undertaken it could be significant.

There are some excellent Pentax zooms with constant aperture values.

I too can vouch for the 24-90 being an excellent performer.

As far as i know there are only two types of USB lead, the smaller of which is used for cameras, any cameras.

If in the UK, a trip to Jessops will do the trick.

I think it's worth spending a bit more and getting a high quality memory card that might prove to be more reliable. In most areas, you get what you pay for.

Fair enough, a project about beer then, including, presumably, lots of practical research?

Whenever people ask me how they should get out of a photographic rut, I suggest that one way is to find a personal project. This could be anything at all that we are interested in, but the combination of photography and another interest is a very powerful one.

As an example, I am now starting a personal project investigating the family history and our relationship to the Fitzgeralds, the most famous of which is edward, who was the inspired translator of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. There is a lot of information for me to absorb and make something of, and i have several ideas in mind, starting with reading his "Letters and Literary Remains" (7 Volumes, 1902) of which I am now haldf way through Volume 2; and a visit to Suffolk early 2006 to make a photographic record of various sites and monuments.

For now, here is my first offering, a montage of EFG and his cottage at Boulge with a very nice quatrain from the poem, and, if you can see it at this resolution, his signature as well. Critiques welcomed!

But the purpose of this post is mainly to make the point - find a project and the enjoyment of the photography is enhanced.

Yes, within the limitations of each lens. This has been covered in various threads already, but in essence you will get fuller compatibility if the lenses have an "A" setting, which is required for many of the exposure modes.

Lenses without an "A" setting can still be used, but only by manually closing down the aperture to the set value.

Obviously manual focus lenses will remain manual focus!

Any lenses from the A series onwards will be fully compatible.

The new 12-24mm zoom should be helpful.

The images straight from the pentax DSLRs are perfect for tweaking in Photoshop, so I absolutely agree with what George says.

I really appreciate the lower costs when I do studio shoots with models. At one time it would cost a fortune in film, but not any more...

Sorry if I missed the humour - it's been a very, very long day......