From what I've read about it, this camera system's selling point is optimisation of the lens & sensor combinations by them being specially designed and sealed together as a unit. Thats the theory anyway, as I understand it.

Apart from any specific IQ benefits from this matching, an obvious practical advantage is the added sensor dust protection over an interchangable lens system.

But, I wonder, do both of these benefits add up to anything very significant?

I like the shot with the two bursts distributed apart from each other. This Multi Auto White balance is a new thing for us all - why did you set it for this shot?

The normal advice for these types of 'city-scapes' is to use the time as the sun is going down, and just after that, so that you get some better natural light in the sky to balance the building lights. This is often a blue, or purple, or orangy even, usually much more attractive than the grey / black you've got.

I like the graphic nature and deep colours of the last one.

Well, Algi's list seems to be in some sort of chronological order - but it may be a bit tricky to create ebay categories for them all

How do you feel about the dividing line being drawn at the start of the K-mount itself?

There you are John, thats how you divide them!

You've lost me there Algi How have Pentax already divided them?

The backlighting is more atractive in the 2nd and 3rd, wheras in the first it comes across as overpowering.

I can see that you like to get the sun tucked in just peeking out from behind a treetrunk for that starburst / flare effect, but in the third it may have compromised the composition a bit, which perhaps could have been better from lower and more from the right?

But yes, No 2 is great!

ACR will by default apply the 'as shot' preset as recorded in the RAW - whatever the camera was set to when the shot was recorded will become the 'as shot' preset.

I'm assuming here Dave you did not see a 'MAWB' preset in ACR's dropdown, but only in PDCU V5 ? So you can't select it as an option in ACR? If so, then you won't be able to choose MAWB in ACR.

What was the image shot with? If it was MAWB then ACR would just load this WB temperature at default, so thats why you wouldn't see any difference between the two programs. Maybe the MAWB setting was just not suitable for that particular image.

Johns 'electronic' dividing line would apply more logically to Canon, for example, where pre-eos lenses are not compatable with current cameras.

Its not so clear-cut for Pentax - the significance of the electronic part for us is more about how to control the lens on current bodies, not so much about compatability generally.

Is it really different WB in different parts of the shot, or is it just an averaged setting for the whole image based on multiple readings?

Also, I'ts always been difficult to be certain exactly what camera recorded metadata will be read and acted upon by different RAW converters. I agree with JAK above that if PDCU has been updated for the K3, it would be a bit strange not to include the new multi WB setting - based on my experienced with various RAW software, at this stage at least, I would be very surprised if it was supported by any other converters.

But the DNG format does store everything from the camera, so theoretically Adobe products can read it - the question is where each piece of metadata is stored and maps onto the Adobe parameter fields specifically.