Should I get the K-r?

Hi all
First post so please bear with me..
I used to have a Nikon D60, loved the pictures I got but sold it about 6 months ago for a micro 4/3rds camera thinking that a smaller system would get taken out more. I did take it out more - and found that I always had it on hand to take lousy pictures (almost certainly user error but it just didn't feel that I'd get a good picture).

So I'm back looking at proper SLR's. I thought I'd go with the Nikon D5000 but the video on that isn't great for the rare occasion I'd use it, the screen isn't great and articulates which seems like a recipe for it to break. Besiodes all that, it is 18 months old now and I thought that technology must have moved on so started to look at competitors.

The Canon 550D seems to have great specs but 2 things are holding me back: the lack of a focus assist lamp and the fact that there are so many megapixels that only high end lenses might do them justice.

That led me to the Pentax K-x. I like the shape and feel, it has the focus assist lamp but lacks the viewfinder highlighting which focus point is in use. The K-r seems to address this and adds a nice screen like the Canon. It also has a new improved HDR feature that looks promising.

With my Nikon I had an 18-200mm on it 90% of the time. Pentax don't seem to have an equivalent, although Tamron and Sigma do - are they decent?
Does anyone know when the K-r is available?

The K-r is on its way and adverts are beginning to appear in AP. I would phone SRS for an update as to when supplies are due.

If you can get a Pentax 18-250mm, now discontinued, that might well be the lens for you. The Tamron 18-250mm is the same lens in a different casing and probably with different coatings. Very nice lenses and increasingly rare new, but available sometimes second hand. I think people tend to hang on to them.

Failing that, the camera with 18-55mm and 55-300mm lenses will be a very well piced and excellent kit.

Should you get the KR? In a word, yes! I'm biased as a Pentax fan and haven't tried the KR but it's a great spec and it has already had great reviews.

You've probably looked at the SRS site already but the KR page has said "stock expected October 2010" for a few weeks now so it must be available soon. They have an open day next saturday so there must be a chance that stock will be in before then?

Prices yet to be confirmed but you'll see they are offering a KR/18-55/50-200 bundle with free case ,8gb card and filter. Has to be tempting as the price is bound to be very competitive.

If you're set on an "all in one" zoom, in addition to John's suggestions you could also consider the Sigma 18-250 which is currently £399 at SRS (with free UV filter). However, you're bound to get a much better price overall for the full Pentax package mentioned above. Regardless of price, I would personally go for the two Pentax kit zooms as I can't help thinking that regardless of the similar maximum aperture etc, the quality of an ultra wide-range zoom is likely to be less good at the extreme focal lengths. But I'm sure the professional reviews will tell you what you need to know.

The only problem is that for a few pounds more you can get a K7, unless you don't use the extra controls and features the KR would be better I think.

I have just picked up a pentax 18-250 from London camera exchange
Now I just need the camera
Regarding the kits for the k-r, several places show the 2 lens kit for 699 with the 18-55 and the 55-200. Jacobs Digital however show it with the 55-300 - do you think they've just made a typo or is it a better deal?

The kit lens deals now seem to often offer the 55 - 300. This is, in my opinion a much more useful lens and the quality is very good.

Dave

The 55-300 is a better lens compared to the 50-200, the 55-300 was also used as a kitlens with the K-X so I don't think that's a typo.

I wonder btw, if the K-R also come with the DAl 35 as a kit lens?

I think I read that the DAl 35 is only a kit lens with the K-r in Japan, though they had it on display at Photokina.

Too bad, that would mean we won't be able to get the cheap unboxed version