Agree with all the positive comments above. I bought mine from SRS a year ago as a bundle with my K5 and it's been my main lens since. Only problem with it is that it's so damn useful and versatile that I find myself getting lazy and leaving it on the camera when sometimes I should be using my 17-70 (which I love but now use far too little as a result - though I'd never sell it)!

I've just returned from a holiday in the Ardeche. When out canoeing with my 8 yr old daughter we stopped off at a barrage and I took the opportunity to take a couple of photos - sad to say I was using my wife's Lumix as I wasn't prepared to risk my K5 on the river (though that turned out to be overly cautious - no risk of capsizing on what was a very calm stretch of river).

A nice French lady who was nearby offered to take a photo of me and my daughter and when I offered in return to take some of her and her family I could scarcely contain my excitement when she handed over her K200d (my first Pentax DSLR). I explained that I was a Pentax user and previous K200d owner and I think she empathised with the Pentaxian spirit. Just a shame that I didn't have my K5 on me, would have been nice if she could have had a go on it rather than the Lumix!

Good thread! My father had a Pentax ME in the 70s and I always loved the look of their cameras when I was young - and something far more appealing about them than say my dad's subsequent excellent but uninspiring Canon T90. When I bought my first digital compact I went for an Optio 450 (now used by my 7 yr old daughter) just because I liked the idea of getting a Pentax to be honest! Then for my first DSLR I went for a k200d as the spec was just what I wanted at that price point. And I instinctively wanted a Pentax... Am now loving my newish K5, regret selling the K200d though.

Happily I brought my father back into the fold after decades in the Canon/Olympus wilderness when I persuaded him to buy a KR last year. Which he's delighted with, of course!

As you say, always on the cards as it follows the pattern of recent years. Presumably the same will happen in 18 months time when they bring out the K5 and KR replacements. It always seems a shame to discontinue cameras that are well specced at the time but those specs soon get left behind. I was baffled by the discontinuation of my new K200 2 years ago in favour of the new KM but it kind of makes sense now. Mind you weather sealing - more than can be said for the KR!

There must be an argument for Pentax having 4 DSLRs in its product range at any time rather than 2 with brief overlapping periods of 4 but presumably they have figured that it wouldn't be a sound business decision for a brand with Pentax's market share.

Apologies if this is backtracking a bit but I was just catching up on recent posts and this thread grabbed by attention. I was
intrigued by Robbie's (rather selective!) quotes above and this prompted me to look at Feeb's post about leaving Pentax back in Sept 09. I have to say that it is one of the most extraordinary threads I have ever seen in this forum (in a number of respects, not least the rather surreal and ultimately doomed interventions of scottthehat). Compulsive reading

Anyway, whatever happened back then I think it's great that Feeb (1) came back to Pentax and (2) returned to this forum despite the above mentioned thread Good on you.

Look forward to more postings Feeb and some K5 photos.

Thanks John, that's very helpful. I think the W90 might be the one for me due to the specific situations I would use it in - I'm not really interested in buying just a good "normal" compact (not that the I-10 is normal in looks, but you know what I mean). Just wanted to check that the W90 holds its own in terms of IQ compared to other leading Optios and you've answered my question.

Would be interested to hear the views of any other W90 users out there?

Thanks John. Very different offerings (and now prices) I realise but out of interest how would you compare the IQ/colour reproduction of the W90 against the I-10?

Am considering acquiring a W90 to complement my K200d (which I may upgrade to a K5 next year but that's another story). I take my DSLR out whenever I can but am into skiing & cycling and can see situations where a rugged compact would be an ideal alternative.

Having trawled google it seems that the waterproof & shockproof qualities of the W90 are very impressive. Main question is whether anyone on the forum has used the W90 and has any comments on IQ, erganomics etc compared to other Optios or other brands (not that I'd be looking to buy non-Pentax, but just out of interest). Also conscious that the W90 has been out for a while so wonder whether an upgraded model (W100?) is likely to be out soon. Any comments/views?

They certainly do - I was in SRS the other day and Chris let me try it out. From a quick test in the shop I was very impressed with IQ. Definitely a good value lens, very compact too, but I'm not tempted personally as I don't really need a prime at that focal length. Then again, at that price...

Thanks Ken - very helpful. I'll try shooting some more using a smaller aperture when I next have the opportunity - the orchids are on our windowsill so they're not going anywhere!