That's a very good point too. Thinking about it, the 18-55 is fine most of the time when I'm out and about. So a bit more at each end might do the trick in reality.

I think I have two pretty decent options, now, and less and less reason to delay by the moment!

Thanks all.. appreciate your thoughts.

Of course, now why didn't I think of that.

Obvious, now you mention it.

I think it's a plan.

I almost headed out to SRS this morning, but thought I'd read a little more first.

Possibly a bad move - I've now been put off the Pentax 18-135 a little by both John's review, and even more so the Photozone one.

I want a general purpose walk-around lens, so the handling qualities that John wrote so glowingly about are very appealing. Not too worried about the distortion, but the CA and general fall-off towards the long end are a bit troubling.

Alternatives I'm now condidering are the Sigma and Tamron 18-200s. I realise that they don't have the same reach, or the WR, but nor do they have the price.

So, as usual, I'm dithering

I'd appreciate any thoughts, or any other suggestions.

Well yes.

I find myself torn - I want the brand to do well, since I want the opportunity to buy cameras that I want, long into the future.

But I don't want to be the one that has all the stress of a camera that doesn't work properly...

... basically, I want everyone else to buy one, get the problems ironed out, and then I'll be Ok

I agree that the middle ground is usually more representative of reality.

In my case, the K-5 will be my first new camera since the K10, and financially quite a stretch. Such things inevitably raise my expectations, so for me, having as much information as possible is essential.

I'm perfectly capable of finding my way between the Pollyanna and Hand-Wringing ends of the spectrum

I recall very little in the way of online grumbling about faults with the K10D or K20D. There was the pre-A-lenses exposure issue, but not much else AFAIR.

Does not the fact that there has been so much more about the K-5 suggest that the QC has been inferior?

Hey, it's not every day I can find a grand to spend on a camera. If I can't confess my caution here, where else?

I've just had a look through the reviews of the K-5 and the D7000 at DPR, and I must say, the positive way they talk about the K-5 is quite refreshing.

More so than here, often enough, ironically

Lawks, what have I started here. I just wanted to know what I should look out for. If the K-5 turns out to be what I now (after 4 years) wish the K10D had been, I'll be happy.

Otherwise, I really don't know.

I think the K-5 is going to be make or break with me and Pentax. I'm not sure I'd go to Sony - my total ignorance of other brands notwithstanding, the D7000 is the way I'd incline to, if jumping ship became a realistic proposition.

What would I do without in-body SR, though?

Cor blinkin' blimey, guv - it's a thought.

Not sure I fancy being that close to the bleeding edge - in particular I'm not ready for an EVF.

Can I have first refusal on some of your lenses? The Bigma, to start with