I found using the kr with af360 flash the preflash focus assist solves the problem, and though I've not tested this, I think the ftz flash unit set to spotbeam never seems to miss focus...
not experienced any ff issues using video lights either..

some one with the time or inclination could thouroughly test this.... but try popping up your flash to prefocus, then dial down your flash exposure so it doesn't over power the ambient light... or pop the flash down before shooting after focussing..

if the camera is set to focus priority shtter release, and the remote does not send the af signal or the lens does not achieve focus the the camera will not fire..
easy way to test.. set the af control on the body to MF and see if it fires..

Merry Christmas

Pentax at one time maintained several mounts and systems... 6x7, 645, 35, auto 110, and ccd....
no one pondered if Pentax having 6x7 would mean no 35 mm glass..

let us just guess here for a moment...
IF PEntax keeps ONE or TWO aps-c cams (a replacement for the k-5, and a ricoh grx module with k mount to replace the kr)...
and IF Pentax releases a ff evil in k-mount... and a 645 evil with standard 465 mount...

The GRX kmount with pancake lens is still plenty small compared to the competetion.. a smaller k-5 with slight improvements would be great.

That's a pretty impressive line up..
those that want small have the Q,
This range of mounts has been done by Pentax before.

I saw a translated bit from those interviews and I must say it sounds like pentax is considering an evil cam with 4k video... which is something I'd really like to see... everybody seems stuck on the concept that the 645 evil would use the same sensor... I'm not so sure , it could use the next evolution of the same sensor, or an entierly new sensor... same with a ff evil cam...
just for argument sake... what if...
the used the same sensor for both? Anybody off the top of thier heads know the sensor dimensions for the 645 d? it isn't a whole lot bigger than a ff 24x36mm is it?
So if pentax puts the same sensor into a ff and MF body and uses the extra sensor space on the FF body to replace the SR system being used in the aps-c bodies.. instead of shaking the sensor physically, the camera digitally applies SR to the image cropped from a larger sensor...

then Pentax can lay claim to having the smallest and largest EVIL cams in the market, and a ff cam for enthusiests, and a k5 upgrade for D-slr shooters..

there is more rumors about mirorless ff and 645 cameras that is righ a 645 evil ....

you may find, like I do, that the old manual focus lenses are better for shooting video with than the newer auto focus lenses... I have tow 50 1.4 lenses one M one af and trust me, they both get used lots.
and the kr is a great all round camera.

makes sense that retailers don't want to be stuck with unsellable old stock. A smaller player with smaller market share has to be on good terms with the retailers if they want them to carry the brand's product!

I'm guessing there is a three part answer to that..
1) components shortages from suppliers causing delays for parts for the kr/k5
2) a deal with Walmart to sell of existing stock at lower prices (who'd by the kr replacement for twice the kr's price?)
3) the newer models are still being developed and maybe components needed from Taiwan, had to be sourced elsewhere...

"dammit I'm mad" is "Dammit I'm mad" spelled backwards.