The 18-55, is it the original or the newer version (18-55 II)?

Should have posted this some time ago... very prompt delivery, well packed and the lens is well kept in first class condition as described. Thank you Richard!

I have taken it out on 1 photo trip so far and enjoyed using it, although the reverse zoom design takes some getting used to

It's by some distance the largest lens I have, and mounted on my K20D it really fills the camera bag. Going to have lots of fun with this glass.

Somewhere between f8 and f11, I find. I haven't done any real scientific testing to see if this is the case, I just know that shooting with the 50-200 wide open is usually a recipe for soft shots.

Have bought a secondhand K20D with grip, at a good price (less than what SRS were charging for the body last month (ie the old price)). The grip makes a lot of difference for me, portrait format shots are so much easier on the hands.

I have lots to learn about this camera - so very many functions, dials and buttons! It seems almost everything buried in the K100D's menus has been given its own button/dial on the K20D.

As for glass, well, this camera company whose system I bought into has now priced most of their good lenses (ie that suit the K20D) out of the remaining budget I have. It will be secondhand glass for me as well then.

Just keep looking in the Classified Ads forum, as people upgrade to the K-7 some secondhand K20/K10D are bound to appear there. Also SRS are carrying secondhand K20 bodies as well (it's advertised on their web shop) although chances are you'll be able to buy one privately for less.

Oh, and apparently there are GX20s being flogged cheap in the Dixons airport shops.

Caz,

It would be reasonable to apply the 1.5x crop factor as your angle of view with the smaller sensor does indeed appear to 'increase' your focal length by 1.5.

A 50mm lens is still a 50mm lens though. Pentax have tried to make it easy for us with entering the settings, no need to do any maths, just enter the focal length value as marked on the lens

The 50mm will give you the field of view of a 75mm, but the depth-of-field would be the same as if you were using the 50mm on a film camera, the sensor size will not change that. That's what I think anyway, I could be wrong there....

I just received Scott's K20D + BG2 grip today, he was very prompt in sending the kit and packed it very well. It was a very smooth and pleasant trade

Am now looking forward to the weekend when I shall go out and give this beast (it's HUGE next to my K100D) a good go.

I hope you enjoy whatever you're upgrading to, scott (I'm assuming you're not giving up photography, right )

I have not been to a Jessops in a while because they seem to have stopped stocking kit for Pentax

The 25% increase directly reflects the fall in the value of the pound. Certainly it is not good for us, but if the margins on the K20D are not that great any more (it used to be almost £1K new) Pentax might have been losing money on the old stock thanks to the exchange rate.

If they keep the price and have to sell at a loss they might as well shut up shop

I tend to shoot mostly landscapes and walkabouts. One of my favourite things to do is to stick one of my primes on and go out and just shoot with that one lens. At the moment my favourite is the 35mm Macro, bought it at the bargain price of £250 and have done everything but macro with it

The standard zoom is more for if I'm helping friends take pictures - I prefer shooting with primes so I don't want to spend too much on a zoom - the 16-45 is probably as high as I'll go, or maybe the Tamron 17-50 or Sigma 17-70.