They should take a downpour in their stride (I've certainly used the K10D in one and that was *without* a weather-sealed lens attached - I just used a plastic bag and some elastic bands around the bayonet mount to stop anything dripping in there). The only thing they won't put up with is total submersion - they're designed to withstand water but not pressure...

A recent (2008 ) release and one that's been tugging at my heartstrings a lot! Very highly rated by all who use it including some well respected members of the photographic community who aren't usually noted for hyperbole. It's a "normal" focal length on APS-C sensors (so a great walk-around lens) and happens to feature 1:1 macro - what's not to like? On the downside, the f2.8 max aperture only gives you 1 stop advantage over your 16-45.

Teeny-tiny pancake lens. Good optically and has its fans, normal-ish field of view on digital, very well made. The cons are the f2.8 aperture being only one stop faster than your f4 zoom and you need tiny fingers to move the focus ring manually...

Old school 50mm acts like a 75mm on digital (good for portraits) and is 3 whole stops faster than the f4 zoom - in other words, it lets in EIGHT times as much light (2x2x2) as the DA16-45. Not as nicely finished as the Limiteds but just as good optically and for much less cash. Perfect for low-light work and razor-thin depths of field.

A proper 1:1 macro but I'd probably spend a little extra and buy the longer D FA 100mm as it'll give you something in a focal length you don't already have, is great for portraits and makes a very good mid-telephoto for general use. Again, f2.8 is only one stop faster than the zoom (although macro lenses rarely go faster than this).

Beautiful portrait lens capable of delivering stunning pictures. At f2.4 it's one-and-a-half stops faster than the DA16-45 and is staggeringly well made (like all the Limiteds). Small, but not too small to use (like the DA40 can be). Will also extend your telephoto range beyond that offered by the DA16-45 so giving you new territory to play in.


In summary, all the lenses above are good so I would possibly start with the camera and the DA16-45 before evaluating what I think is "missing" - then go shopping again...

I haven't had a duff lens yet from either Pentax or Tamron (never owned a Sigma), so either I'm lucky or they're not as prevalent as reading some forums would have you believe...

As for testing, I simply use the lens for its intended purpose and if I get a fair proportion of pictures that I think are good then I consider myself to own a good lens. Pictures that come out badly are 99.9% of the time down to a faulty user rather than a faulty lens.

Without a lens the body should fetch around £10 (the cord you mentioned is just pennies), most that sell on eBay have their value pushed up by the lens attached, having said that you'd undoubtably get more by selling the lens and body seperately.

As for which camera to buy; I'd say an MX is a fine choice!

You can download the user manual from here. The password you need is "Pentax" (no quote marks, case sensitive). Good luck!

I'd probably go for the flexibility of the DA16-45 / FA50 combo over the convenience of the DA*16-50, although it's a tough call and I'd probably change my mind at least half a dozen times on the way to the shop...

I'll go along with that Clarky - it's something in those big beautiful eyes

None of the lenses mentioned above require an adaptor - all Pentax bayonet lenses will fit just fine on a DSLR as-is.

You'll need an adaptor if you wish to use older (pre-1975) M42 screwmount lenses (cheap adaptors available but genuine Pentax recommended). Pentax adaptors can also be bought to allow you to use Pentax 645 and 67 (medium format) lenses - although probably only worthwhile if you have an existing collection of these.

Hope that helps!

I've bought items from the US (B&H), Canada (Henrys) and several far eastern suppliers. Items from America/Canada have worked out cheaper than buying in the UK, however, once you've paid for shipping and customs duties not by as much as you might think! They can also take some while (a couple of weeks or more) to arrive.

Also, some manufacturer warranties will differ (or be invalid) if the goods are shipped overseas. That's quite apart from the hassle of sending things back for repair/exchange!

Good luck

The DA*16-50 is certainly fast for a zoom lens (at f/2.8 ) but the FA50/1.4 is extremely fast. You'll probably find the depth of field from the DA* will be narrow enough for pleasing portraits 95% of the time, however, there may well be odd occassions when you wish for something more extreme which is where the FA50 comes in.

I'd suggest starting with something like the DA*16-50 (if it's in your budget) and seeing how you get on - you can always buy the FA50 at a later date if you think you need it.