We're straying from the OP's image, this would have been much better as a separate subject in General Chat. Mixing subjects often causes argument in itself.

Magazines tend to recycle at regular intervals so at the moment I'm down to AP for its adverts and some general information that doesn't always get noticed on the web.

It's a shame because in the past there have been some great magazines, but none have survived.

Please stray back on-topic so we can greet our new member properly?

Welcome Paul, you've made a great choice and if you have any questions just fire away. Someone will gladly help.

I suppose it depends on the eyesight, but there's nothing easier than using the viewfinder to manually focus. The requirements are correct adjustment of the eyepiece dioptre and the correct glasses, if needed.

LiveView, IMHO, is only suitable for composition and not for critical focusing manually, regardless of marque.

Leica M lenses are designed for rangefinders, so the register distance is much shorter than SLR lenses. SLR wide angle lenses use a retrofocus design to enable enough space for the mirror box.

I think once you need a camera bag it becomes largely academic and there are some very compact new bodies out there with ludicrously large lenses on them - surely it defeats the purpose?

e-mail address removed, it's asking to be inundated by spam to publish e-mail addresses in a forum. You can safely contact by PM via the forum.

If anybody fancied emulating Cartier-Bresson, then I suppose the kit would be a K-5 plus 31mm or 35mm lens. The rest is anticipation, position and timing.

If the K-r has been damaged by a third party accessory (Tamron in this case)then the warranty may not apply. I wouldn't use brute force either and it may be it will need the attention of a repair house.

Don't foget that being a PU PLus member gives you access to 20% discount on Pentax repairs at the authorised repairer JPSS. A form can be downloaded from this site but you would need to subscribe to see it. Just maybe JPSS would honour the guarantee, depending on what's wrong, but I think that would be a goodwill gesture if the adapter has caused the problem.

K-5 and DA Limited lenses are the closest perhaps, but keep the 18-55mm WR lens for rainy days.

Alternatively the Q, especially in the light of the recent London Underground prohibition of DSLRs, which was a bit bizarre but there it was:

http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/news/DSLRs_banned_from_Aldwych_tube_station...

Apart from that desire to change, which is good, I can't help but think that you're better off with the 43mm and 18-55mm than the 24-70mm Sigma, with its much more limited wide angle capability. And don't forget the weatherproofing.