I was considering the K-01, but not having had the opportunity to actually see, let alone handle, one, I've only been able go off the camera size comparison sites and it looked bigger than the K-30? Most reviews seem to include the word 'brick' somewhere in the description......

Sadly not, John. I had a K-r with an 18-250mm for around a year which was great, but still too heavy (I have a particular problem with my neck and back) and a bit too conspicuous in some of the poorest areas. Tried the K-30 with the 40mm Ltd, but found the fixed 40mm length a bit limiting.

I have to say I have been tempted by the K-5's recent price drop, but have managed to resist. Likewise the Q for £149 recently. Fingers crossed something will come out in the next year or two.

I sold my K-30 and lenses earlier in the year as the dslr was simply too heavy, with all the kit, to take traveling. I bought a compact 20X superzoom instead. It was a tough decision and having used it in a variety of locations ranging from animal shots on safari, through street shots in cities to landscapes in the fjords I've pretty much come to the conclusion that neither replaces the other satisfactorily.

There are plenty of occasions where I wouldn't be without the the portability and versatility of the compact. It's just so convenient to carry it in a pocket, no bags, no weight. On the whole the photos have been much better than I expected which hasn't always been the case with the dslr. I think that higher expectations with the dslr led to pixel peeping and a higher degree of self criticism so it's a pleasant change to be pleasantly surprised with the results.

At first glance, for most photos, it's hard to tell the difference between the compact and my K-30 provided that it's the full photo and not a crop.

And that's the issue - rightly or wrongly I had got used to being able to crop or enlarge a photo quite severely with little or no loss of quality and you simply can't do that with a small sensor. To be honest it can't stand any form of cropping or enlargement and that can be a problem.

The loss of quality is also quite apparent in certain photos and they always seem to be the best ones! We came across a once in a lifetime opportunity of a Cheetah with her cubs and I have some cracking shots, but I would have paid a great deal to have the K-30 and the DA* 300mm just then instead of a compact. The photos are 'nice', but they aren't close to what they could have been.

On the other hand there have been plenty of occasions when I have got a shot with the compact when I wouldn't have been carrying the dslr so it's really a no-win situation.

The answer I guess is to have both, but that's even more weight and potential confusion trying to decide which one to use when the subject is disappearing at speed.......

I also miss the viewfinder more than I thought.

I've considered getting something like the Ricoh GR or Fuji X100 as a compromise, but would miss the zoom.

Hopefully Pentax will be the first company to bring out a superzoom with an APSC sensor and viewfinder. That would do.

pm sent re A 50mm f1.7

Both the Zoo and the Night Safari are excellent. We aren't normally big fans of zoos, but the one in Singapore is superb, probably the best in the world - nothing like any zoos in this country, no cages, huge enclosures. The Night Safari is next to the zoo and is a real experience. Probably too dimly lit even for a DSLR, but a nice change to just look rather than take photos.

You can get a ticket which covers both, online in advance and use either the dedicated bus or DIY using the MRT and bus, it's very easy.

The newly opened Park by the Bay is free entry and easy to get to with the MRT and is a lovely way to spend some time both by day and at night. Some great cityscape views from there and the metal architectural trees make for some great photos (can't post any as I travelled light last time with a non Pentax compact!)

Best views of all from the top of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel (the one that looks like it has a ship on top). The top viewing area is open to non-residents for a small charge - $20, I think. Features the world's most scary looking infinity pool, but you can't use that unless you are a guest.....

Worth getting the extended pass for the MRT which also covers the buses. Works out very cheap and saves looking for cash each time you travel.

It will be very hot and humid, just a short hop from the equator, so don't skimp on the sun protection, hats and fluids!

Did you find it cheaper than Amazon's £149.95. Still on the fence with the Q purchase

Typical. Couldn't find one of these for love nor money when I still had the dslr....great lens & decent price as well

It's a difficult one as reviews so far have been fairly mixed.

It's clearly a fairly competent camera, but offers nothing more compared to competitors which have been out a while. From having a play with it and trying others out I'd say Pentax have missed the boat with this one and the launch price, once again, like the Q and K-01 before it, is hopelessly optimistic.

To compete it needs to offer something new and doesn't. Even the retro look, which I like, has already been done for a couple of years by Fuji with the X10 and X100.

I was interested, but it's difficult to swallow paying £399 for it when there are some equally good, and some better, cameras available for considerably less. It's also quite a bit larger (wider) than it might appear in pictures, so have a play with one first before buying if you want something pocketable.

Didn't like the RX100 at all - no soul

SRS have the K-01 new with the 40mm lens for just £110 more. You won't get the 40mm lens for less than that. Anyone with a used K-01 will have paid a lot more and might be reluctant to set a realistic price

We had a similar problem with my son's CCTV lens in the horsebox. No obvious moisture, but just some cloudiness on the glass. It was a sealed unit so we used a hairdryer to warm the glass up which got rid of the remaining moisture pretty well. You would probably need to be a bit more careful with a camera so the previous suggestion might be safer, if you are prepared to wait.