Yep, the 12-24mm is a lot less "fishy", as you say. It is an ultra wide.

Oh for Pentax to bring out a 10-500mm F2 Pancake at under £500 for us to use........Can't be done? Oh well never mind, we can but dream........LOL

I would say the 50-135 is rubbish and you can send it to me for disposal, but I have one so I can't, is a cracker!

Oh BTw, back on topic, SRS are great to deal with, I got my 50mm from them. Great service.

Jessops is a bit of an anomoly with Pentax. They dont have Pentax on show in Manchester, however I asked about the K20D, and it was in stock, as were quite happy to sell me one. I just wish that Jessops were to tread Pentax properly. But if they won't it will be Jacob's gain on the high street.

Samsung are still developing a FF sensor, so, even if they pull out of DSLR's and concentrate on compacts (much as fuji have done), they will continue to develop sensors for DSLR's.

So, if Pentax do a deal with Samsung, which they have done with the 14.6 CMOS, and do it with the FF, although they have stated no FF in short term (they did do a prototype FF camera called the MZ-D but the Philips sensor was not up to the job so cancelled it) I can see them going the FF route in the next couple of years.

In the meantime, I can see Pentax continuing as normal, with a nice little earner if the K-m to bring in monay, and new customers to the brand.

I think it was a good decision to bring out an entry level in the current climate, rather than go above the K20D, as people wont go high end, just budget.

Sony on the other hand might struggle, as the whole corporation is struggling at the moment.

The 10-20mm will be a good choice, as the 12-24 is out of your budget. You will get some great fun shots with this. Its not fisheye though, just very wide.
another option is to upgrade your kit lens with better optics, such as the Sigma 24-70mm, and if you find one which is not the new model that has just come out, it also has macro (although not 1:1). Having said that I have heard that the 16-45 is an excellent lens.

The 50mm is a cracker, I love mine, and has great DOF control, sharp as a knife beyond F2, but F1.4 to F2 still excellent.

Another possible is look out for the Tamron 17-70 F2.8, again I have heard an excellent lens. I think SRSmicrosystems in Watford have this lens in stock.

In fact as you are in Berks, why not pop into SRS have ha a play with the lenses they have and then choose?

Hope this helps

I have an earlier version, 90mm F2.5 SP

Its a great lens, very fine optics.

Don, sorry, I forgot to say,

soft is not bad, it is how you use it. I am not criticising the fifty for being soft between F1.4 and F2, but some might. Personally, I love the lens and use it a lot at F1.4 as I like the "dreamy effect". If you use the lens for artistic purposes, which I am sure we all do, then the softness is a boon, as is the CA below F2.

The fifty is a lens I would never part with, as I love it too much, and use its effects accordingly. hence why I will always give it a 10/10.

I think it is fair review, as it does state the conclusion I have made on another forum:-

http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/showproduct.php?product=194&cpage=2#post...

I still give it a 10 though. As it is cheap, light, and VERY capable. I think we all know it is soft wide open, but what lens isn't?

Personally I think it is still the best "nifty fifty" out there, and when you stop it down to F2, it is tack sharp.

As far as their comment about CA, and this is an honest test, if you put a rubber hood on the end, the CA is seriously reduced (the lens does not come with a hood a standard). I don't know why this happens, but it does and I am glad it does.

It is a shame that Pentax stopped making this lens in 2004, but like me, you can still get a brand new one with certain dealers, so get hold of one whilst you can.

The 55mm F1.4 SDM DA* is going to be some lens to beat this little marvel.

I have a couple of long zooms in my kit, the Sigma 170-500mm(okay, just) and the 70-300mm F4-F5.6 non APO. Although it is cheap, it is very good for the price. In fact I got a good couple of shots of big cats the other week, and with a lack of CA. not the fastest, but worth a look.