Welcome to the forum Clarky. It is great to see another Aussie here, we are few and far between (at the other end of the Universe so I have heard).

Macro photography is a lot of fun and is nearly impossible to run out of subject matter. The K100D is a perfect camera for the job, but ultimately the lenses make the most difference as you probably know. Manual focus is usually best for Macro, however getting the exposure right with older lenses may be a challenge at first.

A good place to find information on lenses is at PhotoZone, they don't have many Pentax lenses yet but are adding them all the time.

Sigma make some great lenses and are well worth looking at, they are generally cheaper than original manufacturer lenses. However I am personally holding out for the Pentax 35mm 2.8 macro Limited lens.
But equipment isn't everything, apparently it has more to do with skill. So keep practicing.

I agree that the Pentax K10D has great photo quality, but better than all the competitors may be stretching it a tad; The Nikon D80 and D200 take photos of equal quality and maybe better in some instances. They certainly do not use much in camera sharpening.

The metering and auto exposure are brilliant on the D200 and certainly far superior than in the Pentax, I don't need to touch the exposure compensation. However the auto white balance in my Pentax is generally always very close to correct, the D200 rarely is as accurate.

As for Canon and Sony I don't know, but I am sure they are still great cameras.

I am not trying to bash a particular brand I think they are all great, they all have their own weaknesses and strengths. I shoot both Pentax and Nikon and love them both, I can print as large as my wallet allows with either camera and still enjoy the result.

I never said I would carry it all at once. I guess another option is to forget about the limited lenses, sell the Pentax, get a Nikon D40 and Nikkor prime lenses loosing auto focus on the D40. It would be a great small kit but of course I couldn't post here anymore.

George has said the Pentax has a better build quality, I don't agree at all. The D200 body has no flex in it what so ever, very strong metal. The rubber and plastic parts they have used are all top notch as well. The K10D is certainly a well built camera but not in the league of the D200.

Well this is how I think I will do it.

Pentax IstDs, 21 3.2 L, 35 macro 2.8 L, 40 2.8 L, 70 2.4 L, 16-45 4. If the 35 and 55 1.4 on Pentax roadmap come out I will get them to.

Nikon D200, 10.5 2.8 Fish, 12-24 4, 17-55 2.8, 70-200 2.8, 105 macro 2.8, 300 4, 1.7 TC.

The Pentax will be a very small easily transportable kit and the Nikon kit will be larger but higher performance. The D200 really does excel at metering and auto focus, I have never seen a Pentax come remotely close. I have used the K10D a bit but perhaps not enough to compare properly, but it did not expose accurately and focus quickly like the Nikons can.

Im sorry guys, I broke the rules. It was stupid I know. Its just that the availability on Pentax lenses here in Australia is next to nothing. I wanted the Nikon for some long lenses.
It certainly is not a bad camera, I am still deciding what to do.

I have recently purchased a Nikon D200 which was supposed to replace my Pentax IstDs; But to my surprise I don't want to give up my Pentax. I have been bringing both cameras with me everywhere.
The Nikon is great but there is so much I love about the IstDs, I haven't found much on the D200 that is useful which the Pentax doesn't have.
Nikons metering and focus are far better, and the 5 frames per second is great but Pentax ease of use and straight forward simple design really shine.
I am going to keep the IstDs and continue to grow in the Pentax system but I wish I bought the K10D now.
So I am left with a Nikon D200 I have put a lot of money into, so I guess I will just have to run two systems.

I intend on getting the Lowe Pro slingshot. The bottom compartment will be used to hold my Nikon D200 and lenses and the top compartment to hold my Pentax IstDs and lenses.
I have used a bag of this style before and loved the speed, comfort and versatility. Anytime I want to carry more gear I will just use a larger bag.

Recently I looked through your galleries and was very impressed, you have some truly great and very interesting photos. Pentax probably need to be paying more photographers of your level.
I have recently been contemplating making a move to Nikon; I am only starting out and want to buy more lenses but don't feel very confident investing in the Pentax system while their future seems so unsure. Pentax have also taken a very long time getting a range of lenses to market.
But when I see photos like yours taken with the K10D non of this really matters anymore, it makes me far more proud to own a Pentax.
This is also the very reason Pentax would be paying you.
I hope to see many more posts here from you as I enjoy what you have to say (particularly your letter to HOYA).

According to an article on the Nikkei website the 645D has been cancelled; Is this true? I found the article at www.fredmiranda.com. I really hope this is not the case.