I began my Pentax involvement with a K100D bought at a knockdown price just as it was about to discontinued - from Jessops, back in the days when high street stores still sold Pentax kit.

I loved it, still do.

Last year I made the mistake (entirely down to my own lack of research) of buying the K-m. It's not that it's a bad camera, my good lady wife now uses it, sticks largely to the picture modes for now (though she's experimenting with a bit of exposure compensation) and gets some great pictures. But I hadn't realised how simplified it was compared to the K100d. I found the lack of the top plate info panel and the near complete reliance on multi click menus very restricting. And I realised I took a lot of pictures in quite low light and the lack of in-viewfinder red box focus confirmation was the killer.

I have since bought the K20D, got it for a very good price on Amazon. I have to be honest and say I am still learning how to use it properly, and I'm finding that a bit demanding ... but pleasantly so. The number of customisable options is fascinating and a little daunting. On the other hand you can simply put it in P mode – and on my model at least dial in a bit of positive exposure compensation – and it can almost be used as a point and shoot.

I can't help but think that the K-x carries over some of the things I disliked about the K-m and it does seem pretty expensive.

So I'd go for the K20D, learn how to use the easy modes first and be safe in the knowledge that it is a very good camera that's likely to require, but also repay, some commitment to learn.

Hope it goes well for you.

Patrick

Certainly I wouldn't put any of my cameras in the hold but would always carry them on as part of cabin baggage.

I returned to SLR photography a few years ago with the K100d (without the super) and it has been a joy.

Fairly recently I bought a K-m and was very, very disappointed. No complaints, I should have researched better – the big problem for me was that it has no superimposed red signal on the point of focus in the viewfinder, maybe that's more important to me than others. Also virtually all controls are in the menu system which I personally find very cumbersome.

And I found the image quality was poorer than I had hoped. That might be down to my difficulties with the lack of viewfinder focus alerts, but it seemed true even at f16 and f22.

I reverted back to the K100d (with some relief) and eventually bought the K20d as my new main camera (it's awesome).

The K100d is now for me exactly what you seem to think you might use it for - a holiday camera, and the machine to take out when you don't want to risk your main unit or when you just want to be a little more relaxed about everything.

I travel with it and the kit 18-55mm and my Sigma 70-300mm. I carry them around not in a camera case but in a standard over-shoulder bag and it works very well indeed.

It's 6MP which will print at any size I'm likely to use and is absolutely great for my main holiday pics use which is slideshows on my computer and TV monitors.

I can't imagine ever getting rid of my K100d ... it's great, and it's especially good as a holiday camera.