Just to add to Jim's post to say that the lens has arrived - very well packed and in great condition; as new. Works lovely! So, I can really recommend buying from Jim, all very professional and quick. Many thanks Jim!

Per

PM sent. Hope to hear from you.

I got a K-50 two weeks ago. Perhaps someone is interested in a general feedback? I upgraded from K100D, and these are the main differences I have noticed (forgetting about the technical details). Please note I am basically a "happy snapper"!

K-50 is considerably quicker at starting up and also at storing pictures. The latter will be down to using stadard SD card with K100D.
The display is better - I can now see the settings in the viewfinder, something which is not always easy with K100D.
The rear LCD is more attractive and I don't really miss the top plate LCD.
The pictures are sharper.
There is a useful spirit level in the viewfinder - helps me keeping things straight!
The camera body feels slightly smaller but with the same weight. K-50 feels slightly more plastic though.
Autofocus is a big improvement with no hunting.
SR function has been automated so I don't need to remember when to switch it on or off.

All-in-all I am very happy with K-50. It continues Pentax' long line of incremental improvements. I should know since I bought the original Spotmatic back in 1969!

Incidentally, I also got the 21DA limited lens. This is a good fit with the K-50 for general photography and can be recommended.

Finally, someone may ask why I got a K-50 when I could have had a K-5 for less? Well, on comparing the cameras it didn't look like to be much in it, and the lower weight of the K-50 was the decider. I prefer the look of the K-50 over K-30, so again was happy to pay the extra.

I was in the same situation as widezu69 a few years ago, having bought a K100 with the 18-55 DA MkI kit lens. Upgrading from a compact camera, I was disappointed by the lack of sharpness. I then bought the 16-45 DA and was happy with it - good sharpness from corner to corner and no pin cushion, but at the cost of carrying more bulk. I resolved this by bying the 40 DA. I can recommend this 'solution' and I still use all three lenses: 16-45 when quality matters, 18-55 for general photography giving the best trade-off between bulk/weight and range, and 40 when I want to travel light. I hope this helps.

Many thanks for all the good advice - really useful stuff!
I will have to start saving now.

Hello,
Although new to the forum I have been a Pentax user since 1969 and member of Pentax Users for many years. I love my K100D - very good handling and just the right size. I also like the 18-55mm kit lens, but did not find it very sharp. So I bought a 16-45mm, which is definitely a better lens, even if a bit heavy compared to the 18-55mm. So I complimented with the 40mm ltd, which is very handy and quite sharp. But I am now a bit short on the telephoto side. I want to keep my kit light and compact, so another zoom doesn't look attractive. I was considering the 70mm ltd, but have not managed to see many reviews of it. The price at SRS is high, so my first question is: "Is it worth it?" My second question is: "How do I convince my wife this is an essential purchase?" (but I suppose that one is for me to answer!).
Many thanks!