This is likely to get lengthy I fear - sorry.

First let me say a HUGE thanks to you all - I'm really beginning to grasp some of the facts of DSLR life , and these are coming in digestible chunks - I don't learn well from books so this is really wonderful.

@ Greytop weight is a consideration for me - so yes I'm hoping to get the actual weight feel of them .

@ Mongoose - a truly wonderful introduction - basic facts I can understand and that has given me an understanding of what these 3 lenses can do - and I can relate all that to the photos I have taken in the past and the ones I hope to take in future - I'm suspecting that I do indeed need a telephoto lens as well as the 18-55 that comes with it - it may yet become necessary later to get a wider angle lens as well for landscapes , but I don't honestly think that is as important right now .

I was in Belgium in July and taking pics there with my NY Friend - often we were taking the same shot - for learning purposes and I would be surprised at how much he could get that I could not - he would point out afterwards that I had 'blown ' mine and this was making me realise how little I actually knew about what I was doing Yes I did get some nice things and began to have some understanding of how to actually compose the pic .

I had spent 2 years learning how to use the monitor and had got frustrated at times because of really bright sun forcing me back to what was a very small viewfinder - but at least I did have one - so many P&S cameras don't . I'll enjoy the K-x with it's viewfinder , once I'm used to it - I presume that I will be able to adjust it for my own sight as I did with the Fuji S5000 before it's rather sad and quick demise - I only got about 100 pics from it , though Raymond had had many thousands when he used it .

Thank you all once more - for your help and tolerance of this numpty

Thanks for the explanation re the lenses - it made sense

The P&S is a Kodak C703 [ UK version is a C743 ] and when I look at the lens on it , it says Kodak AF 3X Optical Aspheric lens , and 37mm-111mm equivalent

The Kodak has served me well but in poor light it's not good and you can't always use flash I have some pics with very good detail of stonework and was surprised by them - but then they had to be within 'reach' and too many bits were not - hence the frustration.

Next nOOb question

'wide angle ' - what is meant by this [ briefly of course ] ? My friend had muttered that perhaps my next lens should be a wide angle one .

Oh some negotiation re financial things can always be done Sadly as yet the Pentax doesn't feature on the Calumet list - which is where most of his stuff comes from

Not an obvious thing at all - remember I've never used a DSLR - or even an SLR

Actually weight will matter - I've had 2 bad elbow injuries in the past and at times my hand control can be a bit 'off' hence the need as well for some form of stabilisation - which the K-x has

Option 1 is not totally ruled out - it may come to that , bearing in mind that there is a lower price for that at present at J&R BUT it does mean that in future if I get another lens it will be at full price so I do have to consider this .

Now for the total nOOb - I need simple explanations [ you are going to hate me for this ] that explains what each of these 3 lenses is and what it can do for me .

Please remember I'm coming from a fully automatic P & S over which the only control I had was the 3X zoom - and how much of that to use

As you will have gathered I'm virtually 100 % certain to be buying a K-x next month

The question is which ?

Sooooo what type of piccies do I take - more or less anything that appeals at the time - from scenery to people to bits of stonework on buildings which appeal [ and we have a lot of that sort in Glasgow ]

The last is one reason why I'm changing over - not being tall I find taking a pic of a nice bit of stonework on the top of a Glasgow centre building is rather a challenge with a point and shoot with a maximum of X3 optical zoom .

My requirements were simple - a decent camera that could cope with doing what I perceive that I need.

So we come to the K-x

I'll be getting it in J&R and like other places they have 3 options for it

1) K-x with the 18-55 lens - listed at $649 [ but there is a lower price for that ] - tempting

2) K-x with the 18-55 AND 50-200 listed at $749

3) K-x with the 18-55 AND 55-300 listed at $849

Now it makes sense to me to get another lens at these prices . However which do I go for ? Which is the better one for me - remember I know nothing so can't tell what any of these lenses actually 'do'

Both the extra lens options are stretching my budget I'll admit and I'll have to consider carefully anything else I'm buying , if I add on another lens

I'm looking for help here - my 'pro' friend is telling me to think about this - and he's not pushing me one way or t'other , but has told me to ask around for other folks views. He's using Olympus and Nikon now as he has the gear but has said emphatically that since I have nothing and am starting from scratch that he thinks Pentax is better for me I'll be trying his stuff when I'm in the Big Apple to see what I think of it - which is why the final decision won't be made till then.

Your thoughts and advice will be very very welcome.

Langside - I looked at Cardonald , was impressed since they use Macs - but the travelling there hit me - Langside is much easier not to mention for us oldies allowing a much lower class fee - no reductions at Cardonald ! Considering they are both under Glasgow I find this difference curious.

Hopefully Langside will help with the steep learning curve

I'm aware of the possible problems - and actually have born that in mind

Since I'm staying with a friend - I'm relying on him to take me for it - J & R I believe , we are also going to Calumet for a Seminar on printing [ mainly for him - though I hope to pick up a few tips ]

I have Thursday and Friday free for the trying out of electronic 'goodies' and Saturday will be the go-and-get-it and hand-over-the-plastic day

Now you mentioned a Brooklyne store - would that be the one that is closed on Saturdays ? We certainly can't use a Saturday closed one - that's the only day my friend has for shopping

That's an interesting comment re the Canon

I had thought of it - quite a lot of thought in fact and was reasonably happy


TILL

I found how much of it was plastic - and having had horrendous problems with a white plastic MacBook which developed umpteen cracks in it's case [ long story ] I decided to rule the Canon out - hence it's the bottom of the list now

My new 'toy' will be coming from the Big Apple during a retail therapy trip

weeeeeell
I have 4 on my list - but I think one has been ruled out

So far , and in order

Pentax K-x

Nikon D3000

Olympus E 520

Canon Rebel XS or XSi

So far the Pentax is the front runner by quite a long way . It looks as if my transition from point and shoot should be fairly easy [ important ] , it's not too big [ my hands are fairly small ] and I'm impressed with what I've read about it.

Not yet handled one but I will be doing that next month when the plastic will be handed over for my purchase

just joined - yeah kind of obvious

Have used a Kodak point and shoot for almost 3 years now - Kodak Easyshare C703 and got a bit frustrated 'cos I couldn't get what I wanted from it now .

Soooooooo it's upgrade time

I'm moving to a DSLR and it's going to be a bit of a culture shock for me I suspect - I've a steep learning curve ahead of me.

I'll be heading to the local FE College for an Improvers Photography Course in January so hopefully that will help