I own the 16-50, 50-135, 60-250 SDM lenses and have done over 2 years plus. I am a second owner of the 16-50mm and the documentation it came with indicates that it has had AF circuity and SDM replaced but the lens also show signs of being dropped. I personally have never had an issue with them over the several years I have used them and have probably taken in excess of 40,000 shots using AF-C. I also own two Sigma HSM lenses. Both of which have been repaired outside of warranty for AF faults. (Looking at the paperwork for the 16-50, the cost of the repair was about 2/3 of what its has cost me to get the 50-500mm sigma AF circuit repaired)

I personally think the general perception of the SDM failure rate is much greater than the reality.
I don't know if you have any experience with the DA* lenses or not but such is the quality of the glass I would say that I would happily replace them like for like if they did fail out side of 2 year warranty and they could not be repaired because they are that good.

Nither my K-r or K-30 came with the video lead, just a standard USB lead. My K-100 did video lead. The lead that came the K-100 worked with the K-r and K-30 also.

Firefox has the see translation but IE doesn't for me. I am assuming others do not have the option to translate, here is what it reads as when you can click the translate button.

リコーイメージングが12日からのCP＋2015で、画素ずらしによる「超解像」の技術発表をすることになった。オリンパスとは少し方法が異なるようだが（詳細は不明）、同じくセンサーシフト方式の手ぶれ補正（SR）を利用して画素ずらしをするみたい。
Translated from Japanese by Bing

Ricoh Imaging from the 12, CP＋2015 a super-resolution by pixel shift technology announced. Olympus and a little different way but (details unknown), as well as use of sensor-shift shake reduction (SR), pixel shift like that.

その技術は今年中に発表される新型機種に搭載するらしい。CP＋では、急遽、そのへんのことを北沢さんに詳しく聞く予定となった。開発発表のフルサイズ判一眼レフのことも、なーんでも聞いていいんだって、「言えることは、言う」と。
Translated from Japanese by Bing

The technology seems to be with new models will be announced later this year. CP + is a haste, then that will hear it more in Mr./Ms. Kitazawa. Also unveils a full-size SLR with-I but it's nice to hear say can say.

Wex have a 10% off Pentax lenses that put this in the same ball park(a little cheaper if my maths are right), except its cash in your pocket rather that credit. Plus Wex are a Pentax Pro center.

http://www.wexphotographic.com/buy-pentax-200mm-f2-8-da-lens/p1024924?awc=2298_1...

Thanks for taking the time to reply Fletcher8, the lens used depends on the rink and my position to the ice but typically be either the DA* 50-135, 60-250, occasionally the DA 10-17 fish-eye makes it way on to the body for a bit of fun. I appreciate the DA* are not the fastest of lenses to focus, but I tend to get a much higher hit rate in the brighter rinks than some of the darker ones.

From my understanding, your original K5 is probably the nearest you have owned to a K30 from the sensor point of view. How much a difference do you think the sensor makes in the K3 by comparison?

looking for opinions, ideally from people you have used both the K3 and K30/K50.
I predominantly shoot wildlife and Ice hockey, frequently crop the image quite hard in the edit and shoot with high iso to get a fast shutter speed.

I am trying to work out if I would I notice much difference if I switch from the K30 to a K3 considering noise vs pixel density? additionally how much of an improvement is AF in low-ish light found in indoor ice rinks? your opinions would be appreciated.

Some cracking deals on at SRS this weekend

http://www.srsmicrosystems.co.uk/open-day-deals.html

Fighting the urge to buy a K-3 body, works out at £635 once you have added the cash back from Pentax.

Mirror-less is not one for me, but a bargain none the less. £169.97

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/cameras/digital-cameras/compact-system-cameras/pent...

Its not the version of elements per say, its the version of adobe camera raw elements is using. According to Adobe, camera raw 7.3 is required to fully support PEF and DNG files from the Pentax K-5 Mk.II link

Its been a long time since I used it but when I tried picasa with Pentax raw files from the K-r it really screwed them up in a way very similar to what you have posted. can you try opening the same raw files in another app? Elements may also need a update of camera raw depending on the version currently running and the body you are using.

irfanview is a free viewer/converter with basic editing features. I would be interested to know if the problem persists when viewed via this.