Hi guys, recently had to send my kit back for refund due to broken lens. Waiting for credit card to be reimbursed prior to buying new DSLR kit. Anyway was browing and found this deal. Need the code SALES5 to get the 5% off. I have'nt jumped in as I am waiting for photokina announcements prior to deciding which system to go with. Hope this is of use!! Just scroll down to bottom of page at following link.

http://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/k-7-digital-slr-camera-18-55mm-pentax-zoom-lens-15-...

Greg

Thanks for replies guys. Was out all day yesterday at Hartlepool Tall ships. Going away today for few days. My gut feeling is to go for Pentax repair as I really like the lens. Will think about it!! Thanks again.

Greg

I bought a K20D - 16-50DA* + 50-135DA* last November from Amazon. The 16-50 will only open up to 19mm now. Pentax will repair under warranty but suggested getting in touch with Amazon for replacement. As it was part of a kit, which they no longer have in stock they want me to return the whole kit. They do not have any of these kits left in stock. The dilema is I bought that kit for a shade under £1700. Obviously I would not be able to replace each individual item for that amount. I am a little nervous about getting repair but frustrated that I will probably have to downgrade my kit from a refund. Also if I get refund what kit should I reinvest money in. Advice appreciated.

I might try to come along also depending on date. I will definitely be picking your brains though.

Greg

Just an update really. Camera and lenses came yesterday. I was a little doubtful, especially given the price, however what a kit. Everything works fine. Superfast focusing indoors. The only problem is manual is in French 'merde'. Still I suppose I could print out the 288 page pdf from pentax!! Anyway it is pretty intimidating tbh, but I suppose the best thing is to just get out and use it. Steep learning curve no doubt but hopefully good fun. I had planned on getting a long telephoto for wildlife, however these smaller lenses weigh a ton so goodness knows how I will carry around anything bigger. I think I will just concentrate on these 16-50mm + 50-135mm for now and get used to the camera.

Greg

Pretty good attempt at my accent there like, Gareth. Yes my knowledge is pretty scant so I will have a look down town tomorrow to see what I can pick up. Keen to get started now.

Greg

Well, just an update re the deal I got with amazon. I half expected an email stating there had been a mistake. However the package has been shipped now and is with City Link. Cant believe my good fortune.

Other than magic lantern any other recommended reading?

Greg

thanks for the welcome.
Spider I'll check out the magic lantern book.

Thoughton I had planned on using SRS as they seem to support forum. I think this potential deal I got through amazon was something I could not pass up though. It is one of those deals that occasionally pop up and I may have been in right place at right time!!!!
Davidtrout - looking forward to capturing heritage of teesside and surrounding area. Should be an interesting starter project for me. Also good to see healthy north east following.

Thanks again and will continue to post.
Greg

After what seems like months I have eventually spent my cash on a pentax dslr system. I am a basic point and shoot in auto mode type of guy at present with a Canon G1. I wanted something I could develop with and learn as I go on.I was pretty much sold on benefits of in body stabilisation and wanted to go the pentax route. Initially in the shop I was guided towards Nikon. The guy in the shop laughed when I mentioned Pentax. He suggested Nikon D90 with 18-135 kit. It gets good reviews so I thought we would go down that route then. When he went out back to get it he returned saying there was none in stock. Close shave there. Went back when they were in stock and another salesman told me to get a Canon instead. I was a little confused now. Further weeks passed with my nights spent in front of the computer reading reviews and logging onto forums. What I gained from this delay was that the camera body is something which is changed, but good quality lenses stay with you. Good fast pentax zooms are however expensive. I looked at what I wanted to shoot. My interests will be industrial landscape, candid family shots sometimes indoors and wildlife (birds). I wrote list after list of 3rd party fast zooms which I felt would stay with me as I develop. Then I looked at the body. My 'higher quality zooms' were going to reach 16 to around 150mm. Then the wildlife lens was going to be a sigma, either 120-400 or 150-500. I felt for what I wanted to shoot a weather resistant body would be best. This left me with either K20D or K7. I could not really justify K7 and there are some amazing flickr pics with K20D so that was to be the body. I know this will be a steep learning curve but it will give me loads of potential. To find the best price I went to www.kelkoo.co.uk and input K20D. It took me to an amazon page with a K20D + 16-50mm f2.8 DA* + 50-135mm f2.8 DA* for £1667. Now I know this is a lot of money for someone starting out but when I analyzed it it seemed quite a bargain. The cheapest I could get those lenses for was £1500 and with £150 cashback from pentax it meant the K20D would cost me £17.
Now I cant wait for it to be delivered next week. It now states it is out of stock so my fingers are crossed that I got one. I have the confirmation email anyway. Now I need to look into a flash and tripod (recommendations gratefully received). Any suggestions on books for beginners to dslr photography, websites etc would also be welcomed.

Anyway nice to meet everyone and no doubt we will chat again.

Greg