The 18-55mm is a brilliant lens for a kit. I believe (in many people's eyes) it is only really the Olympus kit lens that is better.

This seems to be a fantastic camera, assuming it performs as expected.

- Image quality of the K5 (lower bit-rate but some places suggesting they may be wrangling more out of the sensor)
- WR
- 2 control wheels!
- Smaller than the K5
- 100% pentaprism viewfinder! (not many were predicting that...)
- Improved autofocus

For an enthusiast in the know this looks like an excellent deal.

My only concern is in the marketing of the product. To attract new users they will need to focus on things that new-to-dslr users think they want. I would say that the weather resistance is something they would be interested in but the rest are probably things they haven't thought of. Will people just we won over by the Nikon D3200 24MP?

[SCENE: Jessops shop front]

New-to-DSLR: So this Nikon is 24MP? Does that meant the pictures are 50% better than the 16MP Pentax?

Nikon sales rep: Yes. Will you be paying by card?

Not meaning to be negative. This should review brilliantly if there is any justice and that should win new customers. This is an incredible well-spec'ed camera.

It has raised the expectation bar for the K5 replacement as well!

I love the Tree Creeper shots, especially the first 2. Lovely and sharp, great colours, great composition for the first one.

The surfing shots are also impressive. Action is nicely frozen.

You have just given them all the details they need to make fraudulent internet purchases with your card. Contact your bank ASAP and tell them you suspect your card details have been gained fraudulently. They should put a hold on that card immediately.

Hope it isn't too late and they haven't got around to using your "card" yet.

I've bought from Lennybloke as well and have to agree with DMACKUK and brightstone - exactly as described and a pleasure to deal with.

Arrived quickly, well packed and as described.

You also did a good job with the paint scratch modification for the contacts!

Thoroughly recommend dealing with LennyBloke.

WG

PM sent

No offense taken . If I have understood you correctly I am actually in agreement - Pentax US have explained the price rises there but the logic doesn't hold for the UK. I'm still in the dark as to why prices are rising here as is everyone else. We can hypothesise and guess but we don't have all the information.

The simple facts are that prices are rising at a much higher rate than inflation. All I can say is that I am not happy about that. I won't be buying new lenses at those prices. Other people's opinions may differ.

With regards to talk of switching brands, some people may bleed Pentax red when they are cut, but I for one haven't pledged a lifelong allegiance to Pentax. I like my Pentax kit and switching brands isn't something I would do lightly but the barriers to exit have reduced (i.e. the secondhand prices of my lenses have continually risen and the price differential between Pentax and Other Brands has reduced). If someone was already considering switching these price rises (over the last few years) have potentially made things easier.

I think Ned's comments were regarding the US. In that case it would seem that Pentax sell the products to US suppliers at the same prices and the suppliers are forced to sell them on at a higher price (and get a higher per-unit sales margin).

I belive Chris from SRS has stated that they are seeing the prices they buy at going up. SRS then have to pass this on to the customers. In this case SRS's per-unit sales margin would stay approximately the same.

Fundamentally different mechanisms in the UK and US behind the price rises so I don't think you can extrapolate Ned's comments to cover the UK as well.

Oops 'Orloff' not 'Mhuni'.