Originally Posted by creampuff 
Aren't the current Pentax DSLRs already providing the creative controls the photographer needs?
Not in the way I described. The interfaces are stuck in a rut with no-one willing to innovate. Why are there four buttons down the side of the LCD when we already have a four-way rocker? Why are there switches for functions we almost never need to change? Why is ISO not easier to set and read? No reason except lack of vision and clear thinking.
Originally Posted by creampuff What you're looking for is more in the guise of the Sigma DP1, Ricoh GR Digital or even the Canon G9, not counting the Leica M8 or D-Lux.
The first two are not like what I'm describing. The G9 and M8 have only the shutter speed dial. The most obvious point of comparison is instead the Pentax 645NII. It's got a shutter speed dial and an aperture ring, each with A settings. Using them in different combinations gets different degrees of automation. Put the aperture dial on the camera and you have what I'm talking about.