Originally posted by jlsa05 Is there a way to do that (bulb start and end) using the normal shoot button ? (not a remote control?)
No, the one press open, next press close option only applies to the remote. However I would not use the shutter button anyway because of the shake it would cause.
I see no reason not to use the remote - it works perfectly and you can get a remote for almost nothing on eBay.
The only advantage of a wired remote in time exposures is that you are less likely to lose it because it is attached to the camera by the wire, but then again you could as well attach the wireless remote to the camera with a lanyard and you get the equivalent of a wired remote :-)
I do highly recommend the K-r for time exposures and general low light performance. It was indeed the reason why I bought it, not to mention that the search for a good low light camera was what led me to 'discover' that Pentax made DSLRs, and mighty good ones at that.
It is of course an old model now and there are newer models, both Pentax and other brands, that perform better but you'll have to pay a lot more.