Originally posted by MrB1 It is a good suggestion to set up the User Modes to suit your photography, but I'm not understanding "extensively menu driven" and the need for "chasing through menus". On the K-70 there are buttons and dials for instant access to the basics of image capture, many of which can be customised via Camera Menu 5. Many other image capture parameters are quickly accessible via the Info Button and Info Screen.
Philip
If wanting to change metering mode or a/f selection (spot - multi), for examples, there's no immediate access to these functions without taking the camera from the eye, opening menus or the "control panel", choosing which feature one wishes to adjust, then re-mounting the camera and re-finding the subject, hoping the whole while that the subject is still within range. Almost as bad, if, like myself, one "suffers" from big hands, the four-way controller can be too easily activated accidently and can be best configured to only respond to a "two-push" activation ... so, again, it's a case of taking down the camera, then pushing and poking buttons to change the drive mode. As for "chasing through menus" ... being aware of a particular capability or feature, but not being able to find it when wanted in a hurry, can be really annoying!
My point is that, whilst all this functionality is available, the need for personal customisation of the "User Modes" makes actually using the camera "in the field" a much more satisfying experience than it might otherwise be. This opinion is purely my own, based on around 20,000 exposures over the last 12 months or so whilst using the K-70. The very fact that it so customisable and so extensively flexible is what can make it both satisfying and frustrating ... of course, you've then got to remember exactly which combination of functions have been allocated to U1, U2 and U3
Inevitably, YMMV