Originally posted by InStitches49 I appreciate your in-depth answer because I was just wondering after reading this news item. I like this forum so much for the insight I'm gaining slowly but surely (probably because I'm "over the hill" and still remember film cameras much more than digital). Right now I'm leaning towards getting a Pentax K-x with two lens because it's enough camera for me (and my college daughter) to use and it's not too expensive. The K-r looks good but probably not worth the extra cost for my needs.
Cool. As some even *more* in-depth posts from some folks who are really into the technical debates may show, there's a lot to all this.
Pentax's smaller cameras like the K-x are really pretty small: (Actually, even their 'big' models are quite trim, compared to the other brands, sometimes markedly-so. They just like to do that.
) if you were comfortable carrying like an x-700 or a Maxxuum, you'll probably be pleased, that way, and a few small, lovely prime lenses that autofocus are available, so if you're looking for something to do a similar job, you can have that. (There's such a thing as *too small,* depending on what you'd like to do: it's another reason I tend to doubt Pentax is necessarily going to go with a whole new lens mount just to shave some size and be maybe a little behind in the 'mirrorless compact' race, when, you want small, here's small, pop a DA limited on there, and you've got pretty darn small. If your desired system involves any lenses of any size...
)
(You could check out some of these mirrorless ones and see if you like em, you really might: I think they mostly have appeal as either a 'second system' or for people who are used to photographing things with the camera at arm's length like with compacts at this point. I think they'll often be the ones to get the most happy out of these new Olympus Pens and stuff.
)
K-x es are by all reports excellent, and a real good deal. Not that it doesn't seem the K-r is well worth the money: actually amid all the buzz here around the release of that model, I came to the conclusion that that'd be what I'd buy my little sister, (if I were someone that could go around buying people DSLRs.
) Though I can't remember just why at the moment, whether it was something about the general performance improvements or some special feature/gimmick they added that'd help her in particular.
Anyway, it seems so far that the K-r is a worthwhile upgrade, but the K-x is a nice safe bet for you.