Originally posted by Dubious Drewski Manual focus with the stock focus screen is not very easy, so I assume that the people who claim manual focus is fun and quick must be using custom focus screens. Is that a fair assumption?
Some are, but not all. Although I suppose I never say "fun and quick". I've said it's not impossible, I've said in some cases it's more reliable than AF and in some cases also faster, but it's a skill that takes practice and isn't "easy". Bottom line, though, is that I certainly use it a lot, and don't hesitate to recommend it when I feel it's appropriate.
I do use a viewfinder magnifier on the K200D (same viewfinder as K-x and other "entry level" Pentax cameras), making it the same size more or less as the K-7.
However, like the stock screen on virtually all DSLR's, it does lie about DOF at large apertures (beyond f/2.8 or so). Part of what one accomplishes through practice is how not to get thrown too badly by this.