OP...No doubt about it, Nikon and Canon make better
pro gear than Pentax. If money is no object, go ahead and restock with better gear.
Generally most of the cameras nowadays produce decent photos . Just depends on what you want to do with them? Is Pentax really holding you back or is your ego holding yourself back and just trying to fit in with your friends gear? Instead of fondling each others gear, try sharing prints or images to look at. (Unless you guys are camera collectors and not shooters?)
Pentax makes good quality, mid level gear that can produce decent photos. The Pentax glass generally comes in about 55-60% as sharp as Nikons or Canons best pro level glass on the optical bench tests. But we are talking about comparing Pentax to pro level Nikon and Canon lenses. Nikon and Canon non pro level glass comes in about the same as Pentax and cost lots more than Pentax glass...so no upgrade here.
I look at Pentax as more of a 'disposable camera' that can get wrecked or stolen and it wont hurt as much as losing a Nikon D700/800 with a 14WA zoom and a 75tele zoom that cost $8000 for a handfull of gear. I buy like new Pentax bodies on ebay for $250 or so and have a nice 10 - 12 MP dslr Pentax. Add some decent, but cheap Pentax glass and I have a nice photo package for not a lot of $.
All the bells and whistles on any of these dslr don't mean much to me. I shoot manual a lot and just shoot old school. I can't believe how crazed you guys are with AF. I started shooting back in the late 60's. I know how to focus a lens. What I like is a sharp, contrasty, photo with good tonality, not all sorts of useless dodads.
These photos were taken with a cheap Walmart PS Kodak $75 camera
...at the lowest setting of 1.1MP.
So again I say...
generally most of the cameras nowadays produce decent photos.
I finished up sauna a few weeks ago and am sweating like hell now!
OP...Good luck withing finding peace with your camera gear!