Just for the record, the K10 is dead. Long live the K10!
Received the sad news this week. So I am down to the K200 bought for the kids.
I have started shopping for used replacement (a new Pentax is just out reach). There are a number of issues. First of all, I can't make up my mind on what to get next. A 10, K20, K7, K5 or K3 would all work. They all have their pros and cons but that is a whole story on its own.
The next problem is that Pentax DSLRs are not exactly easy to source here in SA. During the Hoya era they almost completely disappeared from local stores, which means that used ones are rare. I am scouring all the local sites but not much have turned up. Just some depressing stuff. Like the guy who want to swop a K10 for a Samsung S7 Edge. Yeah right, good luck with that. Then there is the guy who has a K7 but it comes with a whole bunch of lenses that I have no need for (such as a Pentax F 100-300, been there done that). He wants to sell the whole lot together. Another seller has a K3 with a whole bunch of lenses that I would like to have. Also selling as a job lot but the price is way outside my budget. The weirdest deal of the lot is a K10, kit lens, third party budget tele zoom and laser printer for only ~300USD. Oh dear, thanks but no thanks.
Another fellow advertises a K3, with a web picture of a K3 II next to his ad. I contacted him. He said he was too busy to phone me but asked me to email him. Not a good sign but I humoured him. He sent me some pictures of a K3 on a chair. I email back to to arrange a meeting in a public place, offering to pay in cash. I am still waiting to hear from him. I suppose my offer did not fit into the rest of his story. You know, currently out of the country but just wire the money to an overseas bank and somebody will deliver the camera blah blah blah. His ad has since turned up on another website (with the camera on the same chair) but he seems to live in a different city now.
There are a few promising ads. A K-01 with 40mm is on offer for just over 200USD but it is 1000 miles away. I would rather see the item before shelling out money. And I'm not convinced that mirrorless is for me. There is also a K30 on offer at a good but not great price. Tempting, but the spectre of aperture block failures haunts me.
The search continues. I have also been looking on ebay and Amazon. Some sellers do not ship to SA. Most ebay sellers use their own post office. This is all fine, but once the package reaches SA, the local post office gets in on the act. Let's just say that they do not have a good reputation.
Some Amazon sellers also do not ship to SA but most do. KEH and Adorama have some nice stuff. B&H does not ship to SA. Shipping is via courier, much better than the post office. The thing is that shipping costs and import taxes add a significant premium to the transaction.
The final conundrum is that nice lenses keep showing up. DSLR purchases can always be postponed but once in a a lifetime lenses has to bought right away. That Takumar cost me about the price of a nice K5 but ok well...
Watch this space and I will keep you posted.