[Deimo]

Please put yourself in the following position:

You have the K10D with the very nice suiting BG2
and a few lenses e.g.:
DA 12-24mm f/4.0 ED AL
DA 16-45mm f/4.0 ED AL
FA 43mm f/1.9 Limited
A 50mm f/1.2
DFA 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Tamron 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DI II Aspherical IF Macro
DA* 300mm f/4.0 ED [IF] SDM

After > 30.000 attempts to create nice photos you can handle the K10D blindfoldedly.

Now it happens: your K10D loses the SR switch. you manage to talk to a very nice Pentax guy (after you have been blocked rudely by the very unfriendly outsourced german Servicecompany)who will have it repaired in about 3-4 weeks. And you have no other body to shoot with.

What now?

[asdf]

3-4 weeks to replace a switch?

[JohnBee]

Every product has it's lifecycle.
It's up to you know to decide whether or not you're ready to move ahead or re-invest in a replacement.

[builttospill]

If I was in the same position I'd crawl into a corner, assume the fetal position, suck my thumb and hope time goes by quickly.

Do you have any buddies who would let you borrow their camera for the time being? I think that's what I'd do if my K10D was in the shop, but I wouldn't send it in for repairs if it was costly. Have you considered upgrading to K20D?

[blackcloudbrew]

Assuming that you have no replacement camera. I think I'd spend the time doing two things, reading photography technique books and doing a lot of post processing / editing of my images. With that amount of gear you must have a few to sort through.

Plan B would be to drag out your film camera.

I had my k20 out for 6 weeks getting it repaired but...I still had my k10 and k100ds to work with. Best of luck - really.

[asdf]

I don't know. So I didn't vote. BTW, Pentax will announce a new camera in a couple of months. My guess is that the k-x has been more successful in the market than anything else they've produced in the last two years. Sony has been doing poorly in the DSLR market (worse than Pentax)... The corporate wheels will turn...

[VaughnA]

I just went to a K20D from a K10. Since you have the grip I'd just grab a K20D and then sell the K10D when it gets back from repair to recoup some of the cost if you can't wait. If you can waitn then do so and see what the new models bring. I like having the sealing, dual dials and top LCD of the K--D series.

If you get something else I'll gladly take the BG-2 as a gift for my wise and enlightened response;-)

[Lowell Goudge]

I voted buy the K20D over the K7D, even though when faced with a similar dilema in may, I bought a K7D.

Here's my logic

When I look at your lens list, everything is relitively new. OK you have an A 50mm F1.2, but that is the only MF lens and all the others are FA or newer designs.

In addition you have the BG and the grip and batteries are the same for both cameras.

The K20 also gives you focus adjustment if you need it, and for you that is pretty much the only benefit over the K10.

the other things the K7 gives you are marginal at best.

Now, on the other hand, while I have several really good zooms, (Sigma 10-20, 70-200F2.8 and tamron 27-75 F2.8) I also have a ton of manual focus K mount and M42 primes.

The K10D (and the K20 is similar in this respect) performs very badly indeed with Manual aperture lenses, and needs exposure compensation when I use a TC on the sigma 70-200.

As a result, when my K10 needed a nes shutter, although i sent it for repair (because it is still a very good camera) I went for a K7 instead of the K20 because I wanted not only the higher ISO capability, but also vastly iimproved metering which the K7 has. As opposed to -1 +2 stops of error with MF lenses on the K10, it is less than +/-1 stop on the K7, I no longer need exposure compensation with my sigma 70-200 F2.8 when using a TC and metering with my 300F4 and 1.7x AF TC is spot on as opposed to 2 stops out and no provision on the K10D for exposure compensation in manual.

each case like this is different and needs to be viewed on the basis of what you own in the system, and what you intend to do.

By the way, my argument assumes you can affortd to buy the new camera

[Bart]

... repaired in about 3-4 weeks...

As far as my experience goes, that's lighting fast.
So, what's the problem?

[MSM]

The K10D (and the K20 is similar in this respect) performs very badly indeed with Manual aperture lenses, and needs exposure compensation when I use a TC on the sigma 70-200.

As a result, when my K10 needed a nes shutter, although i sent it for repair (because it is still a very good camera) I went for a K7 instead of the K20 because I wanted not only the higher ISO capability, but also vastly iimproved metering which the K7 has. As opposed to -1 +2 stops of error with MF lenses on the K10, it is less than +/-1 stop on the K7, I no longer need exposure compensation with my sigma 70-200 F2.8 when using a TC and metering with my 300F4 and 1.7x AF TC is spot on as opposed to 2 stops out and no provision on the K10D for exposure compensation in manual....

LG: Thanks that is good to know. I have a K10D and still happy with it. But, I wondered if something happens to it whether the K7's metering might help out with the M42's more so than the k20. The batteries, familiarity use of my current grip, Katz eye screen and lower cost keeps me thinking about a K20, though.

[jimH]

Please put yourself in the following position:

You have the K10D with the very nice suiting BG2
and a few lenses e.g.:
DA 12-24mm f/4.0 ED AL
DA 16-45mm f/4.0 ED AL
FA 43mm f/1.9 Limited
A 50mm f/1.2
DFA 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Tamron 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DI II Aspherical IF Macro
DA* 300mm f/4.0 ED [IF] SDM

After > 30.000 attempts to create nice photos you can handle the K10D blindfoldedly.

Now it happens: your K10D loses the SR switch. you manage to talk to a very nice Pentax guy (after you have been blocked rudely by the very unfriendly outsourced german Servicecompany)who will have it repaired in about 3-4 weeks. And you have no other body to shoot with.

The SR lever broke off of my K10 and had it repaired locally by a non Pentax affiliated shop. Found out later that many other K10 owners had the same problem. Pentax knows that this is a problem, (if they want to admit it) poor quality control by a sub-contractor caused many of these switch levers to fall off. I'd lean on them for help in paying for the repair. It's worth a try, they might just help out.

[Ash]

K20D for the same logic as Lowell, and assuming that you need a replacement sooner rather than later.
You'll feel right at home with the K20D knowing the K10D so well.

[Lowell Goudge]

LG: Thanks that is good to know. I have a K10D and still happy with it. But, I wondered if something happens to it whether the K7's metering might help out with the M42's more so than the k20. The batteries, familiarity use of my current grip, Katz eye screen and lower cost keeps me thinking about a K20, though.

As I said, the consideration for upgrading to either K20 or K7 is a function of what you intend to do with the camera, what you have interms of lenses, spare batteries and grips, etc.

If yoou are using a K10 presently and have no reason to change, then I would suggest waiting completely until the next generation camera arrives.

as youo state, your accessories push you at present to a K20, but what happens when they come out with the next body??

It all depends. If your camera dies tomorrow, I think you go for a K20, but a year from now???

[arbib]

K20d- For higher Pixel count (recorded detail and cropping if needed), and higher clean ISO usage

K-x for Very Clean high ISO, if you use 800 and above often.

K7 if the newer AF and Exposure updates are needed.

[Reportage]

600 Euros for a K20D,,,

is that too little or too much?