Pentax is also expected to have a new 10MP camera with IS in the body by the
end of this year, I plan on buying one of these to use with my DS, hard to
go past the ergonomics and useability of the Pentaxes IMHO! :-)

Have you considered waiting for the Pentax 645D?  Or, at the other
end, getting a high-end non-SLR digital?

I very much doubt that "cheapies" will approach 6x7 quality in two-to-
three years.  To even approach that sort of resolution for a 24x36mm
sensor will require top quality glass manufactured to state-of-the-art
tolerances.  That's never going to be cheap, even if the sensor cost
dropped to zero.

With an APS-C or a 4/3rds format dSLR, you'll hit the diffraction
limit at either f/8 or f/11 before you match your Mamiya and Velvia.

Although I'm a Nikon user, for a temporary solution I think either
Canon or Pentax might be better for you.  Canon has shown a willingness
to bet on a 24x36mm sensor that Nikon has not, so it may get close
to 6x7 quality faster than Nikon.  While either the Pentax or the Nikon
will let you use some of the bargain-priced manual focus glass that's
out there, the Pentax gives you far more functionality when using it.

Agree. The 350 is a total disaster and it amazes me that anyone that picks
one up actually parts with the money.

I'd have sworn the XT was designed for women's hands, or perhaps the
Asian market.
I saw some poor guy with large hands trying to use one in a camera
store when it
just came out, it was pretty sad.