The question is: Are the lenses worth it? I happen to think they are.
They're actually a good *value,* even if they might be more expensive
initially. If they were dirt cheap, then there'd be no question at all.

A search on amazon.com shows me that I could buy a 6mp Pentax Optio for
less than $250. If you're Pentax, you can take that Optio, remove the
lens, add a K-mount, and you've created a camera that can use *any*
Pentax lens from the past 30 years. You could sell it for, like, $150.
In fact, it'd be really great if they did that. Total commodity bodies.
Scarcely bigger than the mount itself, just enough space for some AA
batteries, an SD card, and LCD screen (the shutter would be like a
point-and-shoot, and it would lack a viewfinder). I'd buy a dozen! Slap
'em on my lenses instead of lens caps. 6 megapixel lens caps.

Anyway...<g> The real workhorse is the lens. The body is a commodity
which supports the lens. The body is what people are upgrading more
frequently, and they do it so they have a better way to take pictures
with the lenses they already have.

I am still thinking that the K10D will gain many new followers as long as
the camera lives up to the brochure, it looks to be one hell of a package.

As far as the lenses go I think many buyers do not have a long list of
lenses that they need, indeed you can buy a K100D with a 18-200mm Sigma lens
(not the best package around but a good compromise that will be good enough
for a lot of people. With reasonable quality zooms being available from at
least four manufacturers that are certainly "good enough" and with a couple
of the lens manufacturers offering some very good and a few excellent lenses
I think the Pentax buy is well enough served. With a 12MP "Pro" camera
expected in 2007 I think that Pentax will increase their market share enough
to stay viable.

I know of a person that did have a preproduction K10D and the list of
superlatives he used was very long. Build quality was the best of any camera
he had ever seen, jpeg results were just stunning, support for DNG from the
camera is awesome, the SR system worked particularly well, 3fps till your
card is full, ergonomics were exceptional (it just felt right).

I did not say that Pentax "sucks."  I am a long-time Pentax aficionado, and
I derive no satisfaction from watching as they are sidelined by their
competition.

They do not have as complete a lineup as do Nikon and Canon.  They exited
the pro 35 market a decade ago, with the withdrawal of the LX.  Even their
biggest boosters are often at a loss to explain their marketing plans.  They
have gone from a leader to an also-ran.

I am grateful that I have so many of their excellent film cameras and
lenses, but I have no plans to commit my buying dollars to Pentax if and
when I add a DSLR.  They have made no mark for themselves in the digital
domain.  I would not be surprised if they became the next Minolta.

The digital photo business is being invaded by companies not known for
photographic excellence back in the film days--HP, Sony, Panasonic, Samsung
and even Casio.  There is not going to be room enough for all those
different vendors and their proprietary lens mounts.  And, like all
electronic gear, cameras are becoming commoditized.  Remember when Sony
introduced the Digital Walkman?  Now they are being produced by dozens of
no-name manufacturers.  Same for VCRs and DVD players.  Same for computers.
Same for pocket calculators.  Same for telephones.  Same for cell phones.
Comes a point where they all reach a common level of quality, and it really
becomes difficult for one brand to exhibit a competitive edge over the
others.

Digital cameras do not rely upon the quality of their lenses as much as film
cameras did.  Germany and later, Japan, established reputations for
excellence in optics.  Now, the optics can be mass-produced by machinery.  I
note that even the new Leica M8 features correction of lens distortion in
the electronics.  Not so different from PS and PSP's recently-introduced
feature of compensating for lens distortion and chromatic aberrations in the
editing software.

I just don't see where Pentax is blazing any trails in this new world of
electronic cameras.  I cannot think of any compelling reason to choose
Pentax over other brands right now.  They seem to be associated with amateur
users, not with professionals.

Even without the SR the K10D still looks like a better package, far better
ernonomocally than the Canons and way better priced than the Nikon.