Due to some unplanned events in recent weeks, not only has my saving program for a K-R been interrupted, but I had to spend part of the money I'd been saving. So I now have a couple of months more to get back to near purchasing point.

But I've been tracking the progress on the K-R's focusing problems as well as I could, and I don't think Pentax has come up with a fix, yet. While photography under incandescent lighting, and very low lighting, probably aren't my usual customs anyway - I've been wondering how it might affect another aspect of photography that I certainly will be doing.

That is - using M42 and other Film-SLR era lenses with the body I do buy. Due to limited finances, using such has been my plan, and I already have a few - Takumar, Tamron, and a couple of K-mount Sigmas, 100-300mm and 28-80mm - not brilliant, but will fill-in while I'm getting a Takumar or K-series 300mm f/4, etc.

However, a couple of things I've read seem to suggest that the K-R type viewfinder is rather "dark" for the old SLR lenses, and can need a change to 'split-prism', whatever that does - sounds complicated and as if it'd void the Warranty (I'll be getting the Warranty with a couple of years extension, if I get a K-R.)

So instead - might another body actually be more suitable for my intended uses? My purposes are just hobby and learning to increase my so-far P&S only abilities. Video, HD or not, isn't needed (I already have a camera that does as much Std and Full HD video as I'm interested in doing.)

Might a low-actuations K20D be a good buy, and work better with the old lenses - I think the viewfinder setup is diferent from the K-X / K-R bodies...?

I've recently seen fairly low actuation K20Ds being sold by "good reputation" sellers on Pentax forum (one in Melbourne) - for under AUD$600.00.

Then I'm pulled back to "being sensible" by thinking of a new K-R having 3 years of Australian Warranty on it...

I suspect that a pro-level camera like a K20D wouldn't be low-cost to repair if anything did go wrong. But if it would be "very much better" with the old lenses, that might be worth it.

So - any thoughts from you much more experienced folk would be greatly appreciated - particularly those using Takumar or K and M series primes - which are in my plan for being able to obtain good-optics lenses affordably. As I'm not now as steady as I once was, much of my uses will be with tripod.

Dave.