David Barts ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) wrote: "So, should I even consider a K2 or KX?" Absolutely! I owned a KX and found that even when I wasn't using MLU, my prints seemed sharper because of the low vibration. The K2 adds autoexposure. Only the KX allows MLU in real time or with the timer. I sold the KX simply because I don't shoot enough "still life" shots to make it worth holding on to a manual-exposure camera.
"Is there anything in particular to watch out for with these bodies?" Make sure the aperture viewing window is aligned. I bought a KX where it was out of alignment. Metering can be off, too, after all this time. I learned this from the guy I sold mine to; I couldn't tell, because I routinely set out to overexposure my color prints for saturation and sharpness. The magnification (0.88x) is generous, but be prepared for a dim view. Also, as I recall, the KX lacks a split image focusing aid. I don't' know about the K2. Or should I just forget about it and spring for an LX? Big difference in price! For much less than a KX, consider a Ricoh XR-1 (manual-exposure only) or XR-2 or 2s (manual and autoexposure). Same magnification, 4 to 1/1000 second shutter (mechanical on the XR-1). You'll get MLU when using the spring-loaded timer, a very low-vibration body, a nifty built-in viewfinder blind, and access to an accessory winder (the XR Winder 1, 2 fps) that offers the nicest, most secure grip I've ever felt in a camera grip. I use an XR-2s (Sears KS Auto) as my outdoor ISO 100 camera. Like the KX, the Ricoh XR-1/XR-2 bodies use a trapped needle. But the Pentax has a cool trick up its sleeve that the Ricohs lack: The needle floats to indicate changes in lighting, even when you're not partially depressing the shutter. Also, the KX meter is sensitive to 1/3 stop; the Ricohs, 1/2 stop.
