being blind is the only excuse for not getting this.

LOL @ #1. Great deal on a great camera.

lot of camera guys ive talked to tell me to stray away from pentax as a brand even if this camera is that good. i been interested in it for a while, but most people say if u wanna be safe stick with canon or nikon. im a bit torn...

own it. love it. canon's IS within the lens is a superior system, but not all lenses have it. this camera has it in the body, so it works with all lenses. it's a tradeoff. this camera is outperforming Canon's current budget DSLR cameras. Pentax lenses going back to 1975 have used the same type of mount, so you also get a lot of lens compatibility. I would normally recommend Canon. they make great cameras. but I prefer to recommend the better product/deal, which this is.

#3 Don't listen to those camera guys. What does "safe" mean? Pretty much all DSLRs across all brands (perhaps except Sigma) will perform well, it's mostly a question of which features you want. Different brands will have some different strengths, but Pentax's is bang for buck.

Read some reviews to get perspective, but for entry level dslr, none of the other brands can touch this in value.

For the beginner DSLR user, I dont think there is any Canon or Nikon that out perform this for the price. For a serious photographer who is willing to shed some good cash, I would recommend a Canon or a Nikon. But for others, I would recommend this without any doubt as I have already for many. This one has some features, even some pro level Canon's does not have.

#3 those guys are just jealous they have to spend so much on lenses and batteries..

Having the Pentax body, means you can use even older pentak k or ka mount manual lenses and still retain the IS since its in body. Prime lenses can be had fairly cheaply.

Add in SD and SDHC card support, not to mention AA batteries. Screw buying a charger and battery for each device you own. Yeah I want the Canon or nikon name just so I can have another charger that only charges one type of battery for one device. With AAs, my gps, p&s camera and dslr share the same battery and charger.. And can use throwaway batteries if the need arises.

Wish I had the need for this, buy my K100d does all I need.

I just paid this much for a Canon point and click. It sounds like a good deal.

While this is a good deal, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ REVIEWS on CameraKings. They have been investigated by the Better Business Bureau. After you order from them there reps call you at home and attempt to sell you additional items you don't need or convince you that without these items your product will not work. There have even been reviews indicating additional unwarranted charges on peoples' bills. I strongly encourage you to google reviews on them before buying. There are very few positive responses. I was shocked. I'd rather pay 20-30% more for the peace of mind.

I'm in for one. They take paypal.

#7 Regarding batteries, I was very much on the AA bandwagon, now I'm about 50/50 between that and proprietary lithium rechargeables. I've found that the lithiums will hold their charge much longer, operate camera functions at higher voltage (quicker focusing), and generally take more pictures per charge. With NiMH, eventually one in your set will go bad, so you have to find which one and purchase more from time to time, and if you've left your camera on the shelf for a while, there won't be much juice left. With the AAs, you'll want a *good* charger like a Lacrosse BC900, but once you have it, it's good for all time. In the end, usage habits will determine which battery system works best. I'd LOVE to see standardized lithium rechargeables that would work across brands and devices.

#9 Agreed. While this is a good deal, I've found it's best to just disregard anything camera-related not from BHPhotovideo, Adorama, or Buydig/Beachcamera. Places like Amazon or Newegg are fine too, although not principally camera shops. Paying $15-20 extra for prompt processing and not being hassled by some d!ck on the phone is worth it.

# 11, Lacrosse BC900x charger will be melted if battery is overcharged. Btw, I got no problem with....Adorama, or Buydig/Beachcamera. Also this camera got 720p not 1080p video recording.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/B00077AA5Q/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_0?ie=UTF8&index=0