Combined with the 18-55mm WR obtained an all-weather, rugged and reliable combination. The image quality of the WR Kitzooms is perfectly okay. One should not perform direct comparisons with fixed focal lengths or the top lenses from Pentax. What for? If I want to shoot close-ups, I take a close-up lens for reprophotography or Low Light a fixed focal length, for wildlife photography a telephoto, etc., that's the meaning of interchangeable lenses. But for always-plan at all climatic conditions makes the cost push - not a good figure and disappointed - at a 35mm equivalent of from 27 to 83 mm.
If, however, one of the excellent Limited lenses at the K-30, she drives off in earnest. Due to the individual calibration capability of all user-specific data such as sharpness, contrast, color, etc., and even behavior of the adjustable in-camera Focus point each lens (if necessary), you get a stunning picture quality. Sitting shot after shot, no committee, no matter under what conditions. The K-30 is precise and reliable. With the 40mm XS - that's sharp, fast and good - can they even put in your pocket, because it is hardly larger than the Kx, which is considered Pentax smallest.
They are equipped with front and rear command dial, two individually to be assigned user settings on the mode dial, which invoked a button Pentax-Info menu, where you can adjust quickly with a look all functions, Multiple Exposure, Interval Shooting, elec. Water balance, fast Live View, GPS and of course the housing-internal image stabilization that works very well and with all the lenses are stabilized. The setting parameters do therefore happy. Well, the case is made externally - but optical and mechanical quality - plastic, which is built around the steel chassis. The mode dial engages a well, but with a certain soft Kunststoffhaptik. The K-5 has the higher quality housing, but you really have to grab II for K-5 in order to be on the cutting edge of the auto focus and pays twice a K-30th
After several other cameras like the Nikon D90, the Sony Nex 5N and the Olympus OM-D E-M5 - everything fine cameras, but always with me finally unacceptable weaknesses - I have arrived at the Pentax K-30 on a camera, which corresponds exactly to my needs. For outside and inside the right thing without weaknesses. Therefore I would highly recommend the K-30.