digital picture quality - is it the camera or lens?

[i speak in math]

Any pentax brand name lens will work. Any "for pentax" lens will work but look up the "ricoh pin". Some 3rd party lenses have this and can get stuck on the camera. You can always visit the pentaxforums.com and check out the lens review section. Every lens that works with pentax cameras is listed and reviewed.

[Mr Guy]

You find out which are better by looking here: Comprehensive Pentax Lens Listings - Pentax Lens Review Database

Lenses are an interesting mix. To really be an "expert" you end up learning crap like which lenses are really third party lenses that are rebranded (meaning, the Tamron lens it's based on is going to be virtually identical to the Pentax lens), or vice versa (many old Sears, JCPenny old lenses are actually made by Asahi Pentax back in the day, while others were made by Rikoh). You end up needing to just look up that specific lens.

Practically speaking, though, for shooting a wedding the answer is that your problem can be in both. You can work around almost any limitation with your camera or lens, so don't let it get to you too much. However, when you upgrade either, that rush of ease is hard to give up, and once you have it, the new features that are luxuries quickly become necessity.

Generally speaking here's what you can gain from improving the lens:

1) Reach
2) Speed (max aperture)
3) Picture quality

Here's what you'll trade:
1) Length
2) Weight
3) Cost

Here's what you can gain from improving the camera, again, generally speaking
1) Some speed (if the high ISO performance is significantly improved)
2) Ease of use, higher end cameras are just easier to use but have a higher learning curve, due to better menus, software, and physical controls
3) Resolution, which, keep in mind, is really a measure of how big you can make something from a reasonable distance NOT a measure of how close you can get.

Here's what you'll trade
1) Cost
2) Cost
3) Size

That said, don't buy a Pentax Body right now. Use what you have, buy lenses, if you'd like. But hang on to that body until after Photokina and the K-5 and K-r are released, then see which body is priced right to meet your needs. The K-200 is by all accounts a very solid camera, but I wouldn't shoot a wedding with those lenses.

Finally, the biggest bestest tip you'll need: CameraLensRentals.com - Canon, Nikon and Pentax Lens Rentals.

I love them. I love working with them. They are professional enough to be reliable, but small enough that changing things just takes an email reply to the receipt and saying, "Hey, my needs changed, can I do this instead" and they're great about working with you.

I shot my first wedding with a K-110D and two rented lens, and don't regret it at all. I personally, in my day to day life, would love to need a Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8. One of these days when I have children, maybe I'll talk myself into it. For now, I rent it, don't have to worry about it, charge my clients an extra $50 which they don't even notice, and have it for a 10 days to practice, do my shoot, play with it, then send it back.

They rent bodies, too, if you want to compare something for a weekend before you drop a lot of cash. I'm just saying, for me personally, they've bought me a TON of piece of mind for purchases and saved me easily $10K in lenses I've waffled on.

[mishmatta]

Mr Guy, thanks for the reply. I appreciate the input. I still want to get a second camera (eventually), but I think the best thing to do right now is upgrade the lenses. Even if I purchased a k20 (which is probably the direction I'd go in), I'd either get "body only" or a kit lens with it. So, bottom line, I need better lenses for whatever body I use.

So.............I have some homework to do! I need to learn about lenses and what makes a "kit" lens vs a decent lens. And what kind of lens is the most practical to add to my collection.

I'm looking at your links now - the rental one is good to know - wouldn't mind trying out some lenses maybe and seeing the result of the pictures.

You know, ebay has some older pentax lenses. Maybe those would be worthwhile to try. I'll check out your lens comparison link first to get an idea of what to look for.

Thanks!!!

[i speak in math]

Just to let you know, with the new Pentax K-5 and K-r cameras coming out, many people are selling off their old gear for cheap. Check out the pentaxforums.com for sale section (near the bottom) for good deals on clean equipment.