Obviously the MZ 5 is another cuttle of fish, with a body basically made of plastic, but taking into account what has always been Pentax philosophy, you can be sure it is worthwhile what you paid for it.I mean the quality/price ratio in Pentax is fairly better than at some of the so-called photography giants
Earlier up on this thread I mentioned I noticed the increasing prices of Pentax equipment, particular in the used lenses department. What I really like about (the old) Pentax is exactly what you mentioned - the quality/price ratio. The K-mount forward/backward compatibility is a huge added bonus. With recent interest in Pentax equipment and an increase in demand for Pentax gear, I suspect this ratio may no longer be as favourable as before.