I'm thinking of getting a digital SLR to replace my OM4Ti stuff (2 bodies, loads of great lenses), the one thing that I'd really like is a lense equivalent to my Zuiko 90mm f2 macro, really fast and a good focal length for taking the kind of shot I need (trees, fruits etc)

Any guidance appreciated.

Any offers on the Olympus gear welcome

A friend of mine has a Sigma 50mm f2.8 1:1 macro lens that he uses on his Canon dSLR camera and he has got some good results:

http://www.esses.co.uk/macro0406/

They look good to me, still think I'd need a longer lense. It's not that easy to get that close to tree flowers.

Looks like they do a 105mm version, should do me fine. Shame the closest focussing distance is only 31cm though (same as Nikon and Canon equivalents), I'm sure my Zuiko focusses nearer than that, and it's f2

Now what about the body, are there any huge leaps in tech about to happen?

Keep in mind that with most D-SLRs, you've got the crop factor, so a 55mm macro lens has the field of view that you originally expected from an 83mm lens or thereabouts. That said, the ultimate macro lens may well be the new Nikon 105mm VR (although Ken Rockwell doesn't recommend it, it seems that he got bad copies to play with).

In terms of camera bodies, the rumor mill is busy, as always. Photokina (the big trade show) will start on September 26. You can expect a rash of announcements to start a week or two before the show.

Not fast but cheap and good optical quality (not really build quality) is the Phoenix 100mm f3.5. Available in most AF mounts. Really an excellent lens for $150 or so.

I need fast, the UK is not renowned for sunny weather and I don't want to be lugging a tripod round, the shallow depth of field is also a benefit for me.