Pentax K-7 initial impression

[mabelsound]

Just a brief report--I got the new Pentax yesterday. Should probably have waited for the price to go down, but I have never been satisfied with any DSLR, and this camera seemed to answer all of my complaints. I couldn't resist.

Overall, I must say that, so far, the K-7 is superb. IQ is identical to the K20D, which is fine by me. But it's smaller, more solid-feeling. AF is much faster, and the shutter is incredibly quiet. The menu system is hugely improved over the K20D, and the styling is reminiscent of some of Pentax's best film cameras, particularly the LX.

Overall, the feeling you get is one of tremendous responsiveness. There is no delay on the readout when you change ISO, shutter speed, or aperture. The new infrared focus assist lamp allows focusing in almost total darkness, and the new 100% viewfinder is clear and bright, the first Pentax VF as good as the LX's. A few buttons I would have put elsewhere, but I'll get used to that...there is now a 1/8000 shutter speed, and a bunch of new features, including an HD video mode, very nice live view, automatic horizon correction, improved (so they say) in-body stabilization, and an in-camera HDR feature I will probably never use.

Ultimately, though, all I care about, beyond IQ, is ergonomics and design--I want to feel, as I do with the LX or the Leica M2, that the tool is not resisting use in any way. This camera seems to have that feel. I still need to do some serious shooting with it, obviously, but all the little things that bother me about other DSLR's, including the K20D, are nowhere to be found.

If you need super-fast, silent AF and 12800 ISO, get a Nikon...but this camera feels very special to me, the first Pentax digital product with genuine character to it.

[FA Limited]

thanks for the report ... seems like the camera is getting favourable reviews everywhere

[bmattock]

I'm very pleased to hear it, but it will be a long while before I have a K-7. I'm content meanwhile with my K200D (still like my *ist DS, as well).

[freeranger]

I love pentax because, I feel, they have to try a little harder than the big two. Since the IQ is the same as the k20d, I'll be sticking with that for a while, but thanks for reporting that pentax are continuing with their streak of getting it right.

[charjohncarter]

Thanks for the review. I have the DL and the K10d, I should upgrade but I just don't use them much. I have 4 or 5 primes that fit my other film cameras, so I'm set there. I can't see myself changing from Pentax, maybe if FF comes along. I'm happy to hear that the upgrades are meaningful and not just more buttons for unused functions.

[ChrisN]

Thanks for the initial impressions. I'll be interested in hearing how it feels after three months of use. I'm especially interested in the viewfinder, as the LX VF is superior to any other camera I've handled - if the K-7 comes close to giving that feel I'm impressed. As it is I think I'll skip this generation - my K20D is still young and I'll be looking for some major, rather than marginal, improvements before I'll be tempted. My current priority is to secure each of the FA lenses I want before they go out of production.

[mabelsound]

I'm with you, I still want the 77 Limited. Someday, someday.

So comparing the LX and K-7 viewfinders side by side, I decalre the LX to still be the winner. They are more or less equally bright, though, with perhaps a very slight edge to the LX. The main difference is that the LX's is larger. But the K-7 really does have 100% coverage, and it is superior if you prefer shooting with glasses. It very much feels like a luxury finder.

[jky]

Got to check out the K7 today.... compact, nice VF, much faster AF than my previous Pentax (K10D) and... a very quiet & smooth shutter!
Loved that shutter. I'd say that the overall quality of the sound seemed quieter, if not just as quiet, as the M8 without the upgrade.
The shutter's smooth and well damped as well...
It's fine tool.

[fleetwoodjazz]

I used Pentax DSLR because of the FA limited lens and I still have these lens but only for my film camera.

I'm absolutely sure that the K-7 is a fine tool but had it been full-frame, imaging how formidable it can be with the 31mm for street, reportage work.

Starting from film, I found it very hard to used my favourite focal length on a APS-C camera. Of course, one can use wider lens to replicate the effect, but still...you'll never fully get what it used to be on films.

[mabelsound]

I'm fine with APS-C personally, bit would be very interesting to see Pentax enter the professional market with a FF camera. They would have to totally rewrite their lens roadmap though.

[mabelsound]

One other thing, the AWB is superb! Especially in tungsten light. Really impressive right out of the camera.

[zuikologist]

The K7 is very tempting but expensive in the UK - not far off US$1900. One day I will upgrade, but at the moment, the istDS still works fine.

[ZeissFan]

I like my K10D, but I always feel cheated when I put a 28mm lens on it to find that it's now in the 40mm neighborhood. I like the quality of its construction, the viewfinder, its ergonomics and image quality. I absolutely don't like the 1.5x factor.

[bmattock]

Originally Posted by ZeissFan

I like my K10D, but I always feel cheated when I put a 28mm lens on it to find that it's now in the 40mm neighborhood. I like the quality of its construction, the viewfinder, its ergonomics and image quality. I absolutely don't like the 1.5x factor.

I'm not a fan of wides in general, although they have their uses. I like having a very very fast (effectively) 75mm f/1.4 for peanuts and a 500mm f/5.6 telephoto that's not a mirror lens.

[mabelsound]

Yeah, I agree--I have really come around on APS-C. Full frame is always available to me on film, and I am really enjoying the Pentax 55-300, which of course is the equivalent of 450. Crop sensor keeps things small and light, and IQ is great.

[TKH]

APS-C is not a big problem for me.

With my K20D I love the small Limiteds.

The DA15 (~22mm) is perfect for me to shoot landscape, architecture and fun:




The DA35 (~52mm) is my all day lens, with nice macro plus:





For portrait and details the DA*55 f1,4 (~82mm) is a nearly perfect lens:











The K7 of a near friend is a fantastic camera. I like the small build very mutch. I think I will buy it in a year or two when prices cool down.
Rainer

[zuikologist]

TKH - very nice shots indeed. Is the last one with the 55mm? It seems to perform very well close up.

[fleetwoodjazz]

Yes, sure that APS-C is just fine and it shows in the pictures posted here.

But for a dual formats (digital-film) guy like me, what Pentax is doing is not so rosy . In fact I am slowly move to Nikon, it offers better warranty in terms of film.

[TKH]

Originally Posted by zuikologist

TKH - very nice shots indeed. Is the last one with the 55mm? It seems to perform very well close up.

Yes its with the 55mm. A great lens for details:








But I think Pentax mastermind Jun Hirakawa designed it for portrait. Look at the background. Its like painted:

[TKH]

Originally Posted by fleetwoodjazz

In fact I am slowly move to Nikon, it offers better warranty in terms of film.

Yes, Nikon is a big player in the DSLR marcet. But where are the nice primes under 100mm??
No one in the DSLR world is selling more sexy prime lenses than Pentax with the small Limiteds, I think.
In big and heavy zooms Nikon of course is better placed than Pentax.
But IMHO I dont want to carry around 5 to 10 kg camera stuff. So the new Pentax K7 has a place in my heart.

Rainer

[zuikologist]

TKH - I agree. A small and nimble DSLR is preferable for me, use in a similar way to an RF fil camera. I have the 21 and 40 Limited. I also like the FA35/2.0, which is full frame.

[zuikologist]

Originally Posted by TKH

Yes its with the 55mm. A great lens for details:








But I think Pentax mastermind Jun Hirakawa designed it for portrait. Look at the background. Its like painted:

Very nice. The first one is very 3D and the second does show off the bokeh.

[fleetwoodjazz]

Originally Posted by TKH

Yes, Nikon is a big player in the DSLR marcet. But where are the nice primes under 100mm??
No one in the DSLR world is selling more sexy prime lenses than Pentax with the small Limiteds, I think.
In big and heavy zooms Nikon of course is better placed than Pentax.
But IMHO I dont want to carry around 5 to 10 kg camera stuff. So the new Pentax K7 has a place in my heart.

Rainer

For you, the Limiteds are sexy but for me, only the FA Limiteds are sexy. I simply don't have money for "cropped lens".

I was searching for a 77mm as a gift to a friend and I realized how rare the FA Limiteds are now. I have a feeling that Pentax is gradually phrasing out these lenses so it is my best interest to move away.

I started learning photography with large format cameras so every bit of image circle counts. There's simply no way I will pay my money for the smaller image circle of DA Limiteds.

[zuikologist]

Originally Posted by fleetwoodjazz

For you, the Limiteds are sexy but for me, only the FA Limiteds are sexy. I simply don't have money for "cropped lens".

I was searching for a 77mm as a gift to a friend and I realized how rare the FA Limiteds are now. I have a feeling that Pentax is gradually phrasing out these lenses so it is my best interest to move away.

I started learning photography with large format cameras so every bit of image circle counts. There's simply no way I will pay my money for the smaller image circle of DA Limiteds.

That's a fair comment, but there are many reasonably priced full frame AF and MF lenses, and you only buy them once and of course they are image stabilised on the later Pentax DSLRs. However, the D700 is also very sexy machine with primes.

[amateriat]

Too bad I don't grok SLRs the way I once did; the K7 seems to hit a lot of right notes (100% VF accuracy, solid construction, small size, apparently very quiet, and a fair number of primes available). As dSLRs go, I like the sound of this one a whole lot. Were I in the market for one, I'd give this a very close look.

(Perhaps unrelated, but I noticed Adorama is selling the Olympus E-3, body only, for just under a grand...)


- Barrett