K7, the "me too" camera...

<p>I'm frankly surprised at only 5 fps, if that spec is indeed correct. 3.5 fps cooled my ardor for getting a K20D. Could the grip also be a voltage booster that improves the frame rate? Have to say my LX Motordrive seems to crawl at 5 fps, compared to the 8 fps of my two F5's, and my D300 at 6 fps without the MB D10 grip and 8 fps with it. It's one of those things that you don't know what you've been missing until you you've used it. But it's certainly a significant advantage for wildlife, action, and sports to have a 60% or greater improvement in frame rates. It may be a sticking point for some if Pentax tops out at 5 fps when other pro and semi-pro brands offer considerably faster.<br>

Incidentally, not everyone machine guns, aka "spray and pray" at these higher frame rate speeds. The mirror recovers faster for the next shot-- this can be the difference between getting one decent shot or two of a fleeting subject. The subtleties between one frame and the next are often the difference between a great shot and a merely good one.</p>

<p>Michael, I am glad you refreshed my memory about the 3:2 Aspect ratio ... sort of forgot that it was all about that and not about the sensor!<br>

One thing for sure I like about this new K7 is that we still can continue using the "old" lenses and all of the third-party ones made for K mount. Let us hope Pentax will continue the trend with all future releases, be it K30D, K8 ... etc. <br>

Ivan, I thought you had switched to Nikon a while back? (read that in one of your previous postings) Do you still own Pentax products or are you completely converted to Nikon? Would that new K7 appeal to you at all, considering all of the improvements?<br>

Cheers.<br>

JP</p>

 

 

<p >Miserere Mei wrote:</p>

 

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<p>Robin, why don't we go have a beer after work and chill out? :-)</p>

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<p>Hey, I am drinking beer... Paulaner at the moment.</p>

 

 

 

<p > </p>

<p >Paul Wilkins wrote:</p>

 

 

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<p>Robin, worry not, here are the latest specs...<br>

Soul: Yes. (To be set via Custom Function)</p>

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<br /> LOL!

<p>Oh, and one more thing .... What's that F1.0 showing in one of the pics of the K7 ???</p>

 

ouch, didnt notice the bracket button was gone, so they added iso to appease the reviewers and magazines, but dropped bracketing which i use all the time. actually the autobracket on the k20d (brought back from the pz1p) is amazing. i bracket a lot for hdr and for digital gnd filters. i just pray i dont have to menu dive every time i bracket . believe it or not that actually could be a deal breaker for me. ironic, almost the perfect camera killed because of the stupid iso button that was perfectly easy to use on the k10/20!

<p>From the camparative pictures, doesn't look like nuch. But I can say from my experience, the K20D's difference of near 1/2 inch of width and 1/3 inch in height over the K200D has made a substantial difference as to which commonly available space each will fit into or not fit into. And the handling feel is different. Actually, the K200D has an unusually deeply formed grip, which is very helpful for grasping, especially for larger lenses on a smaller body.</p>

<p>Hmm. The auto bracket control! Yes, I don't get it. The OK plus dial does well for setting ISO, but not as obviouis in your face- something one has to get used to.. The PZ-1p was indeed a great camera design. </p>

<p>Perhaps tomorrow complete specs for the K7 will be listed on the Pentax website, along with the official announcement.</p>

<p>In movie mode there is an electronic level...can we have one in the VF for still mode please, Pentax? (see <a href=" .)</p>

<p><a href=" adjustment"</a> , this must be that moving sensor that was rumoured. What this will be useful for, I'm not sure. Will shift lenses be history? How about a "tilt sensor"? I would fork out good money for <em>that</em> camera!</p>

<p>Bracketing is indeed <a href=" a menu</a> . I've heard rumours Pentax will call it <em>the Justin Menu</em> . Interval shooting and HDR are on the same menu.</p>

<p><a href=" select option</a> . The grip can take AAs, but can it take the proprietry battery too? I doubt the camera can take AAs, but there's a useful idea just waiting to be implemented :-)</p>

<p><a href=" option #32</a> , one of my favourites.</p>

<p><a href=" camera mount is still crippled</a> , while the new DA WR lens has a slight Sony vibe to it.</p>

<p>You guys thought we were excited? There is already a Flickr group for the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/pentax-k-7/pool/">New Pentax K Model</a> . A nice selection of photos. I especially like the first one, with the flash up; it seems a lot taller than my K10D flash. Or maybe it's just happy to see me.<br>

<a title="k7-3" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brendan-bhagan/3544325120/" title="k7-3"><img title="k7-3" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3654/3544325120_20f21bb94a_o.jpg" alt="k7-3" title="k7-3" width="543" height="512" /> </a><br>

Anybody want to guess what lens is on <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/brendan-bhagan/3543516471/in/pool-pentax-k-7/">this photo</a> ?</p>

<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/szoboti_tamas/3515528698/in/pool-pentax-k-7/">Best spy pic <em>ever</em> </a> . <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/szoboti_tamas/3514739313/in/pool-pentax-k-7/">Sexiest camera pic</a> .</p>

<p>And now I'm off to bed. (Pentax really should be paying me for this...)</p>

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<p>Perhaps tomorrow complete specs for the K7 will be listed on the Pentax website, along with the official announcement.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>What do you mean "perhaps"? It's fo' sho'! <a href="http://www.pentaximaging.com/">8:33:21 left...</a></p>

<p>Now I'm <em>really </em> going to bed.</p>

<p>PS: Anybody noticed I am back to 3 canisters? Wonder why...</p>

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<p>And now I'm off to bed.</p>

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<p>Hmmm, I though all you east coast folks went to sleep at 3:00am?</p>

<p>Guys ... get a good night sleep and see what's in store tomorrow.<br>

I'm hitting the hay too!<br>

JP</p>

<p>Ooops ... before retiring ... one question:<br>

Why is my AF now quite slow on the K20D, coupled with a DA*300 ??? I have just upgraded to the new firmware version recently. Would that have anything to do with it?<br>

JP</p>

<p>I have enjoyed your posts, Mis! Have a good night.</p>

<p>If I really needed 8 fps I guess I'd be shooting Nikon too. I met a pro once who made his living shooting car races and needed that. Myself, I rarely use even 3 fps. I have been using my Pentax stuff for fast hockey, getting many good shots with puck in mid-air, etc and its good enough for me. 5 fps will be quite adequate for my needs. But people have different needs.</p>

<p>Justin, I notice what appears to be a new drive mode button on the back. Maybe a quick access including bracketting options? We will just have to wait and see.</p>

<p>JP, per a recent thread, there seems to be a full or low battery charge issue with SDM. This could be it. I also have that lens, and used it about 2 weeks ago after having installed the firmware update. Have not noticed a problem, but tomorrow I'll give that a try. My K20D battery has not been charged in quite some time. </p>

<p>I'm ordering another K20D. One will wear 21/3.2 full time, the other will risk dust changing lenses. Lightroom/CS can squeeze more from K20D files than I've learned so far...hell of a good camera...I'm sure good photographic craftsmanship can beat Pentax's engineering/marketing..</p>

<p>I might be able to solve the autobracket issue. USER MODE.</p>

<p>I have to check, but I am pretty sure you can set it to bracket. Actually, this is what I used my user more for on the PZ1P, it was my bracketing mode.</p>

<p>Not ideal, but I'll just set it to 5 shots at 1EV interval as a default and it should be good enough. I suppose I will menu dive to fine tune it for HDR .</p>

<p>The in camera HDR feature is the biggest gimmick ever, oh how I can't wait to start seeing tons of bad HDR posted to the web. At least now you need to buy/borrow/steal some software to give it a go, and there is still a 100:1 ratio of bad to good HDR floating around cyberspace. HDR is the modern equivalent of the wide angle lens. Everyone loves it for a while, then they realize just because it was new to them, didn't make the images any better to the rest of us! (yeah, bad HDR is a thorn in my side). <br /> <br /></p>

<p>I wish there was a custom button somewhere on there.</p>

 

<blockquote>I wish there was a custom button somewhere on there.</blockquote>

<p>It is essential. User mode has yet to work for any setting I wanted to make sticky. And it's not the same as providing quick access to a toggle mode.<br>

Bracketing is gone from the body but we have ISO (again... OK worked fine for me), image mode (will never use as I shoot RAW) and info. Three useless buttons. I do however agree with SR being off the camera. Yep, we need a custom button or the full flexibility to override some of the others. That way we can all have our favourite function near to hand.</p>

<blockquote>The in camera HDR feature is the biggest gimmick ever, oh how I can't wait to start seeing tons of bad HDR posted to the web.</blockquote>

<p><strong>Start</strong> seeing this? There is so much already I doubt it will make a dent.</p>

<p>Looks like Pentax USA changed their mind and set the clock back 3 hours. Or maybe they couldn't do their math right in the first place? 10:00 ET (15:00 GMT) is THE time. <a href="http://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-news-rumors/60815-official-specifications-k-7-german.html">Unless you're German.</a></p>

<p>I'm off to the gym...so see you then!</p>

<p>Jacques Pelletier,<br>

I started out with a Pentax ME bought new in 1977 and I stayed with Pentax until about 4 years ago. (My migration to Nikon gear was as much due to the upper tier ED lenses being so much more ubiquitous and available. The 200-400 VR-G was the hook.) I'm spread across several systems and formats now. 35mm and 645 film Pentax, 35mm film and APS-C Nikon, 60 year old Meridian 4x5 technical field camera.<br>

My continued interest in Pentax 35mm gear is based on LX bodies and several primes that I built a career upon, some of which still keep ticking along. Not to say they're not quirky-- I've had to engineer some flash cord workarounds, and have done some body repairs and a lot of Motordrive LX surgery to keep them going. It's worthwhile only because the LX system has unique advantages like a dialable frame rate for nighttime remotes where animals trigger the flash-lit shot by tripping a sensor (Even when using fast recycling Quantum Turbo 2x2 battery packs, there's the need to adjust the speed to match the flash recycling). Too, an LX body with the twisty R/A finder (FB-1 + FC1) is unmatched for low angle and macro portraiture. I've got a system built around the 100mm SCM-A f/2.8 Macro that includes an on-axis pivoting macro rail (Nikon PG-2) that's pretty slick.<br>

Have to say that Pentax bringing out something along the lines of a digital LX is intriguing. Awaiting the K7 with baited breath.</p>

<p>Looks like Pentax USA changed their mind and set the clock back 3 hours. Or maybe they couldn't do their math right in the first place?<br>

________________________</p>

<p>No, MM, I believe they may have underestimated the response they'd get with this because I was able to access their site about 7:30 a.m. CDT US; haven't been able to get back in at all for the past hour. It just sits there, "loading"........ but never does. So I'm pretty sure they're being overwhelmed with site traffic. That's a good thing, BTW.</p>

<p>Pentax Canada works:</p>

<p>http://www.pentaxcanada.ca/digital/digital_slr/k-7/index.php</p>

<p>Found an initial review here, too.</p>

<p>http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/K7/K7A.HTM</p>

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<p>Pentax Canada works:</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Not anymore :-)</p>

<p>We're a needy bunch, us Pentaxians.</p>

<p>Still can't get into pentaximaging.com, either. Now it says "Service unavailable". </p>

<p>Wow. Just....wow.</p>

<p>"The in camera HDR feature is the biggest gimmick ever, oh how I can't wait to start seeing tons of bad HDR posted to the web"<br>

First thing I thought was "groan...now I'm going to have to vote off tons of badly HDR'd PPG images" :-P</p>