Added: 2 years ago
From: NechakoRiver
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  • Hi is it still worth getting this or would the K-r be a better option, as it has newer technology?

  • @pooh1234567890

    If being weather sealed is something you would like, then the K-7 or K-5 would be a better choice. The K-r does a bit better at high ISO, but the K-7 has a better control layout. I really like the K-7 controls and I know I would be slower shooting with less external buttons. It really depends on what features are important to you. If you can, check them out in a store and see which feels better to you. The K-5 would be a good choice if it's within your budget. :)

  • hey! I usually use the same gear as shown in the video (K-7 with FA 50 1.4). This could be a really good camera if it hadn't 2 major flaws - big af points and poor IQ on higher isos. as the image quality problem is now fixed withe the K-5 there's still the seckond issue to go. i really hope that pentax will wor a lot on it's SAFOX and we'll see results in the next model.

  • @hangmann89

    I'm also looking forward to seeing the next Pentax DSLR. I like my K-7 enough that I'm not sure if the K-5 is worth the upgrade for me. I will be looking at the next version for sure.

    Last summer I bought the 16-50mm and 60-250 DA* lenses, so a new faster camera would be great.

  • can you recommend the smc 1.4, because I'm torn between that and the sigma offering...

  • @toodietoodieomg

    Yes I would, It is a great little lens.

    It is soft at f1.4 but at f2.8 it is nice and sharp plus the depth of field is easier to work with so I usually keep it around there. It is probably one of my most used lenses. The AF is very quick and doesn't hunt as much as my other favourite lens, the Tamron 90mm.

    I haven't used the Sigma so I can't help you there.

  • @NechakoRiver as for the aperture ring, does it make it so that when you look through the view finder you preview the aperture, or do the blades only work when the shutter is released?

  • @toodietoodieomg

    You don't see the blades when using the aperture ring. They move when the shutter is fired.

  • @NechakoRiver thanks for the help, do you reckon you could review the lens?

  • @toodietoodieomg

    I would but there isn't much to say about it. It is a bit soft at f1.4 and sharp at f2.8. It gives beautiful colours and bokeh, quick AF and good build quality. A solid choice in a 50mm lens.

    If you want to read other peoples thoughts, check out the lens database on PentaxForums.

  • wich is better the K-5 or the K-7?

  • @SUPERSS90

    I haven't used both but I would say probably the K-5. The K-7 was a totally new design from Pentax and as with many new designs, maybe still needed a little more refining. Some people don't like the high ISO performance on the K-7. Personally I have never had a problem with it but I try to not push the ISO too much anyways. If you know of a good deal on a K-7, I would have no problems recommending it. Check out Pentax Forums for lots of info on lenses and cameras.

  • @NechakoRiver Ty.

  • @SUPERSS90

    No problem!

  • Dont worry about the 'rambling'....its good to hear a pragmatic review from a real user....as for me, I'm a canikon user, for one reason and one only, the glass, and as we all know its the glass that matters. However thats not to say I would'nt like a week or so with the K7 or K5 just to be able to make my own mind up. Hey I may even go get one just for the testing.

  • @joebloggs55555

    Thanks for the comment. :)

    If you like small primes then Pentax is one of the best but their fast telephoto selection is sort of lacking. There are some really excellent older telephoto lenses from Pentax out there but their rareness and price make them not too readily available.

  • What was your old camera?  I am currently shooting with a K10d but some of the things with the K7 like better continuous focusing and improved burst mode are really appealing to me.

  • @vagabond197979

    I had a K100DS first. The difference in speed between it and the K-7 was huge. The only thing I missed at first was the SR switch on the back. You need to use the quick menu on the K-7, it takes a bit to get used to but now I don't mind at all.

    The K-7 is a good camera but the new K-5 should be even better.

  • @NechakoRiver K5 is really gooooooooood

  • @maximumdosile

    Yeah, I have heard good things about it and wouldn't mind trying one out.

  • Would you recommend this over the Canon 550d/T2i?

    Only reason I ask is because it seems this camera has a longer video clip length.

  • @AETrainingDavid97

    It depends on what you want, but yes I would. The K-7 is closer to a D300s or 7D.

  • @NechakoRiver Certainly seems nice; only thing I've heard bad is noise at a rather low ISO, but this can be taken out post if needed.

    Thanks for the fast response!

  • @AETrainingDavid97

    I haven't really run into any big problems with noise but I generally only go up to ISO 800 and occasionally 1600. Shooting in raw and and a little bit of pp gives good results.

    I have heard that the K-x does well at high iso. The updated version of the K-7, the K-5 should be coming out soon so you could check that out, or maybe pick up a K-7 on sale if you decide to go with it.

  • @NechakoRiver I have a lot of time to decide, so I may wait it out and see which is the best in the end ;)

  • @AETrainingDavid97

    That is a good way to go. You can also compare lenses and see if Pentax offers what you are looking for. If you haven't already, check out Pentax forums for lots of info.

  • @NechakoRiver I shall go and check :)

    Thanks for the info, I think I've now decided on this over the 550d.

  • @AETrainingDavid97

    Cool! Now you get to pick which lenses you want. That is the hard part! :D

  • @AETrainingDavid97 Frankly I preferred my Kx to the 550d...better in low light, hdr, in-cam processing, all manual functions handled by thumb and forefinger of right hand with eyes closed, stronger build etc

  • @chefpetey Unfortunately, I have already decided.

    I am pleased with the 550D/T2i, though I always wonder "What if" about Nikon and Pentax.

    Mostly, all that matters is good glass - and that, I have.

  • Have you tried using this with the 40mm Pancake lens?

  • @awesome87

    No I haven't, it is one that I really want to try out. 

  • I have the same equipment as you. A beautiful 50mm f/1.4 prime and the 18-55 WR. I'm a bit low on funds now but my next buy will be the 10-17 Fisheye lens. OVerall, the best prosumer out there, bar none.

  • @mitch0686

    The FA 50mm is such a great lens for the price. The only lens I use more is my Tamron 90mm.

    I know what you mean about lens funds. So many choices but not enough money. :)

  • Hi,

    So I was looking to buy my first DSLR. I have used them before though, and I want a quality camera that can last me a long time with plenty of room to improve my skills. I was looking at the Canon T1i (500D) the Nikon D90, and this pentax k-7. The Canon T1i is currently at $650, and i would love to stay under $850 for price, but is it worth it to spend the extra money to get the Pentax K-7? or even the D90?

  • @VxTran008

    Take a look at the lens selection of each brand and buy the one that has the lenses you want. I would also suggest looting at the Pentax K-x. The K-7 is aimed more at the D300 level.

    Pentax has lots of great short primes but the telephoto selection is not very big. What are you planning on taking photos of?

  • @NechakoRiver I don't really like the K-x, to me it seems toyish, and also really dont like the 2.7" 230k LCD on any DSLR. I dont have any specific idea of what kinds of photos i'll be taking, although I probably will not need a telephoto lens in the near future. Currently I think my best bet will be the Canon T1i given my spending constraints. Although i was attracted by how durabile and high quality the K-7 was, along with its more advanced features at a comparably low price.

  • @VxTran008

    The K-7 is a very nice feeling camera and it is a good deal in its price range. Finding a store with a good selection of lenses can be hard though. One of the nice features is that old Pentax film lenses can be used on it and will be stabilized. I will recommend the K-7 if you want a small durable camera and like compact prime lenses.

    Canon glass isn't cheap so also take that into consideration. The kit lens of any brand will only last you so long before you want something faster.

  • @NechakoRiver I think i'm going to wait for a little bit. If the Nikon D90 kit gets cheaper i would love to get it. Hopefully it will by the end of summer.

  • @VxTran008

    Waiting for a sale is a good idea. The D90 is a nice advanced entry level camera and will last you a long time.

  • @NechakoRiver also i hate the fact that the k-x uses AA batteries.

  • when it's on live view the battery drains super fast....

  • @weo1weo1weo1

    I haven't used live view much but the battery life while playing with the video function doesn't seen too bad. The battery has been great while shooting stills in regular and burst mode.

  • Nice review! Good to see K7 with a 50mm attached also

  • @koshakas

    Thanks, I love that little lens. :)

  • The kit lenses are pretty good quality and the WR is great to have. Eventually you may want to upgrade to faster, higher quality lenses but for now the kit lenses will be just fine.

    For portrait work I would look at a FA 77mm or DA 70mm. I use my Tamron 90mm macro for portraits.

  • I have a k20d and I just bought a flash(same as yours) Can you set a off camera flash without the on camera flash to fire?

  • Nope, it needs the on camera flash to fire the remote flash.

  • The Canon 550D has full 1080i recording and 18 pixels. I dont care about the video recording but is the recording good enough on the K7 and does it have enough pixels? I am only going be be having normal size photos but also blowing them up to A3 or A4 size. Does the K7 have enough pixels to do this?

  • I think the K-7 video looks great, If you check out my channel you can see some HD video I did with it.

    It will have more than enough megapixels to print that size of photo. I could easily print that large with my 6mp K100DS.

    Other cameras you should compare against in the same class as the K-7 are the Nikon D300s and Canon 7D.

    IMO, the Canon 550d and Nikon D90 are closer to the K-x.

  • Nikon D300's and Canon 7D is way out of my price range. Its not the types of cameras that I would use.

    Would you want 18 mega pixels? Are mega pixels important?

  • 18mp would be good if you wanted to do big prints.

    Check out dpreview for info and guides on how to pick a camera.

    If I was just starting out again I would get a K-x and spend more on a couple good lenses.

  • I was really looking forward to getting either Cannon or Nikon because they are the "best two" in the competition. Then I looked into this camera and it just bombs the competition. Its cheap, has everything you want and need and would use, and very nice specs. This camera is the one ill be getting.

  • Yep, Pentax really does make great cameras.

    Enjoy your new camera! :)

  • Comment removed

  • The Kx is a very nice little camera too.

    I posted a message about the lenses earlier, if you scroll down you should see it. Check out the Pentax Imaging web page for a description of all the other lenses.

    Sigma and Tamron also have a good selection of lenses available for Pentax. I have a Tamron 90mm macro and I'm looking at getting a Sigma 150-500mm.

  • So WR is for photo taking and FR is for shooting video with your K7? Is that correct?

    Also, Kx is nice but its to little. Also, the features are basic and I consider the K7 to be something I'd be shooting with for a much longer time. Also, considering I have a lot of lenses to choose from.

  • All of the Pentax lenses were made for photo cameras, you can also use the video function with any of them.

    WR is just added on to the name to indicate a sealed lens. DA and D-FA are built for the new digital cameras. DA Limited is for prime lenses. DA* lenses are sealed and use SDM focusing. FA lenses are compatible with the older film cameras but also work with digital.

    Then there are lots of old 35mm film lenses that you can buy second hand that will work with a new digital Pentax.

  • Good video, covered quite a bit of information without a script! :) good job.

  • Thanks :)

  • Awesome, mtb/bmx is exaclty what I would use it to shoot for mostly. You seem to live in Canada so how's the batterylife during the winter?

  • Battery life is awesome! I haven't had to think about it at all when I'm shooting.

    What I need now is a faster WR lens. I normally use the FA 50mm but something that can take some rain would be nice. The 18-55mm WR kit lens isn't bad but I like my primes more.

  • Hey, nice overview.

    Whats the difference between WR lens and FA lens?

  • WR means Weather Resistant. The DA* lenses are also sealed.

    The FA lenses were designed for the Pentax film cameras but also work well with the new digital versions.

  • I'm dying for this one. I got K-m and it doesn't really fulfill my needs in shooting oudoors and sports. I'm still quite new to the DSLR so it would feel like rushing if I buy this one already. Dunno what to do :P

  • It is so much better than my old K100d for shooting sports.

    The other day I was shooting a friend mtn biking in the pouring rain. At the end of the day the camera was soaking wet and had mud on it but it never missed a beat. It was pretty dark so I had trouble getting blur free shots but the AF was great at tracking the rider.

    I don't know how it compares with the K-m for speed but I'm sure you would love it. :)

  • That is a very nice camera! I will have to consider that one for sure!

  • I have been very happy with it. :)

    If you are new to the DSLR world, Pentax has some more affordable models that still have weatherproofing.

    This one runs about $2000 with the 18-55 kit lens and I would say it is geared towards people that have used a DSLR before.

  • Hey nice video!! I dunno what DSLR to get myself.. it either the D90, 500D, K-7, 7D(if i can afford) video is important. How is this camera? Hows the video? Theres a higher Res video than 720p right? but lower than 1080p :/ This camera is amazing with features/price. I was like :O!! My concern is the quality etc. Please give me your opinion!!

  • The video looks really nice but I'm not sure how it compares with the other cameras. It is 720p.

    I had an older Pentax that was considered a well built camera, but IMO the K-7 blows it away in quality feel and speed.

    Check out PentaxForums for lots of user reviews.

  • KK thanks! btw how do find the menus? This is a real nice camera SG$2000(without lense) here, 7D costing SG$2699 (without lense)($3200 w/18-135mm), 500D costing $1268 (18-55mm),D90 $1900 w/18-105 i really don't know wat to get :(

  • The menus are great and it has dedicated buttons for stuff that you switch often.

    I'm a fan of Pentax because they have in body stabilization and build cameras to be used outdoors. Not having to worry about rain is a big bonus for me.

  • how much did that run you? I would like to get one for my g/f because she likes to take pics of me fishing and my fish. Also is it UNDER water prof?

  • With the 18-55mm kit lens it was just under $2000cad. The price should come down in a few months, it was only just released.

    It is only resistant to rain or water that is splashed on it. The pressure underwater would get past the seals.

    To completely submerge it you would need a special dive casing.

    If you want, look at the Pentax K200D or K20D for a more affordable weather resistant camera.

  • You get what you pay for,, My Olypus was Excellent for $400USD really good value for a DSLR

  • True, while a more expensive camera gives more features you don't need to spend lots to get a great camera.

    I like Pentax because I think they offer a great camera for a good price. This is my second Pentax DSLR.

  • Comment removed

  • Also, just be aware that good high quality under water housings are very expensive, they can run for just as much as the camera is actually worth. So for a 1ds mk3 you're looking at almost $8,000 JUST for the housing. But there are cheaper versions out there, but I wouldn't want a cheap housing holding my camera.

  • I've got the Olympus 410 digital SLR which was the smallest best Value for money.. I think your one kicks ass on it :D the HD video is awesome

  • I took a look at one of those not too long ago, I thought it was a nice little camera.

    The HD video is great but using it really shows how much practice is required to actually film with a manual focus camera.

  • The benefits are worth it.. but yes.. it probably needs an Operator who is not the person in front of the camera. :)

  • sweet cam.

  • Thanks :)

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