Last update 29 October’09 – Review and Sample Photos @ LetsGoDigital
Pentax K-7 announced on May 19, 2009 is a 14.6 megapixel sensor shift stabilized DSLR that features 720p/1080i HD video recording, magnesium/steel alloy body, 3 inch LCD, 1/8000th shutter speed, dust removal system, HDMI output, dedicated ISO button, distortion and chromatic aberration correction, adjustable dynamic range highlight and shadow correction, 3-shot in-camera HDR capture, camera dimensions are 131 x 97 x 73 mm (5.1 x 3.8 x 2.9 in) and it weighs no battery: 670 g (1.4 lb) with battery: 750 g (1.6 lb).
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Review Index – (updated 29 October’09)
LetsGoDigital
“This camera is a real pleasure to work with. It has a fine shutter sound, and it is able to hold up under rain and sand storms. This is a unique camera with many setting options and one-of-a-kind features. Serious photographers will want to take a serious look at it . While not perfect, it is an extraordinary piece of photographic gear.”
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LuminousLandscape
“I don’t have a lot to say about the K7’s image quality or its overall appeal. It’s a competent camera and does a lot of things well and not too many poorly. Image quality is fine, but not exceptional, and maybe a bit noisier than some. The camera isn’t compelling for any reason. Almost every aspect of the camera is competent, and there are only a few failings. But it also doesn’t really excel at anything. It isn’t the fastest, the sharpest, the highest resolution, the smallest, the lightest, the fastest focusing, or have the fastest frames rates.”
CNET.uk
“The Pentax K-7 is a great camera, but you’ve got to find some decent lenses to go with it. Don’t forget that, for roughly the same price, you can get the Canon EOS 50D, and, if you up your budget, you could be looking at the Nikon D300S.”
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DPReview
“The Pentax K-7 manages to combine superb build quality, comprehensive customization options, excellent ergonomics and an extensive feature set with (for a camera in this class) very compact dimensions. This makes it a more than viable alternative for those (but not only for those) who like to work with semi-pro equipment that still leaves some space in the gear bag.”
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DCResource
“Despite a few flaws — most of them being easy to work-around — the Pentax K-7 is an excellent digital SLR, offering features normally found on cameras two or three times its price. Heck, some of the K-7’s features won’t be found on any other camera. While I doubt that folks with a lot of money invested in other D-SLR systems will be jumping ship for the K-7, owners of Pentax cameras or those just starting out will be lining up to get their hands on this camera, and well they should. The K-7 is a great camera for enthusiasts, and it easily earns my recommendation.”
WhatDigitalCamera
“The K-7 is, without a doubt, the best DSLR that Pentax has ever produced. It’ll please existing Pentax users who may be looking for faster performance, better autofocus or even a fairly solid movie mode to add to the fray. Image quality suffers noise in the upper echelons of ISO sensitivity, keeping it from producing class-leading images – though overall images are very good. The kit lens is no better than standard too, with slightly less than sharp images – a shame given the excellent resolution.”
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TheOnlinePhotographer
“There are custom image modes and digital filters that control how the JPEG engine processes images. The K-7 can process raw images in-camera and convert them to JPEGs. It also offers HDR image capture, HD movie capture, and dynamic range adjustment. The list goes on and on. This makes reviewing every available feature a formidable task; one I’m frankly not up to. Suffice it to say that the K-7 seems adaptable to all but the most extreme shooting styles and preferences.”
Trusted Reviews
“The Pentax K-7 is a superb camera, and really puts the cat among the pigeons at the top of the APS-C DSLR market. It has rugged weatherproof build quality, superb handling and offers every creative feature you could possibly want and more besides. Performance and image quality are a match for anything else in its class. It’s a tempting package for any keen amateur or semi-pro.”
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Crunch Gear
“A few things that I wish were different based on my initial hands-on with the K-7 that others may or may not agree with. The 3-inch LCD is bright and the viewing angles are tremendous, but like any other LCD, it smears from body oil and it’s a pain in the butt to clean. How about an oleophobic screen? It makes perfect sense, right? Easy to clean and I doubt any photographer wouldn’t want one. An AF-L function would have been righteous, too. AF in movie mode would have been the killer feature on the K-7.”
Imaging Resource
“Overall, the Pentax K-7 is a very high-quality digital SLR camera, offering a lot for its relatively low price. This is a camera you can learn and love, one that might spoil you forever from using another brand because its special features are so well thought out. We knew when we first held it and took our first pictures with it.”
DPExpert
“This is another fine DSLR from Pentax. We liked the lens for its optical qualities and also for its smooth mechanical feel. The camera is robust and confidence-inspiring. Images are consistently well exposed, although default saturation is a little high. The RAW files are produced in Adobe’s universal DNG format which means you don’t need any conversion utility other than Adobe Camera Raw, which is free. Highly recommended to anyone serious about photography.”
Pocket-lint
“The camera’s new kit lens is suitably sharp and benefits from the weather sealing; I used the 18-55mm kit zoom for this test and performance is very good, but in the final analysis, what we have here is a camera that is well made, provides a stunning array of features, has superb build and styling and is perfectly suited to the market into which it is pitched.”
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Neocamera
“Image quality is very good with generally low noise and high details. Color accuracy and white-balance are impressive and extremely flexible, as are image parameters for detailed control over the way images are captured. The K-7 is also a fast and responsive camera.”
PhotoReview
“Don’t buy this camera if – You’re upgrading from a digicam and want a simple DSLR camera – You want autofocusing while shooting video clips – You require fast autofocusing and focus tracking in Live View mode – You require superior high-ISO performance.”
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InfoSync
“The Pentax K-7 proved to be the company’s best performer yet as far as still image quality was concerned. We used the included Pentax Digital Camera Utility 4 to process our RAW images into the highest quality JPEG files with no image adjustments, so what you see is straight from the camera. “
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TechRadar
“Look through the viewfinder and you’re rewarded with an image that shows 100 per cent of what will be recorded by the sensor; you get 100 per cent coverage in Live View too. Speaking of Live View, this works with Contrast Autofocusing and also has a Face Detection AF mode. We found focusing in Live View was twitchy in anything other than perfect conditions, so it pays to check that the image is sharp before moving on.”
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PhotographyBlog
“Overall Pentax are onto a winner with the K-7, especially if the sensor change in the final, final version improves the noise levels at the higher ISO speeds. Current Pentax owners can be delighted that the best ever Pentax DSLR is has (almost) arrived, with the K-7 being a natural upgrade for both the Km and K20D.”
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Wired
“Speedy 5.2 frames per second. Super sturdy construction. Lots of pro features at a prosumer price. Improved battery life and 100 percent field-of-view viewfinder. Faster, more robust processor. Live View with contrast focus and face detection. Shoots 5.2 frames-per-second with shutter speed up to 1/8000. The 77-segment metering system and 11-point AF system are quick and spot on. Internal mechanical shake reduction.”
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ePhotozine
“I’m so impressed with the K-7 that I think this is one of the most exciting cameras released this year. I think this could rival the Olympus E-620 which I’m tipping as one of the best DSLRs ever made.”
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Adorama (In Camera HDR)
“In-camera HDR with the Pentax K-7 is impressive, and certainly takes a lot of the computer gruntwork, stress, frustration and reward out of the High Dynamic Range process for many a scene with a very high contrast ratio. Overall the process is very painless, and there are many practical applications where the end result is what matters most–not the process.”
Hdrlabs (First HDR Camera)
“Please, Pentax make this camera a little less smart! Why disable RAW shooting when in HDR mode? No need to make up your own 32-bit file format, just save the merged HDR images as EXR files (before tonemapping)! And in an instant you made this camera 100% more professional.”
Pocket-lint (First Look)
“It’s fair to say that the camera is feature-packed. When we first saw the initial release, we compared it to the 500D and the D5000, as the video element threw us a little, now we’ve had a good chunk of time to play with the Pentax K-7 and talk to the chaps at Pentax in the UK, it’s is fair to say that this DSLR is gunning for higher ground – i.e., the D300 and 50D.”
Ok 1000 Pentax (Hands-on Preview)
“I found the K-7 to be delightful to use (and quiet!) and I only wish that I had the chance to post-examine the pictures we were taking. However, this was an engineering sample, so I expect that Pentax was still looking to make improvements on overall image quality before it ships at the end of July.”
Demystifying Digital (Hands-on Preview)
“Though I can’t pass any official judgment on the still images or the video quality because of the camera’s pre-production status, I have to say I was impressed with what I saw even from this early version of the K-7.”
DPReview (Hands-on Preview)
“So here we have the K-7, Pentax’s latest enthusiast/semi-pro level DSLR. And a handsome creature it is, too – gone is the K20D’s slightly pudgy utilitarianism, to be replaced by a sleek, pared-down elegance. But it’s not just on the outside that things have changed: although the megapixel count remains the same, just about everything that matters has been replaced, revised or spruced-up.”
Imaging Resource (Hands-on Preview)
“The new K-7 sports a magnesium-alloy chassis, and more extensive environmental sealing than ever before. (77 seals on the body, 43 on the optional battery grip.) Combined with the new, cost-effective weathersealed lenses, the Pentax K7 offers a level of environmental protection normally only seen in high-end pro SLRs.”
Owner Feedback
Every once in a while I get a product that is “just right”. The first VW Rabbit, a Taylor Guitar, a couple of my many Macs and my Klipsch speakers come to mind. They have that extra something that makes me love them. Other brands may be as good but these products click. Add the K-7 to that short list.
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But the K7 is simply superior to everything at and below its price range. Even surpasses the ones that are a few hundred more as well.
Rating:
I’ve had my K-7 for a week now, and something about it has pleasantly surprised me pretty much everyday. The camera feels excellent; much more compact and the build quality is very high (especially compared to comparably or even slightly higher priced Canikon offerings). Autofocus is much improved, fast and more decisive. And the pictures looks fantastic! Shooting RAW with both my FA 77 f/1.8 or my DA Ltd 40mm f/2.8, the photos are great.
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]Sample Photos
[Image Quality Sample @ LetsGoDigital]
[Image Quality Sample @ CNET.uk]
[Sample Photos @ DPReview]
[ISO Performance Photos @ DCResource]
[ISO Performance Photos @ WhatDigitalCamera]
[ISO Performance Photos @ Trusted Reviews]
[Image Quality Samples @ Imaging Resource]
[Image Quality Samples @ Pocket-lint]
[Image Quality Samples @ Neocamera]
[Sample Photos at InfoSync 1, 2, 3]
[Image Quality Samples @ PhotographyBlog]
Sample Video
Similar Cameras
Press Release
May 19, 2009: HOYA CORPORATION PENTAX Imaging Systems Division is pleased to announce the launch of the PENTAX K-7 lens-interchangeable digital SLR camera. Despite its compact, lightweight body, this new model brings together a wide array of advanced functions and user-friendly features with outstanding reliability and operability. This makes it possible to enjoy high-quality digital SLR photography with great ease.
The K-7 has been developed as a high-end model of the PENTAX K digital SLR camera series. True to its series concept, it was designed not only to assure outstanding image quality, but also to provide exceptional ease and comfort of operation and the utmost satisfaction to photo enthusiasts of all levels, including advanced amateurs. After making a thorough review of all essential digital SLR camera components and functions, PENTAX has revised and upgraded many of them, including viewfinder, shutter unit, continuous-shooting capacity, and exposure and autofocus systems. Protected by a durable, high-quality metallic body, but the K-7 is designed to be extremely compact and functional — just like all other K-series models — for enhanced portability and maneuverability. In addition, it has added several user-friendly features, including video recording, high dynamic range (HDR), and automatic horizon correction. All of these make the K-7 a tremendous photographic tool, perfect for all discerning digital SLR photographers.
Major Features
Durable and functional body, smaller than any other in its class
The K-7 is built exceptional solid and durable, as its chassis is made of high-rigidity stainless-steel alloy and its housing is made of durable but lightweight magnesium-steel alloy. Thanks to 77 special seals applied to the body, it also features a dustproof, weather- and cold-resistant construction, assuring reliable operation even under harsh conditions and at a temperature as low as -10°C. It also features a newly designed shutter unit providing a top shutter speed of 1/8000 second and the outstanding durability to withstand 100,000 shutter releases. Despite all these features, the K-7 is one of the most compact and functional mid-class models in the market, because PENTAX applied all the experience and expertise in camera downsizing the company has developed from the earliest days of film-format SLR cameras.
Optical viewfinder showing nearly 100% field of view
The K-7’s glass prism finder offers an approximately 100% field of view and an approximately 92% magnification to facilitate focusing and framing operations. It also features a new Natural-Bright-Matte III focusing screen to improve focusing accuracy during manual-focus operation.
High-speed continuous shooting at approx. 5.2 images per second
The K-7’s high-speed continuous shooting mode captures as many as 40 images (in JPEG recording format) at a maximum speed of approximately 5.2 images per second, allowing the photographer to follow the movement of an active subject or preserve a sequence of the subject’s expressions.
New DR II mechanism to minimize dust spots
The K-7 comes equipped with the newly developed DR (Dust Removal) II mechanism, designed to effectively minimize annoying dust spots on recorded images, even after changing lenses in dust-prone outdoor settings. By shifting the low-pass filter located in front of the CMOS image sensor at supersonic speed using a piezoelectric element, it shakes the dust off the low-pass filter as effectively and efficiently as any other dust removal device. The K-7’s unique dust-alert system also lets the user check for dust adhering to the low-pass filter prior to actual shooting.
High-quality image reproduction
- Approximately 14.6 effective megapixels for true-to-life image reproduction
The K-7 incorporates a newly developed CMOS image sensor measuring 23.4mm by 15.6mm and featuring a high-speed, four-channel image data readout. With approximately 14.6 effective megapixels, this image sensor can faithfully and accurately reproduce fine-detailed, gradation-rich images. With the adverse effects of digital noise greatly reduced, the sensitivity can be increased from ISO 100 up to the highest level of ISO 6400 (via a custom function) without worry.
- High-performance, high-speed PRIME II imaging engine
The K-7 features the newly developed PRIME (PENTAX Real Image Engine) II, an upgrade of the original PRIME, as its imaging engine. This new imaging engine offers greater data-processing speed and produces better-quality images with richer gradation and more accurate color rendition. It also offers high-speed movie data transmission.
New 77-segment multi-pattern metering
Newly developed for the K-7, a sophisticated 77-segment multi-pattern metering system greatly improves light-metering accuracy. By accurately analyzing various types of data (such as the image’s composition and format between upright and horizontal, and the subject’s distance and magnification) transmitted from the sensors in the camera body, this system greatly improves the accuracy of exposure control.
New-generation SR mechanism for improved shake-reduction effect
The K-7 features the PENTAX-developed SR (Shake Reduction) mechanism, which effectively compensates the adverse effect of camera shake by approximately 2.5 to four shutter steps, assuring sharp, blur-free images even under demanding shooting conditions. This innovative mechanism is compatible with all PENTAX interchangeable lenses — even most of the lenses designed for film-format cameras.* Since this new-generation version can freely shift the image-sensor unit to keep it level regardless of the camera’s inclination, it also provides such user-friendly new functions as automatic level adjustment and minute angle adjustment (in the direction of up/down, right/left and clockwise/counterclockwise), helping to compose the image exactly the way the photographer wants.
Live View real-time, on-display image confirmation with Face Recognition AF and high-speed continuous shooting modes
The K-7 features the Live View function, which allows the user to view the image on the LCD monitor during shooting. You can take advantage of this convenient function not only in the Contrast AF mode, which optimizes the focus based on the subject’s contrast, but also in the Face Recognition AF mode, which automatically and accurately focuses on the subject’s face. Thanks to the newly developed diaphragm-control mechanism, the Live View function can also be used in the continuous shooting mode with the mirror at lock-up position.
High-quality still image recording at 1280 x 720 pixels; 30-frames-per-second movie recording at HD-television proportions
The K-7 adds a new movie recording function, extending the benefits of SLR photography to the world of movie shooting: For instance, reduce the depth of field to make the subject stand out, or use different lenses to create distinctive visual effects. Beautiful movie clips can recorded at different sizes — 640 x 416 pixels, 1536 x 1024 pixels, or 1280 x 720 pixels (16:9 high-definition TV proportions) — at a frame rate of 30 frames per second. The K-7 is also equipped with an HVMI terminal and an external microphone input terminal.
New 11-point wide-frame AF sensor
The K-7’s new SAFOX VIII+ wide-frame autofocus system features 11 sensor points (with nine cross-type sensors positioned in the middle). By adding a light source type to its data range, and driven by a greatly improved algorithm, this AF system assures reliable, responsive autofocus operation superior in speed and accuracy to the previous system. The K-7 also incorporates an AF-assisting spotbeam projector in its built-in flash unit to improve autofocusing accuracy in the dark.
Custom Image function to easily create desired visual effects
The K-7’s Custom Image function lets the user control the image’s finishing touch to capture their photographic intention, or reproduce the ambience of the scene. With the K-7, the user can select one of seven modes, including the new “Muted” mode designed to recreate an image with delicate, subdued colors. In addition to saturation, tone, contrast and sharpness — the factors previously available — it is now possible to adjust “key” and “contrast highlight/shadow” to the desired levels. The effects of these factors can be effortlessly confirmed on a preview image using the Digital Preview or Live View function before finalizing the settings.
Versatile exposure system for faithful reproduction of creative intentions
- Hyper Program function
The K-7’s Hyper Program function allows the user to instantly switch to the Shutter- or Aperture-Priority AE mode from the Programmed AE mode, with a simple turn of the electronic dials on the grip. To return to the Programmed AE mode, simply press the green button positioned next to the shutter release button.
- Hyper Manual function
When shooting in Manual mode, a single push of the green button allows the user to instantly set the proper exposure for the subject.
- Sensitivity-Priority mode
The K-7 features a unique Sensitivity-Priority (Sv) mode, which is designed to automatically select the optimum combination of aperture and shutter speed for a user-selected sensitivity. The sensitivity can be shifted instantly in 1/2 or 1/3 steps by turning the electronic dial on the back panel.
- Shutter/Aperture-Priority mode
Taking full advantage of the unique capability of digital cameras permitting automatic shift of sensitivity at any time, the Shutter/Aperture-Priority (TAv) mode automatically selects the most appropriate sensitivity for a user-selected shutter-speed/aperture combination. It allows the user to experiment with a greater range of photographic expressions with great ease.
Large, easy-to-see 3.0-inch wide-view LCD monitor with approximately 920,000 dots
The K-7 features a large 3.0-inch color LCD monitor with approximately 920,000 dots on its back panel. Its wide-view design allows the photographer to check the monitor image from approximately 170 degrees both vertically and horizontally, facilitating low- and high-angle shooting using the Live View function.
Powerful rechargeable battery
The K-7 is powered by a large-capacity, rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which can capture approximately 980 images** when fully charged.
Other features
- HDR (high dynamic range) function to create one composite image with an extra-wide gradation range from three images with different exposures
- Dynamic-range expansion function to compensate for both white-washed (overexposed) and blacked-out (underexposed) areas
- Digital level function for easy checking of the image’s levels
- Automatic compensation of distortion and lateral chromatic aberration (available only with DA- and DFA-series lenses)
- White balance control, featuring a new CTE mode to emphasize the color components of sunse t scenes and a new incandescent-tinted fluorescent light mode
- Multi-exposure function, with a superimposition of already-recorded images on the LCD monitor for at-a-glance comparison
- Attachment of copyright credits on recorded images
- RAW button for single-action switching of image file format
- 16 digital filters to add a range of visual effects; a new function to record an overwritten history also available
- Color-specific control buttons/dials for easy recognition and quick access, based on the universal color design
- PENTAX Digital Camera Utility 4 software package, including a RAW-data processing application (based on the popular SILKYPIX RAW-data processing engine developed by Ichikawa Soft Laboratory) and a browser application
Optional accessory
Battery Grip D-BG4
Exclusively designed for the PENTAX K-7 camera body, the Battery Grip D-BG4 is powered by either a rechargeable lithium-ion battery or six AA-size batteries. Since it supplements the camera’s battery as an additional power source, the number of recordable images is greatly increased. To facilitate vertical-position shooting, this grip features extra shutter-release button, preview lever, electronic dials, AE-lock button, Green button and AF button. It also provides the same dustproof, weather- and cold-resistant construction as the camera body itself.
