DSLR – Pentax Body

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Kamil Wawrzyszko

Pentaxian

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Pentax K-7 front

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.

Its spec isn’t quite what the rumors might have suggested, but it still manages to look an awful lot like the wish-list of most enthusiast photographers (though one based in reality, rather than the increasingly surreal suggestions being churned out by the rumor mill).

The headline changes:

• 720p/1080i HD video recording
• Smaller magnesium/steel alloy body
• Revised viewfinder (less magnified but with greater coverage)
• Updated sensor with four-channel readout
• 3.0″ VGA (920,000 dot) LCD
• New shutter mechanism with 1/8000th shutter speed
• Faster continuous shooting (up to 5.2 fps)
• 77 segment exposure metering sensor
• Revised autofocus algorithms
• AF illumination lamp
• New dust removal system
• HDMI output

And that’s just the big stuff. The implications of some of these changes are almost as significant as their obvious effects – as well as allowing faster frame rates and video, the reworked, four-channel sensor promises to generate less noise than the version used in the K20D. There are also lots of more subtle additions that show just how fundamental a change this camera is from its predecessor.

• New dedicated ISO button
• Distortion and chromatic aberration correction for DA and DFA lenses (also available in RAW conversion)
• Adjustable dynamic range highlight and shadow correction
• Three-shot in-camera HDR capture
• Electronic level indicator
• Composition adjustment (Uses the SR system to reposition the sensor to fine-tune composition)

However you look at it, it’s a well-specified camera.

Key features / what’s new / technology:

The K-7 gets a revised version of the 15.1 million pixel sensor (14.6 million effective pixels) used in the K20D. Four-channel readout allows faster output and video.	The K-7 gets a magnesium alloy body, allowing it to become smaller and lighter, while still feeling very well built.
The already good viewfinder in the K20D has been tweaked to offer 100% scene coverage.	The K-7 also gains a new, 77 segment metering sensor.
As with the K20D, the body design includes extensive environmental sealing.	Pentax has also developed “weather resistant” versions of its kit lenses, to make the most of the body’s resilience.
The K-7 becomes the first Pentax DSLR to record movies. There’s a mono mic to add sound.	Or a socket to allow an external microphone to be used, instead.
To boost low-light AF perfromance, the K-7 gets an AF-assist illumination lamp.	The D-LI90 battery has 1860mAh capacity, meaning 13.4Wh, rather than the D-LI50′s 12Wh. The new battery is a completely new shape and is not compatible with older models.
Pentax has considerably refreshed its user interface. The camera we had was not yet complete but we’re hoping it continues the good work done with the K-m/K2000	A battery grip will be available for the K-7. It includes control dials, preview lever, AEL, green and AF buttons in addition to the shutter button. The D-BG4 takes one D-LI90 or 6 AA batteries.
The in-camera RAW-conversion tool has been updated and now includes the ability to correct chromatic aberration and distortion, to add shadow adjustment and even output as a TIFF	Pentax has also added a multitude of little features, including the ability to embed copyright information into the EXIF of all your shots

* denotes a change in specification over the Pentax K20D

 

Top right of camera

On the top right of the camera we have the front dial, which is angled slightly upwards compared to that on the K10D / K20D; the function of the front and rear dials can be set on a per-mode basis via the custom menu. Behind this is the shutter release button, surrounded by the main power switch which also serves a preview function (optical or digital; live view now has its own button on the camera back). Also here is the repositioned exposure compensation button, and the all-new (and very welcome) dedicated ISO button.

	Spot metering In modes with automatic metering, holding this button and turning the command dial sets exposure compensation (-5.0 to +5.0 EV in 0.3 or 0.5 EV steps). In manual mode it biases the meter, rather than making any change to the chosen exposure. This bias is then interpreted as exposure compensation if you switch to other modes, rather than just giving a misleading meter reading.
ISO	Sensitivity In combination with the rear command dial, the ISO button allows you to scroll through the camera’s sensitivity settings from 100 to 6400.

 

 

Live view

The K-7 is the second Pentax to include live view. As with most manufacturers, Pentax’s system seems primarily suited to tripod work, whether that is for studio work or macros (even on this pre-production camera it’s clear than the magnified view is much improved for fine focusing, compared to the K20D). Like many other contemporary DSLRs, the live view offers the ability to use contrast detection AF (CDAF), the system used in most compact cameras that uses the imaging sensor to assess focus. Like many of the recent DLSR implementations of CDAF, the K-7 includes features such as face detection that simply weren’t possible with conventional DSLR phase-detection AF. However, in common with the majority of DSLR CDAF systems, it is unpleasantly slow.

If you want live view for considered composition and focus confirmation then, like the systems currently used by Olympus, Canon and Nikon, the K-7′s implementation is perfectly pleasant. However, if you’re looking for the immediate accessibility and fast live view shooting of a compact camera then you’ll have to look elsewhere. There is still an option use the camera’s phase-detection sensor, though it does mean the camera has to flip its mirror down, focus, then flip the mirror back up again when you hit the shutter button.

Set-up Menu

Custom Image sub-menu

The Custom Image menu, now reached via its own, dedicated button, allows control over the image parameters. Flicking the on/off/preview rocker compensation button takes an image to preview the settings. Rolling the rear dial switches between standard and fine sharpening while turning the front dial shows or hides the highlight and shadow contrast settings.

Option	Values / Actions	Notes
Custom Image	• Bright • Natural • Portrait • Landscape • Vibrant • Muted • Monochrome	Selects from one of the preset custom images styles. The default varies depending on the language chosen and will be either ‘Bright’ or ‘Natural.’
Saturation/ Filter effect	• 9 steps (Color modes) • Filter effect (Monochrome) None Green Yellow Orange Red Magenta Blue Cyan Infrared color	Adjusts saturation in color modes. In monochrome mode, the camera varies the amount of information taken from the sensor’s Red, Green and Blue channels in order to mimics the effect of placing different colored filters in front of the lens.
Hue/Toning	• 9 steps	In color modes, ‘Hue’ shifts the hue in color modes. Toning ‘warms’ or ‘cools’ the tint applied to mono images
High/Low Key Adj.	• 9 steps	Â
Contrast	• 9 steps	All modes
Contrast Highlight Adj.	• 9 steps	All modes
Contrast Shadow Adj.	• 9 steps	All modes
Sharpness/Fine Sharpness	• 9 steps	Rear dial switches to fine sharpening mode for representing fine detail.

You can pre-order from Amazon: Pentax K-7 pre-order

Don’t wait and pre-order now. This is the best camera ever at this price.

Order now – click on the picture above!

Enjoy your experience.

Kamil