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.

The K-7's standard live view display	A live histogram helps you choose an appropriate level of exp. compensation
As with several recent DSLRs the K-7 has face detection AF in live view.

Magnified live view

Live view can be zoomed 2, 4 or 6 times and, at the greatest setting, provides a good degree of clarity for fine focusing. (Screens may not represent final camera displays)

Video

The K-7 is the first Pentax to shoot video. It is able to record 720p HD footage at 30 frames per second though it takes the unusual step of saving this in the high quality, but very large, Motion JPEG format.

Unfortunately, the movie recording mode was not yet finished on the pre-production unit that was loaned to us so we will not be able to represent the movie interface or discuss its capabilities until we receive a production model.