Reading mode: Light Dark

K-7 new firmware 1.10 is just released

Go to last post
cgarrard said:
I guess I'm confused. Pentax offers a free firmware update adding features to the camera that didn't exist before and you're complaining?

Sorry I guess I'm just used to Sony where its users (no matter how expensive the camera) get zero firmware updates adding functions at all.
Click to expand...
I guess the Sony crowd is not happy right now about the questionable future. I looked long and hard at the A900 to replace my Canon 5D, but Sony's future DSLR plans (or lack there of) have kept me away. I have spent a good bit of time on your site reading your reviews. I though you did a great job with the K-7 Review.
 
Very nice upgrade. Reminds me of what Pentax did with the DS when the DS2 came out. I'm glad to see them continue this service with Hoya ultimately in charge.
 
jknuts said:
Does anybody think that in-camera editing will be useful? Personally, I don't use the K7 for shooting video due to the lack of manual controls. I appreciate Pentax's effort, just question their direction.
Click to expand...
Yes, very useful! The issue is the K-7 Video files are motion JPG and very large. If I could delete 75% of the footage before importing them I would be happy (don't fill so many memory cards in the field, my 16 GB card is only good for 30 minutes of footage or so).

Eric
--
I never saw an ugly thing in my life: for let the form of an object
be what it may - light, shade, and perspective will always make it
beautiful. - John Constable (quote)

See my Blog at: http://viking79.blogspot.com/ (Weekly)
Flickr Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28177041@N03/ (updated daily)
See my PPG Shots: http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/erictastad (8/31/09)
 
jknuts said:
Video editing mode?! Really? Implementing this was a higher priority than manual video controls? Count me confused.
Click to expand...
Agreed. I was really hoping for manual video control. With the additional features added in this latest update though, there's hope that Pentax could add manual video control in a future update still.

Crosses fingers
  • Jason
--
-- Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/inferno10/
-- Twitter: http://twitter.com/inferno10
-- Blog: http://virtualinferno.net/
 
Focusing speed in live view is now dramatically faster than previous firmware.I can confirm easily it's as fast as my friend's Canon 7D...I'm waiting impatiently to share the result with him since he spent almost twice the price for his 7D body than my K7 :-)
 
glad for the update, but they STILL havent fixed the top LCD illumination to work like the K20D.

currently it will light up after every single automated exposure as opposed to only when you press the EV button. not very discreet therefore i'm forced to have it off at all times.

Pentax PLEASE FIX THIS (or give us a dedicated button on the next body like with the 645D)

thank you.
 
Another new thing is that AF-C now works in live-view (edit: and also in video mode, prior actual recording), in a rather interesting manner by the way...

Before, AF-C was only locking the white square on whatever was under it at the time you half-pressed the shutter, and then it tried to follow it when moving the camera around (left-right and up-down). No focus was done during all this half-press time (so loosing the focus by moving the camera towards the subject or away from it had no effect whatsoever).

Now that AF is enabled by half-press, AF-C not only follow the object around, by it will also try to adjust focus whenever it can (which is exactly what we usually expect it to do)...
 
So far, so good with the new FW.

Contrast AF is now a joy to use. I even prefer it to phase AF; especially since it's WAY better for focusing on off-center subjects, as compared to the non-center phase AF points (which I find virtually useless). It also seems the focusing point is smaller with contrast AF, so it's easier to focus on a small, discrete subject. Now with the MUCH faster contrast AF, it's actually useable in far more situations!

The only weird thing I've noticed with new FW (so far), is that there's a weird sort of shaky pattern in the upper left portion of the LCD when viewing a picture. It seems to appear when the camera is moving a bit - really hard to describe, or even to put my finger on. But I've never noticed this before, and my brain is pretty good at picking up differences on a subconscious level. Anyone else notice this?
 
I noticed a weird thing after new firmware install. I tested the camera on my kids sitting on the couch with evening bright light shining through the window, which created a lot of shiny spots and shadows on the couch and kids. Shooting at F2.8, iso 400 cause I felt it was a little dark. Some of my pics turned out to be too dark with speed like 2500, others more normal. Then I noticed that my metering was set to spot metering. I switched to multi-segment and lighting turned to normal.
My guess is that the focusing/metering area became smaller?

Can anyone confirm this?
 
Sergio SF said:
I noticed a weird thing after new firmware install. I tested the camera on my kids sitting on the couch with evening bright light shining through the window, which created a lot of shiny spots and shadows on the couch and kids. Shooting at F2.8, iso 400 cause I felt it was a little dark. Some of my pics turned out to be too dark with speed like 2500, others more normal. Then I noticed that my metering was set to spot metering. I switched to multi-segment and lighting turned to normal.
My guess is that the focusing/metering area became smaller?

Can anyone confirm this?
Click to expand...
Sounds normal for snapshots with spot metering... Probably whatever in the image got metered just fine, but your eye works more like the matrix metering, averaging the scene.
 
I had that as well. It went away after I had the camera off for a while (at least I think that's how I got it to go away. It was actually an after-image of the firmware update screen.
joshnl said:
The only weird thing I've noticed with new FW (so far), is that there's a weird sort of shaky pattern in the upper left portion of the LCD when viewing a picture. It seems to appear when the camera is moving a bit - really hard to describe, or even to put my finger on. But I've never noticed this before, and my brain is pretty good at picking up differences on a subconscious level. Anyone else notice this?
Click to expand...
 
Isn't that a great feature ?
Especially once the K-7 is attached to a tripod.

Well done, Pentax !
 
Reversal film is the same as slide film, for example Fuji Velvia.
The feature gives a little warmer tone to the jpg´s.
 
Dane53 said:
Reversal film is the same as slide film, for example Fuji Velvia.
The feature gives a little warmer tone to the jpg´s.
Click to expand...
Does it, really? What I can see is an addition of a white frame, but mayby it is more to the function than just this.

Have a nice evening!
--
Hjalmar
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top