HI PENTAX, Do I have a defective K-7

Dear Ned,

I got my K-7 yesterday. The most expensive gift I have bought for my birthday. Even though I am using 2 K20D, K-7 was just too good to pass on. I was so excited when the UPS came, I immediately tried it out with DA*16-50.

AWB is spot on. Everything fits like a glove. After 10+ shots I was still trying to get my first sharp image from K-7... NO LUCK. It doesn't seem like a BF/FF issue.

We went to Black Angus for dinner and I am glad that I brought K20D with me. ISO 1600 is pretty standard in this kind of restaurant. As you can see in the following picture. K20D has better noise control over K-7. Left is K-7 and right is K20D

I was shocked. I have "WEAK" on my K20D's noise reduction and K-7 has the default setting, which is "MEDIUM" I believe they are somewhat equivalent since they are the middle setting in their camera.

The following 2 shots were taken this morning and once again the noise level in K-7 is less pleased to my eyes compare to K20D

K-7

K20D

I was so disappointed that I was packing it up and returning it to AMAZON. My co-worker was very curious about the sensor size of APS-C so I lifted up the mirror and showed her. She then asked me HOW COME THE SENSOR is CROOKED? I was like???

I couldn't believe what I saw. I have 3 K20D and 2 K10D and cleaned the sensor many many times and I have never seen a crooked sensor. I thought it could be the SR therefore the sensor moves freely inside the body. BUT if that was true then it should position differently every time. I then turned of the power and light turned the camera side by side. I heard the sensor is moving inside the body but when I lifted the mirror it was still in the same positon.

I have returned my K-7 to AMAZON today with a great disappointment. I am going to give it another try when AMAZON received its 2nd shipment.

Hopefully I am the only one with this issue....
--
Trust your instinct....

I lifted the mirror by turned on the Sensor Cleaning mode. I notice the sensor is locked in the sensor cleaning mode therefore I turned it off and tilt it in other direction to see whether the sensor will move or not.

Unfortunately, this sensor seems to be stuck in one position.

viking79 wrote:

My sensor is square when the mirror is lifted for Sensor Cleaning mode. The new sensor does rotate around its axis though, so it is possible for it to shift that way.

How did you lift the mirror?

Amazon has really bad packaging for camera gear so it wouldn't surprise me if it were damaged in transit. I noticed my order from Pentax Web Store came packed carefully with a couple inches of packing peanuts on all sides.

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/
Flickr Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28177041@N03/ (updated daily)
See my PPG Shots: http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/erictastad (6/5/09)

Sorry to hear about your problems.
And yes, your K-7 is defective.

There was some sensor issues with the first batch of the K20D, it seems that the Samsung manufacturing of the new version of this sensor has some issues too.
Very sad.

While your K7 shots appear to be noisier, the K20D shots show a lot of noise reduction/smearing.

Sorry to hear about the other problems - I hope you end up with a better one.

photogerald wrote:

While your K7 shots appear to be noisier, the K20D shots show a lot of noise reduction/smearing.

This quote made me laugh... Is that not what we always said in any comparison where the K20d was a lot noisier that the Nikon's? "Yes the K20 has more noise, but it also has more detail" The D300 nr wipes out the detail...
It is very funny to hear that being said about the new pentax vs old pentax...

To the OP... I would not be happy with the ISO 1600 noise I am seeing on your K7. And I do hope it is an issue with your cam only.

But the crooked sensor issue is not making sense to me. If that sensor stayed in that position when you were shooting, every shot would have been crooked. Did you see that with your downloaded images?

I would send it back and get a new one. There is something going on with the Sensor Noise IMO...

I sucks to spend big bucks and have an issue, but their are production issues with sensor wafers. I bet the new one will be fine.

Never rush to get the first production run of any gadgets,more so a new product.

You got a dud.Sorry for your experience,the second one should be fine.No wonder your images were so out of focus.

sfa1966 wrote:

Ouch. Now I need to get back home and check mine for that crooked sensor issue. I have also struggled to get any sharp shots out of my K-7.

I hope you get yours sorted soon.

the crooked sensor is very odd -- how in the heck did that leave the factory??

I just checked mine on my k7 and it is square, that was a relief for myself after seeing yours.
Sorry to hear your story, lets hope it is an isolated case

kman

Frederick Stewart wrote:

Never rush to get the first production run of any gadgets,more so a new product.

Yep. I just don't understand this rush to be the first in line after the issues with the initial batches of the K10 (sensor,flash) and K20 (sensor). Really, this is not gloating, just an understanding that the K7 is the most complex piece of kit Pentax have ever produced, developed at a time of economic weakness in general and Pentax in particular.

But then I guess somebody has to buy the first batch otherwise they'd never sell. I just hope early adopters have done the adopting with their eyes fully open, and get full support from Pentax and retailers if things do go wrong.

Mike

Frederick Stewart wrote:

Never rush to get the first production run of any gadgets,more so a new product.

...unless you buy from a dealer with a good return policy.

Joe

Perhaps the self levelling feature was not being reset for some reason, e.g. after a power off? What happens if you disable self-levelling then power off again?

Mike

I bought 1 K10D & 3 K20D through AMAZON and they are all fine. I think my K-7 is a special case.

I just want to let the FIRST BATCH K-7 owners aware of this POSSIBLE issue.

That cracks me up.

The K7 is the first camera that can correct for movement in the ROTATION of the camera. That means its sensor platen is unrestrained in all directions. When the SR is powered off, the sensor will sit in any old position it wants. When the camera is powered on, the sensor snaps to attention and goes where the electromagnets tell it to.

I dunno about the sharpness and noise. But I would be very careful and consistent with the testing methodology there. Tripod only, mirror lockup, measured to be completely level and square to the targets, etc.

viking79 wrote:

jotor wrote:

Frederick Stewart wrote:

Never rush to get the first production run of any gadgets,more so a new product.

...unless you buy from a dealer with a good return policy.

Joe

It looks like the dealer with the good return policy might have caused the problem in the first place. Amazon doesn't use adequate packaging with their products.

My K7 was adequately boxed. I've had some from B&H with the product box left to slide around in a larger box. I even had one (and only) from Prodigital 2000 with the product box wrapped with bubble wrap and no shipping box at all.

Really, any product repairs should be handled through the manufacturer anyway. There is even a card with my camera (and most merchandise) that says if you have a problem with your product, please don't return it but contact Pentax instead.

Amazon's return policy will cover it. Either get a substitute or return it and buy another one.

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/
Flickr Photostream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28177041@N03/ (updated daily)
See my PPG Shots: http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/erictastad (6/5/09)

I'm not trying to be contentious-- really -- but my on line buying from Amazon has always been good.

Joe