K-7 worth buying?

My K-50 died a while back and don't really want to fix it for now, being that I use my trusty Oly E-3 I'm not afraid to use a older camera is the K-7 worth buying so I can use my fine Pentax lenses until I can afford a K-3 in the late spring?

I'd go for a K-5 in your position. The K-7 has much lower high-ISO image quality, and the autofocus isn't nearly as good.

I still have my K7 and it is ok at the low ISO’s but noise is a problem with even moderate ISO’s. I personally don’t shoot mine above ISO 200. It is a good camera for macro if you use a flash. It is living proof that Pentax has made advances in autofocus, as already stated go for a K5, K5II or K3.

Bob

teletripper wrote:

My K-50 died a while back and don't really want to fix it for now, being that I use my trusty Oly E-3 I'm not afraid to use a older camera is the K-7 worth buying so I can use my fine Pentax lenses until I can afford a K-3 in the late spring?

If I am correct K7 was one generation before K50. Thus, it may be a little downgrade in especially in terms of high ISO capability.

But if you can live with it K7 is a great camera.

I just opened a thread where I show photos I took with K10D (the gradpa of your K7) 8 years ago. I did some post-processing on them with the latest version of ON1.

https://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/62093054

I opened the thread as I was surprised what's in these photos if you open them in a modern program for post-processing. That days I used DxO which was a great programm (and still is) - but the RAW quality of K10D was simply great.

Best regards

Holger

I'd agree about the noise. Been shooting mine for near ten years at the moment. I do love it to bits though at the moment I'm hoping to grab a k5ii or a k3 at some point in the future. I regularly put photos up on the forum so a quick scroll through that or my Flickr should give you an idea of the shots I have taken with my K7.

I think you should stay with your E3 for now. A great camera and that great 14-54 lens. That's when OLYMPUS had it all together. I am still selling 24X32 prints from that combo.

If you must get a K5 ll with low mileage. I'm in no hurry to replace mine.

In fact k7 is the the body new design for k5 series.

It is also the beautiful color SOOC.

Sure K7 is usable. I have K20D as backup for example. But yes, if you can, rather get K5 or better K5mkII

teletripper wrote:

My K-50 died a while back and don't really want to fix it for now, being that I use my trusty Oly E-3 I'm not afraid to use a older camera is the K-7 worth buying so I can use my fine Pentax lenses until I can afford a K-3 in the late spring?

K7 was the first DSLR where Pentax got the body design right IMO. It does not feel as dated as K20D and earlier cameras. There is still a lot to like about K7 today.

If you can get K7 for cheap go for it, and it can be a good introduction of Pentax flagship APS-C until you get K3.

But as others have said the high ISO performance is the "Achilles heel" of the K7, probably not much better than Olympus E3.