K-7 Feature Questions

[photographer reborn]

• The K10D is great for long exposures: little noise, NR can be turned off.
• The K20D seems to have much more noise in long exposures, also NR can't be turned off.

So what about the K-7 ?

Also, can the mirror be locked up independently of the self-timer? All the other pentax cameras have a MLU mode but can only be used with 2 sec. delay.

Regards,

--
Javier.

http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/javiermoreno

 

[bladerunneruk]

Hi John, thanks for doing this, should help clear up a lot of basic queries - shame we don't have stickies on this forum

I have a K10...

Q1) from dpreview preview:- "Composition adjustment (Uses the SR system to reposition the sensor to fine-tune composition)"

sounds very odd to me at first - how is this used practically - macro fine focusing, or lateral adjustments ?

Q2) bracketing - how is this accessed ? I have to say that when you have Sv mode and can also assign ISO to either wheel then the addition of ISO button is a retrograde step if it means removal of bracketing button. Can you reprogram the ISO button to be a bracketing button ?

thanks
--
Pentax SLR talk FAQ (courtesy Cideway et al)
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When the search feature isn't working here, go to Google, and type the following:
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[VaLeX]

Sorry for my poor English.
Is the focus adjustment feature (with hack on K10, from menu on K20) maintained?
I couldn't see it in the menu description on dpreview.

It was a nice feature to have, given some complaints about DA 16-50 ... still good on K&, right?
--
Comments, criticism, suggestions: it goes without saying!
http://s86.photobucket.com/albums/k107/huzururmuz/

 

[Chekh]

One more question, pls.

There is no dedicated "shooting mode" button. How to switch fast between the single shot and continuous shooting H & L resolution?

Thank you again.

--
I'll wait a little more to have the best DSLR ever! (c)

 

[inverseroom]

What is the trapezoidal bump on the lens mount, near the AF assist lamp? On my ZX-5n it's the DOF preview, but on the DSLR series this function is covered elsewhere. Nobody seems to have addressed what this thing is there for.

 

[Quixotic Tonic]

Can you expand on the functions and operation of the new secondary focusing sensor mentioned in the K-7 introduction video on youtube?

Great job and thanks for taking the time to answer some questions! This looks like an amazing camera. The shutter sounds like butter! I'm so excited!

Chris

 

[Richard Butler]

On the early firmware camera we have, it's custom option 36.

(Page 11 of the preview)
http://www.dpreview.com/previews/pentaxk7/page11.asp

Behaviour appears to be consistent with the K20D but, as I say, this is an early sample.

Richard - dpreview.com

 

[A Modest Mouse]

I think he asked for a subjective comparison between the K20D and the K-7... assuming you have used a K20D, can you provide a subjective comparison? I am not asking for official numbers, percents, equations, figures, and/or specs.

-Mouse

They never gave us a percent improvement number.
--
John C.

--
Hardly education
All them books I didn't read
They just sat there on my shelf
Looking much smarter than me
The Mouse Gallery
http://s214.photobucket.com/albums/cc130/AMMouse/Pentax%20K100D%20Super/

 

[Dolan Halbrook]

Are there plans to offer a kit with the 18-55 WR in the US, or body only? If so, how much after the body only offering will this appear?

Thanks.

--
--- http://www.reneeanddolan.net ---

 

[parallaxproblem]

Hi

Many thanks for this thread - it's an excellent idea to answer questions here in this way!

There were translations of an interview in Japanese with a Hoya Product Planning manager immediately after PMA in which he suggested that Pentax were quote: "reviewing the specifications of their new lenses and modification on the standard DA specifications would be made". That suggestion prompted much speculation here

Is there anything different about the mount on the K-7 that you are aware of which might relate to the above statement?

Thanks!

 

[salehdidit]

yes, it is. it's in the page where they go over the custom menu.

Sorry for my poor English.
Is the focus adjustment feature (with hack on K10, from menu on K20)
maintained?
I couldn't see it in the menu description on dpreview.
It was a nice feature to have, given some complaints about DA 16-50
... still good on K&, right?
--
Comments, criticism, suggestions: it goes without saying!
http://s86.photobucket.com/albums/k107/huzururmuz/

 

[Matthew Miller]

The German spec sheet lists the O-ME53 1.2× viewfinder loupe as one of the possible accessories, which is cool because I love it on my K10D.

The question is: how well does it work with the new 100% viewfinder? Is the vignetting and reduction of eyepoint about the same as with the K10D/K20D, or is it worse?

Thanks!

--
Matthew Miller « http://mattdm.org/ »

 

[Matthew Miller]

What is the trapezoidal bump on the lens mount, near the AF assist
lamp? On my ZX-5n it's the DOF preview, but on the DSLR series this
function is covered elsewhere. Nobody seems to have addressed what
this thing is there for.

If you can find the picture of just the magnesium alloy shell, you can see it's molded there. If it has any function besides styling, it may accommodate some largish internal part (part of the focus drive motor, maybe).

--
Matthew Miller « http://mattdm.org/ »

 

[Marc Langille]

You could post a similar thread over at pentax forums dot com? There are a lot of interested folks over there too and I know your presence (and Ned's) would be most welcome.

My question: regarding the secondary AF sensor, which measures wavelength of light - how much of an improvement is seen for photographing in either low light? I mean both artificial lighting indoors and low light (eg. shady areas in natural outdoor or heavily overcast days). For reference, I am speaking from a wildlife photography perspective as well as shooting indoor events, where the preference to capture spontaneous actions/events is the preference.

Regards,
Marc
--
Marc Langille
http://www.marclangille.com

 

[magomago]

There seems to be some confusion about sensor rotating (with some people talking about some kind of T/S = Tilt/Shift). Can you explain exactly what is going on? Is this a mis understanding of something else?

 

[Matthew Miller]

There seems to be some confusion about sensor rotating (with some
people talking about some kind of T/S = Tilt/Shift). Can you explain
exactly what is going on? Is this a mis understanding of something
else?

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=31915200
--
Matthew Miller « http://mattdm.org/ »

 

[parallaxproblem]

Sorry to ask another question...

Are you aware of any image quality differences in the new 18-55 WR kit lens from the older 18-55mkII model?

Likewise the new 50-200 WR lens?

These lenses are probably interesting to many of us whether we intend to buy the K-7 or not

Also... I assume the automatic distortion and CA correction can be switched-off? Is there any reason why this only works with DA lenses - I thought the F and FA lenses identified themselves to the camera as well? Can there not be a user-selectable 'generic' distortion correction for focal lengths available in the same way SR can be tweaked by entering the focal length manually?

 

[Matthew Miller]

Are you aware of any image quality differences in the new 18-55 WR
kit lens from the older 18-55mkII model?

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=31915158

Likewise the new 50-200 WR lens?

Okay, that one not answered yet. Possible that it's a mkII.

Also... I assume the automatic distortion and CA correction can be
switched-off?

Yes, there's setting in the menus as previewed by dpreview.

Is there any reason why this only works with DA lenses

• I thought the F and FA lenses identified themselves to the camera

as well?

I can see not wanted to measure and generate the exact needed data for all the F and FA lenses ever. But I'm not sure why they didn't at least do it for the FA Limited series.

Can there not be a user-selectable 'generic' distortion
correction for focal lengths available in the same way SR can be
tweaked by entering the focal length manually?

I imagine that especially the CA corrections are a lot more complicated than one would want to enter manually.

--
Matthew Miller « http://mattdm.org/ »

 

[JohnCPentax]

4. Yes

5. I think so.

6. You can set this through the memory menu in the set up menus.
--
John C.

 

[JohnCPentax]

I have shot extensively with the K10D, K20D, but know from experience that pre-production is not indicative of final, so I will reserve judgement.

Plus, I am not the "pixel peeper" type (and yes, I know this isn't a pixel question). I shoot mainly landscapes and candids, and every Pentax camera I have shot has been sufficient.
--
John C.