More info on new K7

rburgoss · 05-02-2009, 10:45 AM

Dunno if this has been posted earlier, but even if non official, its interesting.

Pentax K-7 Unofficially Announced! | DSLR - Pentax Body and Soul

Nubi · 05-02-2009, 10:48 AM

I don't think any of us have the slightest idea where this originated from. Wow!

Dom · 05-02-2009, 01:42 PM

I fell like I might get lynched for saying this, but I don't think the K-7 is all that.

Going of the unofficial specs, I think the K20D is a better camera.

Torphoto · 05-02-2009, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by Dom

I fell like I might get lynched for saying this, but I don't think the K-7 is all that.

Going of the unofficial specs, I think the K20D is a better camera.

So your saying the K20D with lower hi iso noise, better AF and video mode isn't as good as the K20D?

*KungPOW* · 05-02-2009, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by Dom

I fell like I might get lynched for saying this, but I don't think the K-7 is all that.

Going of the unofficial specs, I think the K20D is a better camera.

Why? What is the K-7 missing that the K20D has?

lol101 · 05-02-2009, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by rburgoss

Dunno if this has been posted earlier, but even if non official, its interesting.

Pentax K-7 Unofficially Announced! | DSLR - Pentax Body and Soul

It's a rehash of RiceHigh blog.

Mike.P® · 05-02-2009, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by lol101

It's a rehash of RiceHigh blog.

It even links to his blog as the source.

Yet another useless thread started.

Dom · 05-02-2009, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by KungPOW

Why? What is the K-7 missing that the K20D has?

From what I've read.
1, it's having the same sensor. The ISO noise will be the same.

2, K-7 is having video. I have strong opinions about DSLR and video.

3, nothing has been said about the buffer. I guessing it's not going to be any better.

4, it's going to be too small for my man sized hands.

5, no shake reduction switch. what's that all about.

But this is all speculation.

fs999 · 05-02-2009, 03:53 PM

6, double of the price...

Miserere · 05-02-2009, 05:29 PM

Originally Posted by Dom

From what I've read.
1, it's having the same sensor. The ISO noise will be the same.

Not necessarily, a lot of the IQ depends on the firmware that processes it. Having had over 1 year to work with the K20D sensor after the K20D's release date means they could potentially have extracted better high-ISO quality from it. It's for this reason I'm hoping they kept the same 14.6MP sensor.

Originally Posted by fs999

6, double of the price...

The K20D was released at $1,300. I really doubt the K-7 will come out at $2,600. How much will the K-7 cost in 14 months? Maybe also $700.

Nubi · 05-02-2009, 06:39 PM

I think it will be funny to lynch someone, only to find that later that it is true and it did suck.

But that is not going to happen, of course.

Philippos · 05-02-2009, 06:47 PM

Originally Posted by Miserere

Not necessarily, a lot of the IQ depends on the firmware that processes it. Having had over 1 year to work with the K20D sensor after the K20D's release date means they could potentially have extracted better high-ISO quality from it. It's for this reason I'm hoping they kept the same 14.6MP sensor.

If that's so, then a free firmware update should give us K20D owners, K-7 IQ.
Even if it's a major CMOS microcode upgrade, there's no reason for the current K20Ds being produced not to have it.

Most likely however, it's a sensor redesign. Possibly more channels for faster and more stable output, plus a new microlens design, probably a "gapless" one (this was already mentioned as an upgrade to appear to the NX, so it's quite likely it will be here for the K-7 too).

mutedphotos · 05-02-2009, 07:10 PM

Miserere had the right idea but it's not just a firmware thing, it's also a hardware thing not specifically related to the sensor itself. Firmware updates can decrease high ISO noise (if they figure out a way to do it in firmware at least), but that's not the only way to do it.

Plus, I don't get the impression that Pentax does many firmware updates for models once they've been replaced. Of course, the K20 could remain in production alongside the K-7 which means it could, in theory, get updates that bring it closer to K-7 level. But I'm guessing a lot more has happened with the electronics in the K-7 that a firmware update to the K20 won't make it identical.

Just speculation though.

Miserere · 05-02-2009, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by mutedphotos

Miserere had the right idea but it's not just a firmware thing, it's also a hardware thing not specifically related to the sensor itself. Firmware updates can decrease high ISO noise (if they figure out a way to do it in firmware at least), but that's not the only way to do it.

Definitely! There is a lot of hardware built around the sensor that can also be improved. Again, I hope this is what they've spent their R&D Yens on.

Plus, I don't get the impression that Pentax does many firmware updates for models once they've been replaced.

Quite right. If they did, then my K10D would have AF adjustments for 5 individual lenses (something which can be done by Pentax repair service, but not by the user).

*infosyn* · 05-02-2009, 09:45 PM

This may be both wishful and naive thinking, but if the K7 can record video with audio, doesn't that imply that Pentax has drastically improved the sound of the shutter? On the K20D, I can scare a deer at 30 yards just by clicking the shutter. If that happened at 30 frames per second, candid videos would be absurdly loud.

Or is there some silent way to re-set the sensor electronically to take the next video frame without flipping the physical shutter at all, perhaps a separate shutterless sensor just for video?