[crewl1]

My hope was that the Q7's larger sensor would show less diffraction effect than the Q when used with slower lenses, primarily so that I could use a Bigma to get long reach and reasonable IQ.

The Bigma is sharpest at f8-f11 and on the Q diffraction is a problem.

For the test I set up a shot, then left the lens settings the same as I swapped bodies to try to minimize any focus changes.

The Pentax adapter was used, for the Bigma it was set to 1 (f8) and 2 (f11).

Shots were made in RAW and exported as resized JPG from Lightroom 4. Crop was done to approx 100% size, no other processing was done.

Only one shot was taken each time, I did not try a few shots and pick the best.

Maybe if I have more time I can try that later if folks think it is needed. The target was set about 75 feet away, the first shot is with 01 prime.

There is a little improvement with the Q7 that I can see, but not earth shattering. Let me know your thoughts.

Hope to try some live targets soon.

[Adam]

At f8 you won't see much of a difference. Try shooting wide open or at 7.1 and I would think the q7 will have a bigger advantage. It did at least when I tested it at f5.6 with a prime.

[crewl1]

OK will try that, thanks.

[hnikesch]

Does this mean you have added a Q7 to your kit

Hans

[crewl1]

Yes I sold one of my Q's last week so I could buy a Q7

[vonBaloney]

Would also like to see some "equivalent" focal lengths so the subject is same size -- shoot Q7 at 350mm, the Q at 300mm, something like that. Also can the Q7 ISO be bumped up a little more than the Q with same quality?

[barondla]

Bigma is nice, but I am really interested in what happens with the DA*300? Also if you can live with the image quality at anything but base ISO?
thanks
barondla

[pearsaab]

good tests larry...looking forward to seeing more!!!!

[crewl1]

Good ideas. I will try higher ISO values next also.
I did run a comparison with the DA*300 at base ISO's -results were pretty similar.

[monochrome]

Do I see less (almost no) PF with the DA*300 vs. the Bigma - edges of shadows around lower lip and at neckline - for both cameras?

[crewl1]

Yes - the Q7 shows less aberrations, I noticed it initially on the wing when viewed against the trees in the background.

The camera appears to be less demanding on the lenses to some degree.

So far the differences are only at the pixel peep level, at normal view there isn't a great difference to my eyes with these tests.

I would like to do some real life testing to see if these changes make it easier to create better looking pictures.

[GibbyTheMole]

Nice test with that DA* 300, Larry! That looks like "the" long tele to have for the Q.

Yeah, the Q7 is somewhat more detailed with less CA at 100%, but when you're looking at the entire uncropped pic, the difference is subtle. On the flipside, you get a bit more tele reach out of the Q.

I think it's awesome that Pentax is continuing to refine the Q line with the new Q7. Someday I'll have one, but since I already have two Qs that I'm happy with, I think I'm good for awhile.

[crewl1]

Do I see less (almost no) PF with the DA*300 vs. the Bigma - edges of shadows around lower lip and at neckline - for both cameras?

Oh I think I missed your meaning there - Yes the DA*300 is really the best performing lens I have personally tested with the Q.

I have only recently tested the Sigma 70-200 OS and think it is going to be almost as good, but I need to do more testing.

Everything else I own does not hold a candle to the DA*300 on the Q.

I expect the Sigma 500 4.5 would be very good from what I have seen from @pearsaab.

[baro-nite]

Larry, thanks for this. Many of us are of course asking the same questions. We've already determined that the DA* 300/4 is best at f/5.6 on the original Q/Q10 sensor. So two questions I have are whether or not there's any improvement with the Q7 if the lens is stopped down a bit more (would need testing at third- and half-stops). And if there's any improvement with the DA* 300/4 on a 1.4x TC.

Just wondering and not asking you to do additional tests. But were you to do so, I'd enjoy seeing the results.

[rruntsch]

Thanks for the sample photos, Larry. The Q7 pictures appear a bit better than the Q pictures, but I'll continue to enjoy the Q mounted with the Pentax Q-K adapter and the DA* 300 until the Q7 is available used for half of its current price.