Being a Canon and Nikon and Pentax guy I'd say Pentax has the advantage at the moment:
K-7 is clearly superior spec'd to Canon 50D:
50D is $100 less coin right now than K-7 will launch at. 50D was cheaper at Christmas but it popped up some since. If you observe canon annually then you'll recognize Oct- Dec as THE best price daze to add more kit in USA market.
However I do assume Canon 60D will address some of the features K-7 has raised the bar with, like 100% viewfinder & HD. I don't follow nikon aps-c products or really canon either. I like Pentax for my aps-c option. However if canon launches a 60D with 100% viewfinder, HD, and articulated screen that may kill K-7 aquistion for me. Why? I own numerous current canon lenses so I am only one camera away from a fairly complete & current set up.
With Pentax I am still getting along with old K-A & FA glass I acquired over past 7 years. Sure I fantasize about a 12-24 f4 but I am in a budget freeze at the moment. Well till I buy a new computer. My XP notebook is over 3 years old... clock is ticking...
You can't really fault people in Nikon or Canon camps if they are already invested in glass and assessories and they choose same brand once more. In the old days people would pick a brand and stick with it. Me, I really had to own full frame & saw dollar value tanking and was convinced pentax will never offer full frame so I added both 5D and D700 this past year and various key lenses all shinny new.
I find the viewscreen in my K20D superior to both my 5D and D700. Its so cool to deeply zoom in on my images with K20D. I can only assume K-7 will be ever better, right?
I think Pentax will have great successes with K-7. But Pentax retreated from camerashops in USA. Just like Sony and Olympus did too so I assume Pentax and Olympus and Sony are content to fight among themselves and ignore Canon and Nikon 80% plus market share. I can go to many stores locally and touch Canon and Nikon Dslrs, including full frame 5DII & D700. Whereas no one carries Pentax, Sony and Olympus Dslrs. You can't blame Newbies for buying what some savy local salesclerk will sell them from his inventory, can you?
50D specs:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/580462-REG/Canon_2807B006_EOS_50D_SLR_Digital.html
Rumoured 60D specs:
60D Spec List [CR1.5]
June 6th, 2009 | 121 Comments | Posted in Canon 60D Coming this fall
A different 60D spec list. I’ve heard from this source previously. I’m going back into the depths of the CR email archive to see what they’ve said in the past.
15.1 megapixels
ISO 100-25600
7 fps
Digic V
Movie-mode: 1080p with 30 and 24fps
build in GPS for geo-tagging
only a SD-card slot (no CF)
148×109x75mm and 738g
From the email: “rest like VF and display still the same like 50D. Just some buttons are on other positions and have other functions.”
cr
Originally posted by MikePerham It's still a camera for enthusiasts, who by definition are persons that know and understand cameras and photography, those that are simply buying a DSLR, regardless of the price range, will buy Canon and Nikon. So even though the K-7 is better specked,better built and better priced than the competition I suspect more Nikon's D300's and Canons 50D's will be sold than K-7's. But hopefully we will get some converts and Pentax will increase it's market share.