[lol101]

Firmware 1.0 in beta cameras means there is still beta hardware and not production hardware, this means - beta versions of the sensor and not production version of the sensor.

As I have said so many times before, we need production cameras with production hardware and with production firmware. Then we can judge the true image quality.

Are you teling me that Pentax gave cameras to some chosen few for evaluation and report but with a crippled hardware, not representative of the one contained inside the camera already produced that are waiting to be delivered in a few weeks?

What would be the purpose of doing that?

Furthermore, what could possibly be the hardware differences between those cameras issued from pre-production batches, and the one that must be presently rolling out of factory? Would they fundamentaly change the sensor characteristics only weeks before commercial release?

And lastly, what's so wrong with these results? Are they not similar to the K20 one's? Is it bad? Is it surprising considering the similarities between their sensors?

What do you expect from production batches? A 2 stop improvements over the K20?

I am sorry but I really don't see the purpose of constantly reminding people that these results are from "pre-production batches" and thus, should not even be considered... I could understand these warnings for jpeg output before firmware v1.0 but for raw output with pruduction firmware...

Are you sincerely hoping for a much better IQ than the one demonstrated by Falconeye in his tests?

[NaClH2O]

I think the real question is why you are shooting high ISO. If you are taking photos at night of static objects, you are much better using a tripod and using low ISO. The place where high ISO helps is when there is some light, and you need a fast shutter speed (for example sports) and you can't use a flash. Looks to me like the K-7 will do OK, but certainly not be a whole lot better than the K20.

Rondec,
There are lots of places where high ISO is desirable.
Music concerts
Stage performances
Dance performances
at all of the above flash is universally frowned upon if not outrightly banned.
Museums (most museums ban both tripods and flash)
Following kids around indoors where for one reason or another you don't want to use flash
Hiking in low light where you don't want to schlepp around a tripod.
Any place where setting up a tripod and or flash is either not allowed or isn't feasible.

NaCl(I can think of many areas where I've needed high ISO)H2O

[jimby]

Are you teling me that Pentax gave cameras to some chosen few for evaluation and report but with a crippled hardware, not representative of the one contained inside the camera already produced that are waiting to be delivered in a few weeks?

What would be the purpose of doing that?

From what I've read, early K7 preview units did not have the final sensor hardware. They weren't "crippled," just not final. (The story that I heard was that the early units had two-channel sensor hardware.)

That's why they are called "preview" units; both hardware and software are subject to change for the release version.

This is all driven by release dates. No doubt if Pentax had waited until final hardware was available to begin their public beta test, the release date of the camera would have been pushed several months. This way they can test the firmware in parallel to receiving delivery of the final hardware.

Cameras are now so complex that manufacturers have to pursue many parallel paths of development and trust that they will all meet up in time for release.

[falconeye]

The story that I heard was that the early units had two-channel sensor hardware

German alpha testers got four channel sensors. Not sure for Unlocker, though. He keeps reporting lower fps figures.

[cousinsane]

Don't care if the hardware is final or not, iso 800 &1600 look pretty good to me.

At least no worse than the Canikon APS bodies.

[Unlocker]

German alpha testers got four channel sensors. Not sure for Unlocker, though. He keeps reporting lower fps figures.

Not lower FPS, just faster buffer filling!

[Jonson PL]

Disclaimer:
Preliminary test, firmware is final but the sensor in my preproduction camera is said by Pentax to be different from the final one!

Thanks.
Iso 1600 looks great to me, but then I'm still with K10