[smf]

In the article "Build A Landscape Kit On Any Budget, photos of a K7, a Nikon and a Sony appear next to the headline. In the section on "Ruggedness," the article says "The midrange Pentax K-7 is splash-, dust- and cold resistant...."

I don't see Pentax in the coverage of "Landscape Photography On A Pro Budget."

However, there's a big photo of a K-7 above the headline "Landscape Photography On A Modest Budget," and that article says that camera "packs a lot of useful features into its very compact and water-, dust- and cold-resistant body." There are five additional sentences on the camera.

The K-x is among the cameras listed under "Also Consider" in the article on "Landscape Photography On An Econo Budget." The item says the K-x "packs lots of useful features into a a very compact ... package ...."

In its "PMA Wrap-up" on that trade show, a photo of the X90 is alongside a short write-up on the camera.

The magazine's In Focus section includes the Optio I-10. Part of the brief text is a comment that the camera "can serve as a nice backup to your DSLR system."

[jct us101]

So in other words it looks like Pentax is getting itself into more magazines?

What brand is usually in that magazine anyways? I think that the outdoor brands are really only Olympus, Pentax, and maybe Sony. It's funny that Canon and Nikon can even take over those ones, even though their only affordable outdoor style (waterproof, etc) cameras cost over $4000, but it's good to see that Pentax has made it in there too.

[Canada_Rockies]

So in other words it looks like Pentax is getting itself into more magazines?

What brand is usually in that magazine anyways? I think that the outdoor brands are really only Olympus, Pentax, and maybe Sony. It's funny that Canon and Nikon can even take over those ones, even though their only affordable outdoor style (waterproof, etc) cameras cost over $4000, but it's good to see that Pentax has made it in there too.

Outdoor Photographer tends to be brand neutral. If a Pentax does the job, it will be listed right next to Olympus or Canon or Nikon or ... Their test reports are also not based on pixel peeping or DxO metering equipment, but how they handle and work in the field. I like the magazine.

[jct us101]

Outdoor Photographer tends to be brand neutral. If a Pentax does the job, it will be listed right next to Olympus or Canon or Nikon or ... Their test reports are also not based on pixel peeping or DxO metering equipment, but how they handle and work in the field. I like the magazine.

I like them too if they aren't biased! It seems like nearly everyone is biased now, as I'm starting to notice a lot more on the online camera reviews too. The only one that used to be really bad was DPreview, but now I'm seeing nearly every review website using the same kind of tactics as them. It's really sad too.

[AOShep]

I also read that article in Outdoor Photographer and was likewise impressed with Pentax being favorably mentioned. Pentax wasn't mentioned in the Pro catagory because officially Pentax does not make a pro camera body. However there are plenty of pros who do use Pentax gear. The WR at a reasonable price is a big plus.

[jct us101]

I also read that article in Outdoor Photographer and was likewise impressed with Pentax being favorably mentioned. Pentax wasn't mentioned in the Pro catagory because officially Pentax does not make a pro camera body. However there are plenty of pros who do use Pentax gear. The WR at a reasonable price is a big plus.

I would consider the K-7 to be pretty close to a pro camera body, I mean it has everything that the other brands pro cameras have just for a lot less money. I don't see why that doesn't qualify it to be a pro camera though, it sure seems like one.

[kytra]

I would consider the K-7 to be pretty close to a pro camera body, I mean it has everything that the other brands pro cameras have just for a lot less money. I don't see why that doesn't qualify it to be a pro camera though, it sure seems like one

In my opinion, pro means more than the product itself but the whole system, accessories and after sale services. That is why Pentax has to do much more than launch a ff body in order to afford the "pro" positioning.

[Canada_Rockies]

In my opinion, pro means more than the product itself but the whole system, accessories and after sale services. That is why Pentax has to do much more than launch a ff body in order to afford the "pro" positioning.

Pentax won't make it as a pro brand until they have the after sales support to at least the level they had when the LX was the camera to buy. Professionals need emergency equipment replacements/rentals/loans while something is repaired. When I sent off the K10d that I broke by falling on it (not recommended - and it hurt like the devil, too) it was five weeks before it came back.

No professional in any field can survive by telling clients that "my computer broke, and it is out for repair - I'll come and fix your system in a month or two". Nope, you run out and get a replacement, load all your backups in (you do have backups, don't you?) and go fix the system. I did that somewhere between several and many times over the years as a management consultant.

Can you imagine what would happen if the pro hired for a wedding, visit of the pope, presidential function or whatever requested a delay in the function while Pentax fixed the camera?

[rfortson]

Outdoor Photographer has been high on Pentax ever since they started making them weather-sealed. The K10D, K200D and K20D were always rated highly at OP.

[CWyatt]

This sounds good - I'd agree the K-7 would be a 'modest' budget landscape option. Definitely a good hiking etc choice. Otherwise really the big advantages come in the larger sensor categories which is seriously big bucks compared to the APS-C's. Maybe the 645D will make it into the high-end landscape sphere, weather-sealed too.

I would consider the K-7 to be pretty close to a pro camera body, I mean it has everything that the other brands pro cameras have just for a lot less money. I don't see why that doesn't qualify it to be a pro camera though, it sure seems like one.

'Pro' is definitely a somewhat slippery category, useful for not much else than very generally clarifying a cameras features in relation to other cameras. K-7 is great, and I'm sure it is used by a lot of professional photographers. It's also interesting that lots of pros, especially those buying their own gear, don't use the highest-end camera bodies because they're just too expensive to justify the advantages over other cameras. For example, the 50D was a very popular photojournalism choice, for good quality images and fast AF etc.

K-7 is, in the scheme of things, mid-range. Unless you think in terms of APS-C in which case it's up with the 7D and D300S flagships. But if people have the money it's really not up with the top 35mm DSLRs, in terms of performance and specs. Some of them have much higher frame rates, much higher ISO capabilities, super AF with heaps of points, AF tracking, bigger viewfinders, etc (of course they're not only expensive but big). Compare the K-7 and D3S for instance.

[RioRico]

In my opinion, pro means more than the product itself but the whole system, accessories and after sale services. That is why Pentax has to do much more than launch a ff body in order to afford the "pro" positioning.

And let us not forget that PRO is also a useful marketing tool. Top pros use Canikon. Canikon cam kits are widely available at every BestBuy and CostCo and WalMart etc. If you buy a cheap plastic Canikon outfit, YOU can be a pro too! You need only upgrade a few levels, and YOUR shots will be featured prominently in National Geographic, Sports Illustrated, Arizona Highways, Hustler, Newsweek, Rolling Stone!

It's an (in)adequacy-by-association scam. Top pros don't use Pentax, therefore if you buy a Pentax system you'll never be a top pro; Pentax is for Luzers! And so is the Canikon fanboi mentality fed. Who buys Pentax gear? Amateurs with no real ambitions, ditzy broads seduced by colors, clueless luzers who've missed the wagon. People not worth considering.

PRO means more than a body, with lenses. PRO means more than a support system. PRO means enticement.

[philbaum]

I think that if Pentax can keep up their present trends, they will soon get some more recognition, so i'm not that down on the brand.

I don't have a K7 so i can't say for sure, but i shot with a guy who had the Nikon D300S a week ago to get some media photos during a play dress rehearsal. The play was Chekhov's Seagull and had 2 really dark areas in it. One guy i was with had a Nikon D40, i have the K20, and the third guy had the D300S and he completely blew away our photos during the dark sequences. In normal playhouse light, we kept up with him fine. In the dark sequences, he just used 3200 ISO continuously, sometimes 4000 ISO - i know because i was in charge of picking out the ones to frame and post on the wall. While i was using a monopod, 1600iso, and f2.8 to get exposure, he was handheld and using f6.7, f8 and higher shutters than mine. But thats a $2600 camera i think. If the KX will allow me to shoot at 3200 iso, its going to be my next buy, no question.

I haven't done a detailed comparison, but i'm skeptical that the K7 is up with the D300S in high ISO.

[Lance B]

I think that if Pentax can keep up their present trends, they will soon get some more recognition, so i'm not that down on the brand.

I don't have a K7 so i can't say for sure, but i shot with a guy who had the Nikon D300S a week ago to get some media photos during a play dress rehearsal. The play was Chekhov's Seagull and had 2 really dark areas in it. One guy i was with had a Nikon D40, i have the K20, and the third guy had the D300S and he completely blew away our photos during the dark sequences. In normal playhouse light, we kept up with him fine. In the dark sequences, he just used 3200 ISO continuously, sometimes 4000 ISO - i know because i was in charge of picking out the ones to frame and post on the wall. While i was using a monopod, 1600iso, and f2.8 to get exposure, he was handheld and using f6.7, f8 and higher shutters than mine. But thats a $2600 camera i think. If the KX will allow me to shoot at 3200 iso, its going to be my next buy, no question.

I haven't done a detailed comparison, but i'm skeptical that the K7 is up with the D300S in high ISO.

Using ISO 3200 or ISO4000 would only be a 1 to 1.5 stop advantage over using ISO1600, so when you say that you had to use f2.8 and ISO1600 and your friend used f6.7 and f8 and ISO3200 or ISO4000, then this doesn't add up.

[CWyatt]

I haven't done a detailed comparison, but i'm skeptical that the K7 is up with the D300S in high ISO.

There are plenty of detailed comparisons around. The sensor isn't noisier, shooting RAW the K-7, D300S and 7D are pretty even.

[Pentaxie]

I think that if Pentax can keep up their present trends, they will soon get some more recognition, so i'm not that down on the brand.

Agreed.
It is true Pentax brand is slowly gaining some brand recognition among the digital cam players. (During the film era Pentax was famous, but in the digital era Pentax is slow to catch up with the likes of Canikon)
By featuring more in lots of magazines (especially the neutral one), Pentax is slowly getting the mileage it seeks to be one of the major player in the digital photography industry.