Originally posted by JeffJS
You Don't go to bed.. This decision will bug you until you actually make the choice and make the purchase. Then you won't be able to sleep because you want to play with your new toys. Get use to it
The conclusion you should draw from my photos is this. On the K7, very high ISO is pretty useless in that situation. As I've stated before, you're pretty safe up to about 1600. Second, the in camera ISO noise reduction really doesn't help matters much and with that type of photo, nothing does. By the time you removed all the noise from those photos, there would be nothing left of any detail. But, that is the worse case scenario with the K7. It only improves from there. Like I said, manage your expectations and you won't be disappointed.
I've added another photo to the set only this time, using the built in flash (withflash is part of the filename). That is straight out of the camera, High noise reduction employed (because I forgot to reset it). As you can see, If there is enough light, a Usable photo is possible with the K7. This of course is true with ANY camera, including the Kx. Photos require light and without it, you take what you can get. Again, this is a situation I would never use in actual practice but in a pinch, it'll work. My rule of thumb is start at ISO 100 and go from there depending on need.
Enjoy your new camera, whichever one you choose.
Sorry, sorry, sorry, but I went to bed and in bed I indeed continued thinking about it, but because I was pretty tired not too long!!!
In my dreams I told myself that a good digital camera should actually not have two wheels for shutter time and aperture, but also one for ISO. Not having film does not only allow users to take many pictures and only select the best one (on LCD), but also to change film sensitive for every photo.
- So the K-7 is a good dSLR for a heavy SLR user, but missing out on good High ISO performance is a big weakness.
- There are real "work-arrounds" for the weakness of the K-x, but not for the
bad high ISO performance of the K-7. No focus assist beam = use pop up flash, No 2 wheels, use additional button, No big LCD = just take another photo to be sure and analyse offline...
About my expectations, I see five scenarios:
- I buy the K-x and am happy with that "for ever" = 400 Euro
- I buy the K-x and 1-2 years later I upgrade to e.g. K-5 = 400 + 800 = 1200 Euro
- I buy the K-7 and am happy with that "for ever" but will never utilize the real benefits of Dslr's = 800 Euro
- I buy the K-7 and 1-2 years late I upgrade to e.g. K-5 = 800 + 800 = 1600 Euro
- I buy the K-5 and am happy with that "for ever" = 1200 Euro
1. is nice and cheap scenario
2. isn't bad, because that K-x will then be a very capable and nice compact 2nd camera that I also can give away to my father (so keeps it's value) and I buy a new camera twice
3. isn't the best scenario and the more I think about it also not very likely to happen, maybe the K-5/7 are too complicated or in the end I also want the good High ISO performance
4. is IMO the worst scenario, in 2 years the K-7 is worthless
5. nice scenario as well...