[justtakingpics]

Is the K-7 okay for a shooting weddings or indoors for school functions (like plays, cameos, year book type things)? I know it is a semi-pro to pro camera but I don't know if I need weather sealing as much as I need it for indoor shooting.
some flash and some not.
Thank you.

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Last edited by justtakingpics; 05-29-2010 at 07:00 PM.

[alohadave]

Yes you can.

If you know what you are doing, you can shoot a wedding/event with any camera. I shoot weddings and events with my K100DS with no problems.

[WMBP]

Is the K-7 okay for a shooting weddings or indoors for school functions (like plays, cameos, year book type things)?

YES. I have been shooting weddings—and graduations, Confirmations, graduate pictures, portraits, etc—for the last several years mainly relying upon a Pentax K20D, a K10D, and a collection of very good, fast prime lenses. The primes are my personal preference, but good fast zooms will work too.

I know it is a semi-pro to pro camera...

I urge you to get those marketing designations ("pro," "semi-pro", "prosumer") out of your head a.s.a.p. They are nothing more than meaningless crap.

If you want to be a pro, you need to know what your camera needs to do, what it can do, and how to make it do it. That's all that matters.

....but I don't know if I need weather sealing as much as I need it for indoor shooting.

You don't need weather-sealing to shoot weddings at all. The old Canon 5D (one of the first kind of affordable full-frame/36x24 cameras) used to be known as "the wedding photographer's camera". It wasn't weather-sealed. I have occasionally been caught in the rain and I'm glad that, with my weather-resistant K10D/K20D bodies, I don't have to worry about a drop or two. But I don't currently have any weather-resistant lenses, so I don't stand out in the rain. But it doesn't matter. If I'm out in the rain, I'm by myself, because when the drops start to fall, the bride and groom run for cover.

If you're thinking about wedding work, you must get good with flash.

*

Alohadave said you can shoot weddings with any camera. I know what he means, and I agree with him in the sense that he meant that. But I would like to clarify (and I'm sure AlohaDave would agree) that there are some cameras that one would probably prefer NOT to use for paid work. I mean, I don't think I'd want to shoot a wedding using my phone's camera. :-)



Will

[Ash]

Another emphatic yes. For all intensive purposes, I consider the K-7 the same as the K20D with regards to its sensor's output and have been very impressed with its results in indoor settings, including weddings. I have similarly used the K10D, K100D and *ist D to good effect and can recommend all of them for the job - if you know how to use them well. So as for the K-7, it's more than capable.

[alohadave]

You don't need weather-sealing to shoot weddings at all. The old Canon 5D (one of the first kind of affordable full-frame/36x24 cameras) used to be known as "the wedding photographer's camera". It wasn't weather-sealed. I have occasionally been caught in the rain and I'm glad that, with my weather-resistant K10D/K20D bodies, I don't have to worry about a drop or two. But I don't currently have any weather-resistant lenses, so I don't stand out in the rain. But it doesn't matter. If I'm out in the rain, I'm by myself, because when the drops start to fall, the bride and groom run for cover.

Funny thing, I was in a Zombie Walk today, and it started raining during it. My camera and lens were getting plenty of water and still worked fine. I just wiped it off when needed.

There was also a wedding party that was having pictures taken in the middle of the rain. The tree was keeping them mostly dry, but it wasn't at all pleasant.

If you're thinking about wedding work, you must get good with flash.

Absolutely. There are some who can shoot weddings ambient only, but they are few and far between.

*

Alohadave said you can shoot weddings with any camera. I know what he means, and I agree with him in the sense that he meant that. But I would like to clarify (and I'm sure AlohaDave would agree) that there are some cameras that one would probably prefer NOT to use for paid work. I mean, I don't think I'd want to shoot a wedding using my phone's camera. :-)



Will

Yes, indeed. Some cameras make it easier to get the shots you need to get, and I'd say that the K-7 makes things a bit easier than my K100DS.

To the OP, knowing how to use your camera effectively is the important part. Since you are asking if your camera is capable of weddings, it probably means that you aren't. This isn't a slam or a dig, but weddings are tough work, and require that you know your camera intimately so you know what it can do, and how to do it. Start small and work your way up, there will always be more events and weddings to shoot.

[justtakingpics]

No. You're right. I don't. I want to get the right camera to learn all kinds of stuff with. I don't want to limit myself at the get go.

[legboy]

I'd say any camera could be used provided you knew it's capabilities...yes it's a cliche but it's the photographer and not the camera, if you know your camera have confidence in your abilities then you should be able to produce the goods.

[Rondec]

Wedding photography is tough. Brutal might be a better word for it. I have shot second several times and never really enjoyed it, but there is no doubt that the K7 or K20 performs well in these situations. Could they be better? Sure. But, any SLR out there today will out perform the film era cameras that were the bread and butter of the average wedding photographer (maybe not medium format, but that is another story).

If you want to be a wedding photographer, you had better have a good concept of flash work. Best to shoot second on a number of weddings before trying your hand at it. It certainly is not for the faint hearted.

[thosan]

K-7 works fine at weddings, I have that and K10, both work just fine and dandy

[calsan]

One word: Yes.
If you are worried about High ISOs, then you need to change your technique.
Needing a high ISO is "Nature Way" of telling you to change the lighting situation and go for your flash or use a faster lens. I wouldn't shoot higher than 400 on any camera for a wedding.

[rawr]

I imagine the K-7 would be fine for weddings. Keep the ISO range limited to 1600 ISO max though, perhaps even 800 ISO max.

Shoot RAW (or RAW+) and for post-processing use a good RAW convertor which has support for the K-7 (Adobe Camera Raw via PS or Lightroom or PSE, DXO etc). Also get a fast lens or two - eg a fast Pentax 50 f1.4, Sigma 28mm f1.8 or a 17-50mm f2.8 (Pentax or Tamron) zoom.

But as others have suggested, experience is key to a good result, perhaps more than the gear. Just like any photography.

[layfsphoto]

Make sure you have a good flash. Most important. However ALWAYS ask the person preforming the service. Sometime they will not allow a flash till after the wedding. Which allow you to get some pretty good low light photos (ELBOWS IN RIBS AND HOLD STILL). I use a K20d with a 50 1.4 and a 18-250 zoom. Flash is so important try to find a defusser (lightshere) that you like.

BTW. Pictures that sell the most are the set up shots. So get those right.

[WMBP]

If you are worried about High ISOs, then you need to change your technique. Needing a high ISO is "Nature Way" of telling you to change the lighting situation and go for your flash or use a faster lens. I wouldn't shoot higher than 400 on any camera for a wedding.

I have to disagree with this.

It's true that you should do what you can to improve your lighting, always. But sometimes, what you can do isn't very much.

Nearly all of the wedding ceremonies that I shoot are in churches, and flash is nearly always prohibited during the ceremony. It's simply not an option. SO I shoot with fast primes—Sigma 28 f/1.8, Pentax 35 f/2, Pentax 50 f/1.4, and absolutely nothing slower than f/2.8. EVEN SO, for an average wedding ceremony, I will be spending a lot of time in the range between ISO 800 and ISO 2000. Maybe this is "nature's way" of telling me I should be using a Nikon D3. :-)

Will

[johnmflores]

No. Particularly when the bride's uncle/cousin/brother shows up with a FF Canikon, sidles up to you and says, "Pentax, aren't they going under?"

If you want to save face in these situations, place the K-7 in a black shoebox, cut a hole for the lens, and write "Canikon" along the top edge. That is the only way, the pro way.

Tongue firmly in cheek....

[opiedog]

No. Particularly when the bride's uncle/cousin/brother shows up with a FF Canikon, sidles up to you and says, "Pentax, aren't they going under?"

If you want to save face in these situations, place the K-7 in a black shoebox, cut a hole for the lens, and write "Canikon" along the top edge. That is the only way, the pro way.

Tongue firmly in cheek....

i've heard that pentax DSLR's shutters will get stuck on the first shot during weddings. nasty.

of course the k7 is more than capable. I've used a Ricoh XR1000s film while my pals were using their canon a1's and all came out just fine.