Tell me why I should buy a new K-7 over a used K20D

CWyatt · 07-15-2010, 11:11 PM

This is more likely due to in-camera jpeg settings and/or the lens quality.

sebberry · 07-15-2010, 11:42 PM

I'm pretty sure my DA* 50-135 is up to the challenge

Occasionally I'll get it right and the photo comes out well, but most of the time it looks like I took it with a camera phone.

**Rondec** · 07-16-2010, 04:23 AM

There was a big thread about Pentax's "dull" colors. The only thing that I can say is that you probably need to work on your post processing skills a little. You can really bump up the saturation when shooting in camera jpegs with the K7, but if you take photos of people much, it tends to make skin tones look odd. Better to do it after the fact with the vibrance slider in ACR.

GeneV · 07-16-2010, 05:23 AM

Originally posted by Rondec

There was a big thread about Pentax's "dull" colors. The only thing that I can say is that you probably need to work on your post processing skills a little. You can really bump up the saturation when shooting in camera jpegs with the K7, but if you take photos of people much, it tends to make skin tones look odd. Better to do it after the fact with the vibrance slider in ACR.

And the same goes for NR and sharpening. However, as was discussed in many other threads, a few minutes in the menus, and you can get flourescent colors from a Pentax camera jpeg as well.

**dadipentak** · 07-16-2010, 08:00 AM

Oh, and in case you're not in the habit of doing so, do use lens hoods--it can make a big difference.

Marc Sabatella · 07-16-2010, 11:27 AM

Originally posted by sebberry

I'm pretty sure my DA* 50-135 is up to the challenge

Occasionally I'll get it right and the photo comes out well, but most of the time it looks like I took it with a camera phone.

You'll have to post an example if you expect anyone to believe that. And in case case, so many image processing settings are customizable there's really no reason you can't get whatever kind of results you want.

sebberry · 07-16-2010, 11:43 AM

Sometimes I nail it just right like this

or

And then I'll get photos like

and

Right click, open in new tab. This forum screws up the links...

Last edited by sebberry; 07-16-2010 at 12:07 PM.

yeatzee · 07-16-2010, 11:46 AM

Originally posted by sebberry

Basically I was considering the upgrade because many of my photos come out rather "flat" or dull looking in terms of colour saturation. They generally lack the bright, rich "punch" that I have seen from newer cameras. Then again, I have seen some pretty flat looking photos from the K-7 as well.

Everyone post processes their images... your supposed to! The newer camera images you've seen are processed I garuntee it.... that or they are Jpeg and the settings are boosted to max

edit: your going to need to post larger sizes than that

sebberry · 07-16-2010, 11:53 AM

That's odd, they're thumbnails and should link to bigger versions

yeatzee · 07-16-2010, 11:55 AM

The thumbnails do not link to larger images

sebberry · 07-16-2010, 12:00 PM

Ok, there's something screwy with how this forum displays images.

It should work now unless it broke the links again. It was opening the thumbnail in a new tab, then opening the full version in another new tab...

sebberry · 07-16-2010, 12:07 PM

Right click, open in new tab. This forum screws up the links...

Marc Sabatella · 07-16-2010, 12:17 PM

Originally posted by sebberry

And then I'll get photos like...

Well, sure if the scene really *is* flat, then of course the image won't have the same kind of pop. Part of the skill of photography is picking the right scenes - the camera isn't going to magically take a flat scene and make it not flat (and if it does, then it's defective - a camera is not supposed to lie like that). i think you're simply being fooled by seeing images from other cameras that happen to be of more dynamic scenes in the first place. As you're seeing, though, when faced with a good scene, you camera does just fine. Faced with a blah scene, any camera will take a blah picture.

CWyatt · 07-16-2010, 01:06 PM

As above, I'm not sure what you were looking for in the second two images. I can't see any real camera deficiencies.

benjikan · 07-16-2010, 02:30 PM

Originally posted by sebberry

I love using my Pentax K10D. When I started looking at cameras I hadn't even thought of Pentax until I picked it up in the store. The controls, the body and even the lift and turn levers for the battery and SD doors that are reminiscent of the old film winding cranks made me fall in love with the camera.

Trouble is, I can't seem to take a decent photo to save my life. While I realize it comes down to the photographer and not so much the equipment, I tend to see better images from the K20D and even better ones from the K-7.

I have no desire to get rid of the K10D. After all I do have a DA* lens and the K10D is the only camera I can flash back the firmware to a screw-drive for the * lens.

But the improved IQ and low light capabilities of the K20D/K-7 are tough to resist.

I am more partial to the K20 since it is bigger, the K-7 is nice but I can't stand the cheap SD door and rubber cover over the USB ports.

Where was the bigger jump in IQ and high ISO performance? Was it from the K10D to the K20D or was it the K20D to the K-7?

Ummm...I'll keep it short and to the point. The reason I stay with the K20D over the K7, is I prefer the output of the K20D over the K7.

That's all folks.

Photo Below Pentax K20D + Pentax Ltd 40mm

07-16-2010, 02:30 PM	#45
benjikan Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Paris, France Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,308	Originally posted by sebberry I love using my Pentax K10D. When I started looking at cameras I hadn't even thought of Pentax until I picked it up in the store. The controls, the body and even the lift and turn levers for the battery and SD doors that are reminiscent of the old film winding cranks made me fall in love with the camera. Trouble is, I can't seem to take a decent photo to save my life. While I realize it comes down to the photographer and not so much the equipment, I tend to see better images from the K20D and even better ones from the K-7. I have no desire to get rid of the K10D. After all I do have a DA* lens and the K10D is the only camera I can flash back the firmware to a screw-drive for the * lens. But the improved IQ and low light capabilities of the K20D/K-7 are tough to resist. I am more partial to the K20 since it is bigger, the K-7 is nice but I can't stand the cheap SD door and rubber cover over the USB ports. Where was the bigger jump in IQ and high ISO performance? Was it from the K10D to the K20D or was it the K20D to the K-7? Ummm...I'll keep it short and to the point. The reason I stay with the K20D over the K7, is I prefer the output of the K20D over the K7. That's all folks. Photo Below Pentax K20D + Pentax Ltd 40mm Attached Images

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07-15-2010, 11:11 PM	#31
CWyatt Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,291	This is more likely due to in-camera jpeg settings and/or the lens quality.

07-15-2010, 11:42 PM	#32
sebberry Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Frozen white North Photos: Albums Posts: 1,135 Original Poster	I'm pretty sure my DA* 50-135 is up to the challenge Occasionally I'll get it right and the photo comes out well, but most of the time it looks like I took it with a camera phone.

07-16-2010, 04:23 AM	#33
Rondec Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Gladys, Virginia Photos: Gallery Posts: 27,651	There was a big thread about Pentax's "dull" colors. The only thing that I can say is that you probably need to work on your post processing skills a little. You can really bump up the saturation when shooting in camera jpegs with the K7, but if you take photos of people much, it tends to make skin tones look odd. Better to do it after the fact with the vibrance slider in ACR.

07-16-2010, 05:23 AM	#34
GeneV Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Albuquerque NM Photos: Albums Posts: 9,830	Originally posted by Rondec There was a big thread about Pentax's "dull" colors. The only thing that I can say is that you probably need to work on your post processing skills a little. You can really bump up the saturation when shooting in camera jpegs with the K7, but if you take photos of people much, it tends to make skin tones look odd. Better to do it after the fact with the vibrance slider in ACR. And the same goes for NR and sharpening. However, as was discussed in many other threads, a few minutes in the menus, and you can get flourescent colors from a Pentax camera jpeg as well.

07-16-2010, 08:00 AM	#35
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	Oh, and in case you're not in the habit of doing so, do use lens hoods--it can make a big difference.

07-16-2010, 11:27 AM	#36
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Originally posted by sebberry I'm pretty sure my DA* 50-135 is up to the challenge Occasionally I'll get it right and the photo comes out well, but most of the time it looks like I took it with a camera phone. You'll have to post an example if you expect anyone to believe that. And in case case, so many image processing settings are customizable there's really no reason you can't get whatever kind of results you want.

07-16-2010, 11:43 AM	#37
sebberry Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Frozen white North Photos: Albums Posts: 1,135 Original Poster	Sometimes I nail it just right like this or And then I'll get photos like and Right click, open in new tab. This forum screws up the links... Last edited by sebberry; 07-16-2010 at 12:07 PM.

07-16-2010, 11:46 AM	#38
yeatzee Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Temecula Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,675	Originally posted by sebberry Basically I was considering the upgrade because many of my photos come out rather "flat" or dull looking in terms of colour saturation. They generally lack the bright, rich "punch" that I have seen from newer cameras. Then again, I have seen some pretty flat looking photos from the K-7 as well. Everyone post processes their images... your supposed to! The newer camera images you've seen are processed I garuntee it.... that or they are Jpeg and the settings are boosted to max edit: your going to need to post larger sizes than that

07-16-2010, 11:53 AM	#39
sebberry Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Frozen white North Photos: Albums Posts: 1,135 Original Poster	That's odd, they're thumbnails and should link to bigger versions

07-16-2010, 11:55 AM	#40
yeatzee Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Temecula Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,675	The thumbnails do not link to larger images

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07-16-2010, 12:00 PM	#41
sebberry Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Frozen white North Photos: Albums Posts: 1,135 Original Poster	Ok, there's something screwy with how this forum displays images. It should work now unless it broke the links again. It was opening the thumbnail in a new tab, then opening the full version in another new tab...

07-16-2010, 12:07 PM	#42
sebberry Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Frozen white North Photos: Albums Posts: 1,135 Original Poster	Right click, open in new tab. This forum screws up the links...

07-16-2010, 12:17 PM	#43
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Originally posted by sebberry And then I'll get photos like... Well, sure if the scene really is flat, then of course the image won't have the same kind of pop. Part of the skill of photography is picking the right scenes - the camera isn't going to magically take a flat scene and make it not flat (and if it does, then it's defective - a camera is not supposed to lie like that). i think you're simply being fooled by seeing images from other cameras that happen to be of more dynamic scenes in the first place. As you're seeing, though, when faced with a good scene, you camera does just fine. Faced with a blah scene, any camera will take a blah picture.

07-16-2010, 01:06 PM	#44
CWyatt Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 1,291	As above, I'm not sure what you were looking for in the second two images. I can't see any real camera deficiencies.