[PentaxRev]

I had the K10 for quite some time. Although the K20 did represent something of a jump up from it, I never thought it was all that much. When I bought the K-7 I couldn't believe how much more refined it was. Here are my observations about what I think is better in a comparison of the K20 and the K-7.

1) Faster autofocus
2) Quieter shutter (and it's much smoother as well)
3) 100% viewfinder
4) Significantly faster frame rate (5.2 vs. 3)
5) More menu control
6) More compact body (I have larger hands and the rest of this is pretty subjective, but I like the K-7 body a lot better especially since I added a grip)
7) New digital filters
8) In camera HDR
9) Larger and higher resolution LCD (3 inch 920K vs. 2.7 inch 230K)

Both are good cameras and I doubt you'll be disappointed with either one, but with the above advantages of the K-7 over the K20 I tend to think you will be more satisfied with the 7, especially since the cost is not that much more. As I said above, it seems to simply be much more refined.

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Last edited by PentaxRev; 02-16-2011 at 07:34 AM.

[eddie1960]

I had the K10 for quite some time. Although the K20 did represent something of a jump up from it, I never thought it was all that much. When I bought the K-7 I couldn't believe how much more refined it was. Here are my observations about what I think is better in the K-7.

1) Faster autofocus
2) Quieter shutter (and it's much smoother as well)
3) 100% viewfinder
4) Significantly faster frame rate (5.2 vs. 3)
5) More menu control
6) More compact body (I have larger hands and the rest of this is pretty subjective, but I like the K-7 body a lot better especially since I added a grip)
7) New digital filters
8) In camera HDR
9) Larger and higher resolution LCD

Both are good cameras and I doubt you'll be disappointed with either one, but with the above advantages of the K-7 over the K20 I tend to think you will be more satisfied with the 7, especially since the cost is not that much more. As I said above, it seems to simply be much more refined.

Coming from the same upgrade path i would agree with everything above. i haven't tried the in camera HDR (I've done some HDR with it though) I haven't shot jpeg so can't comment, but i do find the ability to try out the filters on a raw shot kind of cool, and the filters are far more programmable. so is the colour balance (ie bright, natural etc) there are numerous choices

in general i could have probably been happy with a k20, it would have been basically an improved version of what i was shooting, the K7 though like mentions is just a more refined experience.

[Mushroom_Toy]

Faster frame rate would be a plus, although faster autofocus would be slightly useful (usually use manual lens). SO knowing that which camera works better with a variety of old manual lenses?

[eddie1960]

the k7 seems to expose more accurately versus my k10. can't speak for the k20. i use mostly k/m lenses and the odd m42
only own a few AF lenses every time i use one it's like a revelation on some of the camera features (really should pick up a couple of a lenses just for that reason)

[EricR]

Just got the K-7 and still have my K20D but the bigger and higher res LCD + the quieter shutter are some thing you notice immediately when you start using the K-7. The handling is a little bit better but I also like the brick feeling of the K20D.

One thing I did not like was more shadow noise with the K-7 but only if I underexposed a little, the K20D seems to handle underexposure a little bit better.

[repaap]

What I noticed from my friends cam and my (K20, K-7) it is exactly the same thing, good res big screen, 100% view and 5.3shots / sec, vers. 3. Otherwise noise is better handeld with K 20. But if you expose correctly, or go litle over it is just as good, or even better with K-7. I think, that I would have battery grip, if my hands were bigger, with K-7(and It is on my to buy list anyway...)