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07-09-2020, 08:28 AM - 1 Like   #1
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Purchased a Pentax K7 as a second body to my Pentax KP

I love my Pentax KP and I have a few lenses now to go with it. My first lens was the 16-85mm f3.5/5.6 which is outstanding for a zoom but feels a bit bulky on the KP. I bought a couple of older Pentax lenses, a 135mm M f3.5 and a 50mm A f1.7, out of the two, the 50mm is my favourite because it is fairly easy to manual focus and I can still use the Tav mode, which is brilliant. The 135mm however, is difficult to focus and because it is an M lens, I have to use the green button for exposure readings, which although very clever, it is a little awkward to use. Anyway, I then purchased a DA35mm f2.4 and was blown away by the performance and from that point, I decided, prime lenses were the way forward and I followed that up by buying a DA15mm f4 Ltd, which is also another cracking lens. Now I faced a new problem, which lens to use, 15mm? 35mm? or the old 50mm? Then I started looking for a second hand Pentax body (ALL my gear is second hand and in mint condition) I did not want to spend more than £150 and I was hoping to find a K10D or K20D but there was not any available on E-Bay for my budget, so I looked on Wex Photo and they had ONE second-hand Pentax body for sale and that was a K7 for £153 and it's shutter count was just 1000 😲, so I am now excitedly waiting for it to arrive. I intend to use it with the 50mm f1.7 A lens attached and then put either the 35mm or 15mm on the KP body, which will save me constantly switching between the two.
From what I have read about the K7 it is a step up from the K20D, which I used to own and I loved the look that the K20D produced in my photos, so it will be very interesting to compare it with my KP.

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Last edited by Wiltshireborn; 07-09-2020 at 08:45 AM. Reason: Adding photo
07-09-2020, 09:48 AM - 1 Like   #2
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In case you haven't run across this page on the forum, here is a side-by-side comparison of the K20D, K-7, and KP:
Pentax K20D vs. Pentax K-7 vs. Pentax KP - Pentax Camera Comparison - PentaxForums.com

You can also go to this page Pentax Camera & Lens Sample Photo Search Engine - PentaxForums.com and choose K-7 from the camera drop-down box to see sample pictures.
07-09-2020, 12:54 PM - 1 Like   #3
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Usability was improved over K20D with very similar image quality. I think you will like it. I have kept my K-7 as the crop sensor companion to the K-3. Very similar layout and ergonomics.
07-09-2020, 04:07 PM - 1 Like   #4
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I have a K-3, K-01 and K-7. The K-7 is my second preferred body: rugged and excellent handling


At low ISO 9100-200), with a good-quality prime lens, the K-7 continue to deliver very nice photographs IMHO. Even compared to my K-3.

Enjoy your K-7!

07-09-2020, 04:48 PM - 2 Likes   #5
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You might be pleasantly surprised by your K-7. I have a K-5iis which has a body design like the K-7 and, although this comment is of course subjective, its ergonomics are much better than the KP which has been my main camera (because of its improved features) for nearly two years. The K-5/7 series body feels just right in the hands whichever lens is attached, compared with the KP which doesn't seem to offer that same good "feel" with any of its supplied grips. After you have used the K-7 for a while it would be good to read your views on this aspect. I used the K-5 before the KP, and hence it will be interesting to get the perspective of someone who used the KP first.

Philip
07-10-2020, 12:00 AM - 1 Like   #6
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I enjoy my KP immensely, but still use my K-5 IIs sometimes, when I prefer to have its very fine fast, convenient on-body control set- it is still that good. Not that the KP controls are not great, they are, but in a different way. I have no problem with ergonomics with either, but that is coming from old 35mm film MF camera bodies. Again, just different. Each has its own advantages. Larger lenses balance a bit better with the K-5's design while a compact lens is delightful on the KP, especially one of the limited primes. The optional battery grip for the KP changes its handling considerably.

I never went for the K-7 but instead got a left-over new K20D which I still have but now rarely use. Its handling is great with its larger, meatier-gripping design when I don't mind the size and weight. But not as great for compact carrying needs, and IQ is not in the same league as the KP. Metering, exposure, resolution, low noise and fine detail retention at higher ISO are in a different class with the KP.

You should be fine with the K-7 in good lighting. It's rather like a compact K20D with a few more perks.
07-10-2020, 01:29 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by MrB1 Quote
You might be pleasantly surprised by your K-7. I have a K-5iis which has a body design like the K-7 and, although this comment is of course subjective, its ergonomics are much better than the KP which has been my main camera (because of its improved features) for nearly two years. The K-5/7 series body feels just right in the hands whichever lens is attached, compared with the KP which doesn't seem to offer that same good "feel" with any of its supplied grips. After you have used the K-7 for a while it would be good to read your views on this aspect. I used the K-5 before the KP, and hence it will be interesting to get the perspective of someone who used the KP first.

Philip
Hi Philip, I will let you know how I get on once I receive it and try it out�� I had the K10D and K20D which were very solid cameras and also the K3 which I loved and regret selling but I am super excited to be adding a K7 to my collection

---------- Post added 07-10-20 at 01:36 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by mikesbike Quote
I enjoy my KP immensely, but still use my K-5 IIs sometimes, when I prefer to have its very fine fast, convenient on-body control set- it is still that good. Not that the KP controls are not great, they are, but in a different way. I have no problem with ergonomics with either, but that is coming from old 35mm film MF camera bodies. Again, just different. Each has its own advantages. Larger lenses balance a bit better with the K-5's design while a compact lens is delightful on the KP, especially one of the limited primes. The optional battery grip for the KP changes its handling considerably.

I never went for the K-7 but instead got a left-over new K20D which I still have but now rarely use. Its handling is great with its larger, meatier-gripping design when I don't mind the size and weight. But not as great for compact carrying needs, and IQ is not in the same league as the KP. Metering, exposure, resolution, low noise and fine detail retention at higher ISO are in a different class with the KP.

You should be fine with the K-7 in good lighting. It's rather like a compact K20D with a few more perks.
Hi Mike, I love my KP too, it is a awesome camera and very compact, especially if used with prime lenses and I was lucky that my KP came with all three grips, I have the largest one on permanently. I intend to use the K7 with my Pentax 50mm f1.7 A lens on because it is the fastest lens that I have.

07-10-2020, 03:01 AM - 1 Like   #8
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The K-7 is a cracker as long as ISO stays near 100, Pentax nailed the ergonomics so well they didn't have to change them for three generations
Image quality at base ISO is very good, I had no complaints about it!
07-10-2020, 03:18 AM - 1 Like   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by Wiltshireborn Quote
Hi Philip, I will let you know how I get on once I receive it and try it out�� I had the K10D and K20D which were very solid cameras and also the K3 which I loved and regret selling but I am super excited to be adding a K7 to my collection.

Hi Mike, I love my KP too, it is a awesome camera and very compact, especially if used with prime lenses and I was lucky that my KP came with all three grips, I have the largest one on permanently. I intend to use the K7 with my Pentax 50mm f1.7 A lens on because it is the fastest lens that I have.
I hope I didn't give you and Mike the wrong impression - certainly not intended - the KP is by far the best camera I have ever owned and (almost every day) I enjoy using mine. It's just in the aspect of ergonomics and handling that I find the K-5iis body design to be even better! The latter just feels great, with a good built-in grip, and dials and buttons in just the right places. As examples of the latter (subjective, remember!), the positions of the AF button and shutter button are perfect for me on the K-5iis but always feel slightly awkward on the KP.

Philip
07-10-2020, 11:28 AM   #10
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nmt iso 200 and your fine. ��
07-11-2020, 05:21 AM - 1 Like   #11
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The K7 has, in my opinion, the best flesh tone rendering of any Pentax camera. However, the Samsung sensor is quite noisy off of base ISO. I loved the camera in the studio and for good light landscapes, but found it less than appealing for low light work requiring higher ISO's.
07-14-2020, 02:38 AM - 1 Like   #12
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Well I am excited to say that my second hand Pentax K7 body arrived today and it is absolutely mint! Here it is pictured next to my Pentax KP
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07-14-2020, 03:34 AM - 1 Like   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Serkevan Quote
The K-7 is a cracker as long as ISO stays near 100, Pentax nailed the ergonomics so well they didn't have to change them for three generations
Image quality at base ISO is very good, I had no complaints about it!
You can push the iso a lot further than 100, give me a break.

See the attached thread

just how good is the K7 shake reduction? - PentaxForums.com

Although it was aimed at the improved shake reduction, the shot in the thread is ISo1600.

While there is grain, it is useable.
07-14-2020, 04:19 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by Lowell Goudge Quote
You can push the iso a lot further than 100, give me a break.

See the attached thread

just how good is the K7 shake reduction? - PentaxForums.com

Although it was aimed at the improved shake reduction, the shot in the thread is ISo1600.

While there is grain, it is useable.
The main problem is that the moment you have any relatively dark parts in the image noise gets substantially worse. I've even had long exposures at ISO 100 where the darker areas were full of ugly chroma noise and needed a bunch of NR applied selectively (although that might have been my copy because I remember it looking much worse than your excellent shot any time I shot 800-1600. ISO 800 in low light was quite time-consuming in post and the reason I even considered upgrading (I found myself taking a lot of photos in more challenging conditions). Everything else about the camera is as praiseworthy as it can be IMO.
07-16-2020, 06:14 AM - 1 Like   #15
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Well I took out my newly purchased Pentax K7, attached to it I had my DA 35mm f2.4 and it was a cloudy and overcast day. My initial impressions are that the size and weight of the K7 compared to my KP is negligible, they are both very compact and solid bodies. I have the largest grip attached to the KP (mine came with all three) and I find both bodies fit my hands comfortably but in a different way because of the placement of the shutter release. The KP is very much like an old Pentax MX, with the shutter release on the top plate and the K7 shutter button is tilted forward on the built-in grip. Regarding image quality, obviously the KP is way ahead on that score but the few images I have taken so far at 200 and 400 ISO are very good indeed and the one I took at 3200 ISO was very grainy BUT I actually quite liked the texture for certain subjects. So far I have only tested the K7 with my DA 35mm, so I have a lot more lenses to try out (DA 15mm, DA 16-85mm, 50mm A & 135mm M) and I need to try more varied ISO settings to see the limits. Both cameras have their advantages or features that I like :- K7 - I like the DOF preview built into the shutter release collar, the top plate LCD is very handy the only and apart from the sensor limitations, I have no negatives about the K7 and look forward to using it alongside my KP. The KP - The fact it has a tilting rear screen makes no difference to me because I have a folding LCD hood fixed over the screen and I have ordered another one to fit over the K7 screen as well, they offer protection from scratches and a great in bright sunlight for viewing the screen, that said, I always, always use the viewfinder for taking photos whilst hand holding the camera and would only use the screen if mounted on a tripod (Can't be bothered with that ��) The other great thing about the KP is the amount of button and dial customisation that it has and once again, I do not have any negatives for the KP. So to sum up really (well done for getting this far ��) I absolutely love BOTH of these cameras but then they are both Pentax's and Pentax's just feel so right in the hand, no more I can add really (phew! I hear you say) I will add an update after some more time with the K7 ��
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