[xand]

Maybe are talking about different items.

The AF point selection is modal in that you can switch between Auto, Selectable and spot focus with a dial around the AF button on the back of the camera.

However, to switch between focus points in the selectable mode you must press the OK first before you shift your focus point.

Hm. To be very clear about this, I think RBellavance is talking about "The trade-off is that you now have to press the OK button before you can start moving the AF point when in Select mode. However, once you've pressed OK to switch to AF point selection mode, that choice is retained until you switch back, even if you turn the camera off."

From that text, it seems quite clear that the change which has been made is that the fn button has been removed, and the "ok" button has taken it's place - except that instead of reversing the functionality completely, they made it such that in AF Select mode the camera will remeber an "ok" press, and stick to treating the 4 way controller as a 4 way controller for AF point selection?

Could you possibly try this out with the current firmware? (i.e: As below:
1. switch to AV and AF select mode
2. press ok until the 4-way controller works to change AF points
3. switch off the camera
4. switch on the camera

Does the 4-way controller still change AF points?

5. change the aperture

Does the 4-way controller still change AF points?

6. change exposure compensation

Does the 4-way controller still change AF points?

)

If the answer to the question is always "yes", then the "ok" button is "modal", and me and probably many other people will be happy bunnies.

Not that this is going to really affect a purchasing decision, but nice to know!

[jeffkrol]

I guess the civility is due to the British background of DP Review.

You obviously never read Phils posts.........
It's a *conspiracy I tells yah*
Re: Thread closed or what ?? Maybe to me only ?: Open Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
"Read it in the Newspaper, must be true"
Re: From DXOMark: More pixels offsets noise: Open Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
What would you like me to do, ban everyone?
Re: Look at the activity on the forum.: Canon Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
Sorry for the diversion........... I've, so far, never been banned....

EDIT: Actually a minor question: Was the less than 1/250 flash sych speed an economic or technical decision, or both?

[Ben_Edict]

1) Yes, the actual eyepiece "rails" that the magnifier attached to is the same.

2) I am left eye dominant and haven't had a problem

***Funny aside, when I shot film I noticed a color shift between my right and left eyes (once heard it was due to high blood pressure). So, when I shot Velvia, I looked through the viewfinder with my left eye, and when I shot Kodachrome I would look through my right.****.

That's a fairly common observation. Nearly everybody has different colour perception from one eye to the other. Me myself have "cooler" (aka blueish) vision on the right eye and warmer perception on the left one. Wopuld be interesting to see, if this is a general trend or whether the warmer/cooler perception is random between humans.

Ben

[flyer]

That's a fairly common observation. Nearly everybody has different colour perception from one eye to the other. Me myself have "cooler" (aka blueish) vision on the right eye and warmer perception on the left one. Wopuld be interesting to see, if this is a general trend or whether the warmer/cooler perception is random between humans.

Ben

You should try to set both eyes with the same WB.

[JCPentax]

Hm. To be very clear about this, I think RBellavance is talking about "The trade-off is that you now have to press the OK button before you can start moving the AF point when in Select mode. However, once you've pressed OK to switch to AF point selection mode, that choice is retained until you switch back, even if you turn the camera off."

From that text, it seems quite clear that the change which has been made is that the fn button has been removed, and the "ok" button has taken it's place - except that instead of reversing the functionality completely, they made it such that in AF Select mode the camera will remeber an "ok" press, and stick to treating the 4 way controller as a 4 way controller for AF point selection?

Could you possibly try this out with the current firmware? (i.e: As below:
1. switch to AV and AF select mode
2. press ok until the 4-way controller works to change AF points
3. switch off the camera
4. switch on the camera

Does the 4-way controller still change AF points?

5. change the aperture

Does the 4-way controller still change AF points?

6. change exposure compensation

Does the 4-way controller still change AF points?

)

If the answer to the question is always "yes", then the "ok" button is "modal", and me and probably many other people will be happy bunnies.

Not that this is going to really affect a purchasing decision, but nice to know!

1-4) No. Once you cycle the power the four way controller reverts back to function buttons.

5) Yes, I can change the focus point, change the aperture, then go back and change focus points again without having to press the OK button.

6) Yes, same as above.

[JCPentax]

You obviously never read Phils posts.........
It's a *conspiracy I tells yah*
Re: Thread closed or what ?? Maybe to me only ?: Open Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
"Read it in the Newspaper, must be true"
Re: From DXOMark: More pixels offsets noise: Open Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
What would you like me to do, ban everyone?
Re: Look at the activity on the forum.: Canon Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review
Sorry for the diversion........... I've, so far, never been banned....

EDIT: Actually a minor question: Was the less than 1/250 flash sych speed an economic or technical decision, or both?

I could say both. Technical in that it would have required a redesigned shutter, economic because redesigning a shutter unit is expensive.

[JCPentax]

That's a fairly common observation. Nearly everybody has different colour perception from one eye to the other. Me myself have "cooler" (aka blueish) vision on the right eye and warmer perception on the left one. Wopuld be interesting to see, if this is a general trend or whether the warmer/cooler perception is random between humans.

Ben

Mine is the same. Cooler in the right, warmer in the left.

[kenyee]

This is probably a "no" but I didn't see it asked in the other two DPR threads:
with the 77 segment metering, is there an option to ignore the center (if you installed a split prism focusing screen)? It probably can be done via a firmware update but I'm curious if there's a menu option for it...

[xand]

1-4) No. Once you cycle the power the four way controller reverts back to function buttons.

5) Yes, I can change the focus point, change the aperture, then go back and change focus points again without having to press the OK button.

6) Yes, same as above.

Good enough!

Switching off power is overrated

[RBellavance]

Good enough!

Switching off power is overrated

Agreed. The AF selection mode seems modal enough for my needs.

Thanks for being so responsive, John !

[jeffkrol]

I could say both. Technical in that it would have required a redesigned shutter, economic because redesigning a shutter unit is expensive.

I'm not going to press the subject but it would be your supplier who doesn't possess a shutter w/ 1/250th sync?
http://www.seiko-p.co.jp/E/component/ems.html

[Lowell Goudge]

I could say both. Technical in that it would have required a redesigned shutter, economic because redesigning a shutter unit is expensive.

to follow on regarding the shutter and flash sync.

with respect to the shutter, I assume that the 1/8000 was achieved by only reducing the minimum width of teh open slit, and not changing the traverse time of the shutter, reducing the traverse time would permit for a faster sync speed also. As a result,
- at what point, when narrowing the width of th eshutter opening does difraction come into play (around the edge of the split) and begin to become a signficiant factor in lack of image contrast or sharpness.
- was the decision also based upon the potential need for a new flash, as a higher sync would require a shorter burst duration, and while only anicdotal in nature, there have been some comments about the K10D and K20D having non uniform flash illumination due to the flash output exceeding the full open time of the shutter at 1/180th of a second.

as an aside, my PZ-1 had a 1/8000 shutter with 1/250 sync, and given the size of a 35mm frame, it had to operate at much higher speeds than the present shutter

[theprisoner6]

First.. JCPentax thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions. I'm a k100d user and the K-7 is looking more and more like my next camera. I was saving for an FA 77 limited, but I'll put that off for another year or so. Maybe the prices will come back down – hint hint.

1. Weather resistant - Does this mean it will take moderate or heavy rain or even immersion (close to surface)?

2. Cold resistant (I'm from Winnipeg.. -10c isn't really cold) but is that fully functional to -10c? I guess the weather sealed lenses help with the condensation problem when cameras come back in from the cold.

3. Battery grip can use 6 AA's. Do they power the K-7 if the primary battery is dead? I'm thinking extended periods away from available or reliable recharge power. AA's are easy to pack and readily available.

Electronic level function – no question, just a big thank you.. thank you.. thank you!

Cheers,
Geoff

[JCPentax]

This is probably a "no" but I didn't see it asked in the other two DPR threads:
with the 77 segment metering, is there an option to ignore the center (if you installed a split prism focusing screen)? It probably can be done via a firmware update but I'm curious if there's a menu option for it...

No. We only build to support Pentax items. This is the same with focusing screens, lenses, flash, etc. For any third party item, that company basically has to reverse engineer the product to make thier accesory work. This is how all the camera manufacturers work.

[JCPentax]

to follow on regarding the shutter and flash sync.

with respect to the shutter, I assume that the 1/8000 was achieved by only reducing the minimum width of teh open slit, and not changing the traverse time of the shutter, reducing the traverse time would permit for a faster sync speed also. As a result,
- at what point, when narrowing the width of th eshutter opening does difraction come into play (around the edge of the split) and begin to become a signficiant factor in lack of image contrast or sharpness.
- was the decision also based upon the potential need for a new flash, as a higher sync would require a shorter burst duration, and while only anicdotal in nature, there have been some comments about the K10D and K20D having non uniform flash illumination due to the flash output exceeding the full open time of the shutter at 1/180th of a second.

as an aside, my PZ-1 had a 1/8000 shutter with 1/250 sync, and given the size of a 35mm frame, it had to operate at much higher speeds than the present shutter

Unfortunately, I am not an engineer, so I don't know all the ins and outs. Your explanation is possible, but I can't comment.