[cbaytan]

You are going to love it!

Hello Javier,

Wondering did you fix your big noise problem after a firmware upgrade?

[neofito]

As I posted before in this thread, I thought that I should give my final contribution in case it's useful to anyone. My K7 was sent to Pentax's representative in Australia (CR Kennedy) due to the green line problem (which wasn't always green, actually). After some weeks, I received the camera back and, in the job report, the "solution" description was "Upgraded firmware". However, I had already updated the firmware to the latest available to the public and, as it turns out, the problem was not been fixed by them. So, after contacting them, I sent the camera back in and after some weeks it returned. This second time, the description was "Dismantled Unit, fitted new CCD block assembly, reassembled and checked.". Now the camera seems to be working properly. I'm quite happy with it but my trust in the brand has certainly been affected by the whole story (that was my 3rd Pentax DSLR)... I intended to invest in some new lenses, now I don't know anymore.
Cheers.

[jgredline]

Hello Javier,

Wondering did you fix your big noise problem after a firmware upgrade?

Sorry I missed this. No the firmware did not fix my K-7 and have parked it for now. I am using my K20D and D700 now. That fixed my noise problem.

[cbaytan]

Sorry I missed this. No the firmware did not fix my K-7 and have parked it for now. I am using my K20D and D700 now. That fixed my noise problem.

Thanks Javier, that does it, I won't be waiting for K-7 price drop anymore, looking for a brand newish K20, not from the ebays suitcase shops of course. Wondering if there is a K20 left in some reliable store in somewhere. BTW aren't you thinking to send your K-7 to service again, you should be having dizzy K-7 now from going back&forth. I believe you have enough reason asking for an exchange.

[kittykat46]

Thanks Javier, that does it, I won't be waiting for K-7 price drop anymore, looking for a brand newish K20, not from the ebays suitcase shops of course. Wondering if there is a K20 left in some reliable store in somewhere. BTW aren't you thinking to send your K-7 to service again, you should be having dizzy K-7 now from going back&forth. I believe you have enough reason asking for an exchange.

For those who don't think the K-7 is worth buying for various other reasons, I can respect that. Its all a very personal decision.

As far as the K-7's High-ISO performance goes, it hardly worries me at all.
About 20% of my photography is done at ISO1600 and above.

I shoot RAW, and develop using Silkypix 4.0 with default settings for the Built-In Noise Reduction function. I Batch Process them, hardly spend time on any photo individually.

I thought I would share some "crappy" ISO3200 shots I had from the K-7. The unit I have, as far as I can see is just Normal functioning, nothing unusually bad or good about it.
The photos won't stand up to examination at 100% crop, but they are almost noise free for viewing Full Screen or Printed out on 8 1/2" x 11"

[cbaytan]

For those who don't think the K-7 is worth buying for various other reasons, I can respect that. Its all a very personal decision.

As far as the K-7's High-ISO performance goes, it hardly worries me at all.
About 20% of my photography is done at ISO1600 and above.

You got us wrong, we weren't complaining about high-ISO issue of the K-7, instead we were talking about Javiers messed up K-7 after a firmware update, thread is here:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/76809-k-7-new-firmware-3.html

What worried me was defective K-7's around, Javiers Pentax went to service before for green line problem (twice?) , now they've should've exchanged his unit.

BTW I guess Javier should've reinstalled the firmware, you did, didn't you Javier?

[janosh]

Somewhere on Photo.net someone experienced this and wondered if it might have to do with K7's decorative metal cladding. If there's anything to this, maybe static electricity is involved (as with computer repair) and grounding of the camera would help.

[knoxploration]

What worried me was defective K-7's around, Javiers Pentax went to service before for green line problem (twice?) , now they've should've exchanged his unit.

Defective units happen to every brand. Their owners are also (understandably) the most vocal out there, so you're far more likely to hear from their owners than those of units working perfectly...

[jgredline]

Hmm, I have never sent my K-7 to Pentax to have it fixed. I thought I had a bad unit, until I bought a second K-7 that was exactly the same...I ended up returning the second one. My only gripe with the K-7 is the noise levels...I am far from alone on this...Most people don't really use ISO levels above 800, so it is a none issue, but for me, I do...

I really like the K-7, but if I had to choose 1 camera...The K-7 or K20D, I would choose the K20D because it suits my high ISO needs...I also can't get myself to buy a K-X because I don't feel like I should have to spend another 600.00 bucks for high ISO performance that should have been in the K-7....No, I will be happy with my Nikon D700 and K20D's

[min.t]

Has anybody with geen banding/line that wasn't solved with .13 firmware tried the new 1.02 firmware? My K-7 is still in Paris for service, I would like to know does the new firmware helps at all?

i sent mine in before 1.02 was out. but it's back after 2wks (with a thousand more shutter clicks so i think they did lots of testing on it) and working fine! so, just be patient?

p.s. i believe the green banding not as widespread an issue as the green line by the way.

[Jadran]

i sent mine in before 1.02 was out. but it's back after 2wks (with a thousand more shutter clicks so i think they did lots of testing on it) and working fine! so, just be patient?

p.s. i believe the green banding not as widespread an issue as the green line by the way.

Thats great news, min.t. Do you know if they replaced the sensor in service, or the solved the problem with firmware? And, if you could tell me at what service facility did you sent your K-7?

[knoxploration]

My only gripe with the K-7 is the noise levels...I am far from alone on this...Most people don't really use ISO levels above 800, so it is a none issue, but for me, I do...

I really like the K-7, but if I had to choose 1 camera...The K-7 or K20D, I would choose the K20D because it suits my high ISO needs...

There's only slight differences between the noise performance of the K-7 and K20D. The K-7 has slightly *lower* chroma noise than the K20D, and slightly higher luminance noise. (Most people consider chroma noise more objectionable). That's for JPEG at default settings, incidentally- which I note because you've said elsewhere that ooc JPEG is what's important to you. Using Raw, the noise processing is up to whatever software one chooses - and the K-7 can pretty easily match the K20D for luminance noise too.

Plenty of us use ISOs beyond 800 on the K-7 and are perfectly happy with the performance...

[Jadran]

My problem with green line & banding I have been writing here is finaly resolved, it seems. As Pentax service in Paris couldn't repair my K-7, I'll get new one from my local dealer. So, back to photography!

[eva2000]

My problem with green line & banding I have been writing here is finaly resolved, it seems. As Pentax service in Paris couldn't repair my K-7, I'll get new one from my local dealer. So, back to photography!

Congrats.. enjoy that K-7! I know I am

[jpzk]

Bentax:
I cannot remember where I read something almost exactly the same as your reported problem, but on a different "High end" Canikon of some sort model. This was recent but my memory fails thses days ...
Anyway, in a nutshell, it went something like this:

Using the Live View produces more heat which would cause such "lines" to appear.
I will look for this and report back, if I can find it.

JP