[Pentaxor]

Personally I don't think the K-7 is worth the money.

For me in the UK, it retails more than the Nikon D300 which is undeniably the better camera in every way. If you're not tied to a raft of Pentax glass, which a lot of people here are, then I can't see the point in buying into an overpriced, overhyped K-7. I'm not saying it's a bad camera, it's just not worth the cash especially with the eye watering increase in lens prices pushing above the price of Canikon lenses.

If you don't need fast frames per second, and you don't need quick accurate autofocus, you could save yourself a packet or invest in a top lens and a K20D, or just the K20D. The K-7 offers no improvement in image quality over the K20D from what i've seen so far.

Make this choice very carefully.

FWIW , the OP is fortunate to be in new mexico. which means he doesn't have to pay double or triple for the K-7 and the lenses worth, unlike you guys in the U.K.

I cannot say if it's really the better camera overall against the K-7. they seem to be equal if we are going to exclude the lenses. but would still win eventhough the lenses went up. the in-body stabilization, metering, low light capability and weather-sealing really makes a lot of sense. now if only the D300 have those features, I would agree that it's the better camera overall. point is, the D300 is strong in some areas and the K-7 is strong in other areas. since my needs are solved by the K-7, it would be logical to choose it over the D300. without those needs, it's a bit of a stalemate or a very close win for the K-7.

[gfmucci]

My first camera was the Sears Rangfinder RF 7. I think it sold for around $80 and loved it. Kept it for about 10 years, then "upgraded" to a Nikon SLR (film). I don't remember the model but I hated it. It (or I) never did take good pictures. I swear it was defective.

My first digital was the Sony F707 about 7 years ago. Two thumbs up. Next and my current camera was the K100D three years ago. Three thumbs up.

I am considering the K7. For your first dSLR after using film? Absolutely.

[jogiba]

The K-7 is the perfect first DSLR for someone with a K1000 in Clovis NM since the big sky works great with HDR mode. I had a K1000 and the K-7 works great with all of my old K mount lenses .

[WalterGA]

Was about to buy a Canon 50D, when I "discovered" the K20D. I guess I'd have bought the K7, if the K20 hadn't fit the bill so well for me. I do have some Pentax lenses, but I'd never choose a Pentax because of lens choices. I'd be more likely to go with third-party lenses, anywho. The K7 now costs more than a 50D. If the currently overpriced K7's price is of no concern, then I'd certainly go with the K7.

[Nass]

Hello Mike 829,

Reading your post inspired me to register at this site as I was looking for somewhere to call "home" in terms of discussing images & dSLRs online. Your story parallels mine...

Back in the 80s I finished my A levels in England and because dad was posted to California at the time, I went out there after rejecting the "econometrics" degree that I was initially enrolled for. All that darned algebra... =(!! Anyhow, out in California I ended up doing most of a photography degree at a place called the "Academy of Art College", under a man called Ken Light - I've seen his work in National Geographic since. I never finished the degree because the big green card drive caught me out so ended up back in the UK, in various web-related jobs which I'm comfortable in now. To cut a long story short, it was my birthday recently and my wife got me the K-7. The last 35mm I had was a Nikon F2000 and I havent touched it for 10 years - children, job, life got in the way.

I've had it a week and my initial impression is sheer amazement at what digital photography offers. Back in the day I had aperture & shutter control, you overexposed a bit to get detail in the shadows, you could push films if you had to and then you chose your contrast paper & dev time. Ok you fiddled about a bit blotting (was that the name?) - ie giving some areas less exposure by blocking the light. All this I can do inside the camera now. Much to my absolute amazement I don't even need a yellow or red filter to get cloud - that's just a setting in the camera too. I'm tremendously lucky here because my daytime job involves photoshop. I've been using it for 15 or so years(?) and I know my way around that package. it's very exciting for me that I can take images and export them to my PC.

My initial impression is that having this K-7 does give me a lot of modes, maybe too many? I'm having a little troubly figuring out what they're all for given like yourself I'm quite comfortable taking a light reading and doing the rest in my head. That said I'm beginning to see their utility and I think it's probably more a matter of learning to use them as second nature. Right now second nature is doing it all manually, a hard habit to get out of =) On the plus side, this camera has an amazing wealth of pre-image controls for example simulating tungsten film. It's quite something to be able to do this without needing special film. It's also an incredible treat to be able to take say 5 images, each a 1/3 stop apart, to get the right light, to see the result there and then and to be able to dump bad ones. Or merge them. Or have the camera do this automatically!

I'm lucky insofar that it's the family holiday this week and we're off down to Cornwall. If I can figure out how to drive this beast I hope to return with a few respectable images. I know I've got a _lot_ to learn and a _lot_ of experimenting to do with this thing, so I think this will be a fabulous 2 week trip! Can't wait!

My family have already been warned that I'll be a complete camera bore for the next few weeks. My kids are already yawning when I come home, start playing with my new toy and start eulogising how amazing digital photography is compared to "back in the day". Yeesh I sound old =)

Anyhow maybe that helps. Let's keep notes and compare our experience in a few months =)



Appeal for help!
--------------------
On an aside, be nice to the digital newbie - I've figured out how to add filters for B&W but I'm struggling a bit with coulour - could anyone help? Ie ND filters and say Cokin 81b - is there no pre-set filter inside the camera which adds some warm 81d for me and - am I being dense here or something - what's to stop me changing the ISO setting down to something like 64 to simulate ND (ie just to lengthen the exposure)[/I]

[zerodaze]

I, also, purchased a K-7 for my first dslr and I opened the box this weekend. Today I returned it as it had a defective shutter/mirror, but that is another thread. I had a Minolta X-M-1 for a lot of years (1981 - 2004) as is my tendancy to buy good quality gear and hold on to it. A burglary several years back promoted me into digital point and shoots. I still use a Sony Cybershot DSC-W150. I am an avid backpacker and wanted a high rated P&S that was very light, and this Sony has been good to me that way.

But, I also run river trips yearly (I live in Arizona) and the waterproof aspect was getting increasingly troubling. Plus, I get to such great places (Grand Canyon, Utah, etc.) that I had to capture better images.

I researched for literally hundreds of hours before I decided on the K-7. I wasn't even considering Pentax before I started and my friends all steered me to Canon or Nikon. So, from my lay perspective and utilizing the amazing tools available on the web, I concluded that the K-7 was the best value and a camera that I could keep and enjoy for a lot of years. It is heavy, but I am willing to make that tradeoff.

So, if the replacement camera arrives and works, I will not easily look back. From my research of lots of forums and objective reviews (at least, they appear to be objective), the K-7 should be a camera I can enjoy and pass down. I just hope the next one works!