Originally posted by Jasvox For $500 more...is it a 50% better camera?
You be the judge. Here are the D300s advantages over the K-7:
- AF with 51-points, 15 cross-type + Auto-focus tracking by color using RGB AE sensor
- 1/250 X-sync (vs. 1/180 in the K-7)
- Viewfinder with 2% higher magnification
- 7 fps or 8 fps with the vertical grip (vs. 5.2 fps in the K-7)
- RAW can support 14 bit and can use lossy compression
- Dual memory slots (CF+SD)
- Movie mode supports contrast AF and in-camera movie editing
- Flash exposure lock
- Shutter guaranteed for up to 150,000 actuations (K-7 guaranteed up to 100,000)
- Wider selection of affordable 1st party lenses (Pentax lenses are becoming pricier by the day)
And here are the K-7 advantages over the D300s:
- In-body image stabilization (SR) works with all existing lenses
- $500 less expensive
- Almost 200 gram / 0.4 lb lighter; significantly smaller
- DNG support
- Manual or automatic horizon correction using sensor tilt; Composition adjustment via sensor shift
- Pixel remapping
- Digital preview
- Automatic AF correction based on ambient light color temperature
- HyperProgram
- Higher resolution (14.6 MP vs. 12.3MP)
- LCD color calibration
- Cold weather support down to -10 degree C
- Dust alert
- 3-exposure HDR
- Copyright embedding in EXIF
- Multiple exposures up to 9 exposures (without tone mapping or overexposure)
- The green button; ISO, WB and Menu button accessible using the right hand; RAW button
- Wider selection of sealed lenses (including two affordable ones); Much wider selection of stabilized lenses (via SR)
As a user of Minolta and Olympus DSLR's, if I had to choose between the D300s and the K-7 I'd prefer the Pentax even if the price was the same (assuming early issues are ironed out). For $500 less it's a no-brainer, at least to those who aren't invested in existing systems.
Prog.