How would you change Pentax's K-7 DSLR?

richtrav · 09-02-2009, 09:59 AM

What's wrong with the body? I likes it.

Oh, and one more thing I would change: keep the exposure and focus locked (by default) when shooting using the intervalometer. Focus hunting can ruin a session, especially towards sunset. I usually forget to remember to have EVERYTHING locked down: manual focus, fixed AE, preset white balance, etc. The camera shouldn't be left to run wild when using interval shooting

Mystic · 09-02-2009, 10:52 AM

you guys came up with all kinds of funny and not so suggestions..

for K-7s i'd make it like this:

externally I would change:

1.ISO button in some more convenient position;
2. Dual SD card slot and both fixed the ease of putting in and pulling out the cards;
3.Viewfinder magnification increased at least a bit would make it better

4.Articullating LCD or at least tilting LCD would improve its usability by much; that's very important to me personally..

internally i would change:
1. improve ISO performance to pretty easily usable 3200 ISO and sometimes usable 6400 ISO such change would make it the best seller all over the world.
2. Faster AF in low light and better AF-C
3. More options with HDR that's ability to have the raw file for later post processing.
4. video 60fps or more at least in 720p
5. more manual controls over video shooting.
6. x sync - 1/250 or at least a little better than 1/180 i'm gratefull for the current flash height in K7.
7. Time lapse recording for more than 99 shots...

I believe this isn't much.. and all is pretty achievable..

but it's very important to keep it externally of the same dimensions.. because it's perfect!

hope our messages will reach some influent minds..

**Lowell Goudge** · 09-02-2009, 11:05 AM

it is amazing, in all the comments back, no one has hit on my favourite gripes.

A better K7 EH?

number 1 on the list would be to add a TTL flash sensor, so you could have the option. I like TTL personally over P-TTL, and TTL would also permit use of non A lenses in good metered flash applications.

Number 2 on the list would be some form of Av mode metering for non A lenses. This would be done by either entering the max and min apertures, and presetting the aperture ring to min aperture, letting the camera control things, or, god forbid, but the aperture coupling back.

Number 3 would be to allow a user modifyable (by scale factor) focal length for AF lenses, so that with a TC you could get correct compensation of focal length for SR.

After almost 2000 shots, using both MF and AF lenses, flash, teleconverters A and "non-A" lenses that's is for me.

it is a superb camera, and if you go back far enough, I have posted these same points before. related to theK10D

Arpe · 09-02-2009, 05:39 PM

Maybe they should bring out the camera in 2 different bodies - one big, one small. Personally I like the size of the K-7, another reason to upgrade form the K20D.

Wheatfield · 09-02-2009, 07:43 PM

I'd sprinkle it with Perfectmagic Dust, rendering it all things to all people.
And I'd improve the AF.

Andi Lo · 09-02-2009, 08:16 PM

Originally posted by woodworm

1. Put it in a K20D body
2. Reasonable price

No 2. will happen over time, unfortunately No 1 won't

Maybe not K-7, but I think pentax has a reason not to drop the K20 just yet. There's a market segment for the bigger body, and K30D or K20D Super might just get released for this. K-7 (or better) inside, K20D outside. Maybe released at the same time as K-8? If it happens it'll be quite reminiscent to how the istD becomes K100D and K10D becomes K200D. Who knows

snogglethorpe · 09-02-2009, 08:48 PM

Originally posted by Andi Lo

Maybe not K-7, but I think pentax has a reason not to drop the K20 just yet. There's a market segment for the bigger body

Why not just make the grip cheaper (or release a cheaper grip without the extra batteries or whatever)?

Not only is that better for the company (multiple models that differ only in trivial ways often just cannibalize each others' sales, but still require a huge investment for each model), but if the grip is well done, it could be better even for those people that usually like the bigger form factor (gotta go on a long trip with limited space? Leave the grip at home and take a pancake lens...).

If the grip is lacking in some way, maybe it could be made better -- that's gotta be cheaper and safer than a whole new camera model!

Arpe · 09-03-2009, 05:36 PM

How about changing the name on the front to Canon, then they'd sell heaps more.

RBellavance · 09-03-2009, 06:07 PM

I'd make the RAW and ISO buttons completely re-assignable (ISO, RAW, bracketing, drive mode, WB, flash EV comp, etc...), since they are useless to me. And I'd like one of the available options to be "disable flash when held".

While we're at it, the "pop flash up" button could double as a quick-access to flash EV comp (hold + turn e-dial).

Oh, and behavior of "EV comp" + "Green button" is still buggy, in that you must press each button separately in sequence. On the K10D, you could hold EV comp and press Green, then release both. That is more intuitive to me since I hold EV comp and turn the e-dial to adjust EV compensation.

MikePerham · 09-03-2009, 09:43 PM

I really like this camera ...not much I would change, but if I had my druthers, I would drop the Sv and TAv modes and replace them with USER 2 and USER 3.

I know the Sv and TAv are innovative and unique to Pentax, however, I never use them and would like to configure the camera for certain situations. For instance, I currently use the USER setting to configure the camera for tripod use, I would also like to configure the camera similar to that for tripod use, but with exposure bracketing. If one had 3 USER settings I may use one set up for 3 steps with one stop increments and and one for 5 steps with half stop increments to serve different applications.

ricardobeat · 09-04-2009, 12:28 AM

Originally posted by brecklundin

I would make all of the focus points visible through the view finder full time (on the mirror is fine as shown below). Like this:

That is one feature I genuinely miss in my K20D and it is also not on the K7. Without them being visible full time, it is near to impossible to keep on target for shots needing more precision with a shallow DOF. I find where I once needed a single shot I now need to take 3-5 shots just to be safe and reduce any need to re-shoot.

Anything on the mirror would affect focusing and metering (I think). You can buy focusing screens with marks on them, either from Pentax (PENTAX LL-80 AF Divided Matte Focusing Screen - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site) or others like Katz Eye.

Originally posted by OutOfFocus

I'd lower its power consumption so it could run on AA batteries.

It already does, if you happen to own a D-BG4 grip.

Originally posted by CreV

Higher X-Sync and allow syncing flashes faster than x-sync like all the big brands.

It's already possible, it's called hi-speed sync. You lose a bit of power but it works, FP mode on the Sigma EF-530 DG Super (don't know what it's called on the AF540, but it's there).

Originally posted by Votesh

My request is for a built in time lapse video function. Set the intervalometer, and choose your video properties and the camera does the rest. I'd just prefer to be able to create time lapse videos simply with no computer work required. Not a big request, and something that could no doubt be arranged in a firmware update.

Menu, page 2, Interval Shooting (K20D and K7)

My request would be for external flash control in-camera (groups, exposure bias), like Nikon's system. And a built-in wireless transmitter!

Arpe · 09-06-2009, 06:40 PM

Originally posted by MikePerham

I really like this camera ...not much I would change, but if I had my druthers, I would drop the Sv and TAv modes and replace them with USER 2 and USER 3.

I know the Sv and TAv are innovative and unique to Pentax, however, I never use them and would like to configure the camera for certain situations. For instance, I currently use the USER setting to configure the camera for tripod use, I would also like to configure the camera similar to that for tripod use, but with exposure bracketing. If one had 3 USER settings I may use one set up for 3 steps with one stop increments and and one for 5 steps with half stop increments to serve different applications.

My USER mode IS TAv mode!! (with a few tweaks)

**jbinpg** · 09-06-2009, 07:04 PM

Another vote for keeping TAv.

Nass · 09-07-2009, 08:27 AM

No gripes with it really, I'm still getting the hang of it. But, 2 things stand out

Having to press that little metal thingie in the middle of the modes dial everytime I change mode is annoying. My user mode is set up to be HDR and just to get to learn this I'm duplicating all shots in HDR (where appropriate). I wish I could twist that metal thingie or something so that you could just use your thumb to change mode. As it is it becomes a 2 handed operation.
HDR - this seem to be quite the trendy thing nowadays. So being a sheep I wanted to try it too . It's nice to have it inside the camera but it hasn't got the same options as regular shots. I'd like to be able to bracket (exposure) and to use extended bracketing too. I'd also like some control over the difference between normal HDR and strong - as it stands they're operating from inbuilt parameters and strong produces a lot of nasty haloes for me. If the output could be RAWs then I'd be even happier but I'm guessing that this simply isn't appropriate.

The choices on the camera are not always that intuitive. With the HDR option greyed out, it took me a long time before I realised that to take an HDR shot I had to take the camera off RAW and into JPEG first. There might be a better way to indicate that.

It's a silly idea, but if you could change the point at which the spotmeter mode took its readings from I'd be happy too. I'm in my 40s and this is my first digital camera - so one of the first things I've ordered is a split screen like I used to use back in the day. But I gather this will break the inbuilt spotmeter because it uses the same area that the split screen uses. So if I could move the spotmeter place somewhere else away from the splitscreen so that it's still useable with a splitscreen I'd be a happy camper.

One last point. I'm very surprised that Pentax don't run a users forum. As it is I'm scouring all sorts of places for information and this and that, and I'd love to be able to go to one place where I could get user tips, give feedback and so on.

That's about it for now, very happy with it allround

CreV · 09-07-2009, 01:43 PM

Originally posted by ricardobeat

It's already possible, it's called hi-speed sync. You lose a bit of power but it works, FP mode on the Sigma EF-530 DG Super (don't know what it's called on the AF540, but it's there).

Still not possible if you need 1000ws power and the flashes to be 300m away unless you got unlimited cash.

I would love to see pentax opening up x-sync lock and allow you to sync faster than 1/180 also maybe add pocket wizard hypersync function which allows you to finetune when camera syncs flashes to push x-sync.
Like Canon 1D Mark3 has 1/250 x-sync but when using Pocket Wizard Hypersync you can get full lit frame with 1/500! And Canon DOESN'T shut off hotshoe when you exceed x-sync speed...

09-02-2009, 10:52 AM	#32
Mystic Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Lithuania Photos: Gallery Posts: 490	go with the wind.. you guys came up with all kinds of funny and not so suggestions.. for K-7s i'd make it like this: externally I would change: 1.ISO button in some more convenient position; 2. Dual SD card slot and both fixed the ease of putting in and pulling out the cards; 3.Viewfinder magnification increased at least a bit would make it better 4.Articullating LCD or at least tilting LCD would improve its usability by much; that's very important to me personally.. internally i would change: 1. improve ISO performance to pretty easily usable 3200 ISO and sometimes usable 6400 ISO such change would make it the best seller all over the world. 2. Faster AF in low light and better AF-C 3. More options with HDR that's ability to have the raw file for later post processing. 4. video 60fps or more at least in 720p 5. more manual controls over video shooting. 6. x sync - 1/250 or at least a little better than 1/180 i'm gratefull for the current flash height in K7. 7. Time lapse recording for more than 99 shots... I believe this isn't much.. and all is pretty achievable.. but it's very important to keep it externally of the same dimensions.. because it's perfect! hope our messages will reach some influent minds..

09-03-2009, 09:43 PM	#40
MikePerham Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Prince George, BC Canada Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 642	My wish list for the K-7 I really like this camera ...not much I would change, but if I had my druthers, I would drop the Sv and TAv modes and replace them with USER 2 and USER 3. I know the Sv and TAv are innovative and unique to Pentax, however, I never use them and would like to configure the camera for certain situations. For instance, I currently use the USER setting to configure the camera for tripod use, I would also like to configure the camera similar to that for tripod use, but with exposure bracketing. If one had 3 USER settings I may use one set up for 3 steps with one stop increments and and one for 5 steps with half stop increments to serve different applications.

09-04-2009, 12:28 AM	#41
ricardobeat Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Brazil Posts: 376	Originally posted by brecklundin I would make all of the focus points visible through the view finder full time (on the mirror is fine as shown below). Like this: That is one feature I genuinely miss in my K20D and it is also not on the K7. Without them being visible full time, it is near to impossible to keep on target for shots needing more precision with a shallow DOF. I find where I once needed a single shot I now need to take 3-5 shots just to be safe and reduce any need to re-shoot. Anything on the mirror would affect focusing and metering (I think). You can buy focusing screens with marks on them, either from Pentax (PENTAX LL-80 AF Divided Matte Focusing Screen - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site) or others like Katz Eye. Originally posted by OutOfFocus I'd lower its power consumption so it could run on AA batteries. It already does, if you happen to own a D-BG4 grip. Originally posted by CreV Higher X-Sync and allow syncing flashes faster than x-sync like all the big brands. It's already possible, it's called hi-speed sync. You lose a bit of power but it works, FP mode on the Sigma EF-530 DG Super (don't know what it's called on the AF540, but it's there). Originally posted by Votesh My request is for a built in time lapse video function. Set the intervalometer, and choose your video properties and the camera does the rest. I'd just prefer to be able to create time lapse videos simply with no computer work required. Not a big request, and something that could no doubt be arranged in a firmware update. Menu, page 2, Interval Shooting (K20D and K7) My request would be for external flash control in-camera (groups, exposure bias), like Nikon's system. And a built-in wireless transmitter! Last edited by ricardobeat; 09-04-2009 at 12:48 AM.

09-07-2009, 08:27 AM	#44
Nass Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: The British Isles Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,402	No gripes with it really, I'm still getting the hang of it. But, 2 things stand out Having to press that little metal thingie in the middle of the modes dial everytime I change mode is annoying. My user mode is set up to be HDR and just to get to learn this I'm duplicating all shots in HDR (where appropriate). I wish I could twist that metal thingie or something so that you could just use your thumb to change mode. As it is it becomes a 2 handed operation. HDR - this seem to be quite the trendy thing nowadays. So being a sheep I wanted to try it too . It's nice to have it inside the camera but it hasn't got the same options as regular shots. I'd like to be able to bracket (exposure) and to use extended bracketing too. I'd also like some control over the difference between normal HDR and strong - as it stands they're operating from inbuilt parameters and strong produces a lot of nasty haloes for me. If the output could be RAWs then I'd be even happier but I'm guessing that this simply isn't appropriate. The choices on the camera are not always that intuitive. With the HDR option greyed out, it took me a long time before I realised that to take an HDR shot I had to take the camera off RAW and into JPEG first. There might be a better way to indicate that. It's a silly idea, but if you could change the point at which the spotmeter mode took its readings from I'd be happy too. I'm in my 40s and this is my first digital camera - so one of the first things I've ordered is a split screen like I used to use back in the day. But I gather this will break the inbuilt spotmeter because it uses the same area that the split screen uses. So if I could move the spotmeter place somewhere else away from the splitscreen so that it's still useable with a splitscreen I'd be a happy camper. One last point. I'm very surprised that Pentax don't run a users forum. As it is I'm scouring all sorts of places for information and this and that, and I'd love to be able to go to one place where I could get user tips, give feedback and so on. That's about it for now, very happy with it allround Last edited by Nass; 09-07-2009 at 08:33 AM.

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09-02-2009, 09:59 AM	#31
richtrav Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: South Texas Posts: 82	What's wrong with the body? I likes it. Oh, and one more thing I would change: keep the exposure and focus locked (by default) when shooting using the intervalometer. Focus hunting can ruin a session, especially towards sunset. I usually forget to remember to have EVERYTHING locked down: manual focus, fixed AE, preset white balance, etc. The camera shouldn't be left to run wild when using interval shooting

09-02-2009, 11:05 AM	#33
Lowell Goudge Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,888	it is amazing, in all the comments back, no one has hit on my favourite gripes. A better K7 EH? number 1 on the list would be to add a TTL flash sensor, so you could have the option. I like TTL personally over P-TTL, and TTL would also permit use of non A lenses in good metered flash applications. Number 2 on the list would be some form of Av mode metering for non A lenses. This would be done by either entering the max and min apertures, and presetting the aperture ring to min aperture, letting the camera control things, or, god forbid, but the aperture coupling back. Number 3 would be to allow a user modifyable (by scale factor) focal length for AF lenses, so that with a TC you could get correct compensation of focal length for SR. After almost 2000 shots, using both MF and AF lenses, flash, teleconverters A and "non-A" lenses that's is for me. it is a superb camera, and if you go back far enough, I have posted these same points before. related to theK10D

09-02-2009, 05:39 PM	#34
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	Maybe they should bring out the camera in 2 different bodies - one big, one small. Personally I like the size of the K-7, another reason to upgrade form the K20D.

09-02-2009, 07:43 PM	#35
Wheatfield Moderator Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: The wheatfields of Canada Posts: 15,981	I'd sprinkle it with Perfectmagic Dust, rendering it all things to all people. And I'd improve the AF.

09-02-2009, 08:16 PM	#36
Andi Lo Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 2,924	Originally posted by woodworm 1. Put it in a K20D body 2. Reasonable price No 2. will happen over time, unfortunately No 1 won't Maybe not K-7, but I think pentax has a reason not to drop the K20 just yet. There's a market segment for the bigger body, and K30D or K20D Super might just get released for this. K-7 (or better) inside, K20D outside. Maybe released at the same time as K-8? If it happens it'll be quite reminiscent to how the istD becomes K100D and K10D becomes K200D. Who knows

09-02-2009, 08:48 PM	#37
snogglethorpe Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Tokyo, Japan Posts: 71	Originally posted by Andi Lo Maybe not K-7, but I think pentax has a reason not to drop the K20 just yet. There's a market segment for the bigger body Why not just make the grip cheaper (or release a cheaper grip without the extra batteries or whatever)? Not only is that better for the company (multiple models that differ only in trivial ways often just cannibalize each others' sales, but still require a huge investment for each model), but if the grip is well done, it could be better even for those people that usually like the bigger form factor (gotta go on a long trip with limited space? Leave the grip at home and take a pancake lens...). If the grip is lacking in some way, maybe it could be made better -- that's gotta be cheaper and safer than a whole new camera model!

09-03-2009, 05:36 PM	#38
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	How about changing the name on the front to Canon, then they'd sell heaps more.

09-03-2009, 06:07 PM	#39
RBellavance Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Near Montréal, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,716	I'd make the RAW and ISO buttons completely re-assignable (ISO, RAW, bracketing, drive mode, WB, flash EV comp, etc...), since they are useless to me. And I'd like one of the available options to be "disable flash when held". While we're at it, the "pop flash up" button could double as a quick-access to flash EV comp (hold + turn e-dial). Oh, and behavior of "EV comp" + "Green button" is still buggy, in that you must press each button separately in sequence. On the K10D, you could hold EV comp and press Green, then release both. That is more intuitive to me since I hold EV comp and turn the e-dial to adjust EV compensation.

09-06-2009, 06:40 PM	#42
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	Originally posted by MikePerham I really like this camera ...not much I would change, but if I had my druthers, I would drop the Sv and TAv modes and replace them with USER 2 and USER 3. I know the Sv and TAv are innovative and unique to Pentax, however, I never use them and would like to configure the camera for certain situations. For instance, I currently use the USER setting to configure the camera for tripod use, I would also like to configure the camera similar to that for tripod use, but with exposure bracketing. If one had 3 USER settings I may use one set up for 3 steps with one stop increments and and one for 5 steps with half stop increments to serve different applications. My USER mode IS TAv mode!! (with a few tweaks)

09-06-2009, 07:04 PM	#43
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	Another vote for keeping TAv.

09-07-2009, 01:43 PM	#45
CreV New Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: sweden Posts: 23	Originally posted by ricardobeat It's already possible, it's called hi-speed sync. You lose a bit of power but it works, FP mode on the Sigma EF-530 DG Super (don't know what it's called on the AF540, but it's there). Still not possible if you need 1000ws power and the flashes to be 300m away unless you got unlimited cash. I would love to see pentax opening up x-sync lock and allow you to sync faster than 1/180 also maybe add pocket wizard hypersync function which allows you to finetune when camera syncs flashes to push x-sync. Like Canon 1D Mark3 has 1/250 x-sync but when using Pocket Wizard Hypersync you can get full lit frame with 1/500! And Canon DOESN'T shut off hotshoe when you exceed x-sync speed...