Those who own the K-7 already, K-x thoughts?

Pentaxor · 10-21-2009, 01:17 AM

Originally posted by WerTicus

pentax really does not have their shit together in terms of tiering and pricing.

wtf were they thinking?

maybe it was a paper work error that had the sensors in these two cameras switched!

I suspect a k8 is <6 months away.

This is going to cost them sales, because anyone sitting on a k20d or k10d at the moment would be crazy to upgrade now. The k7 is out of date and the kx isnt professional enough.

do you own a K-7? I wouldn't say that about the K-7, whether you own it or not. HiGH ISO Noise performance is not everything in a camera. if it did, then it's better if you get the T1i or 50D instead. I don't know if you failed to consider the metering, AF, and lowlight capability of the K-7. those features alone would simply trample both the K10D and K20D. the K-7 is not out of date as you may think. you take a look at how their Canon and Nikon counterparts have. they are simply tying to match each other, capability-wise.

even when Pentax comes up with something like a K-8 this year with an improved and better sensor (great HIGH ISO performance + detail), I don't think that most people here would be willing or have the money to shell out USD 2,500, given the present price of the K-7. it would be illogical if they are going to sell such camera for less than 2,000 this year.

better let Pentax do it's way so that we as consumers would benefit from it's cheaper price marketing strategy. give it time to pass when the K-7 hits 800 bucks, so that Pentax would have a good reason to sell the succeeding camera for 1,200 again. enough time for you to save money.

p.s. Pentax still needs to resolve that soft image issue of the k-x. so it's better if they hold their horses before they release the K-7 successor prematurely. reason you don't see me owning a k-x. although I do like the fancy colored bodies.

LeDave · 10-21-2009, 04:39 AM

I was going to choose the K-7 as my next DSLR, but the K-x just came out and I see that it has better high ISO iq. I am going to have to wait it out now, kind of dissappointing really that I don't want to buy the K-7 because the price doesn't match up with the differential for the K-x in my opinion. I owned a K-m and the body felt good because it was small, and the interface was easy to read. But I want weather-sealing and AF adjustment. Although it doesn't indicate AF points in VF, that didn't bother me with the K-m so it shouldn't bother me with the K-x.

I have either a few choices and that's to pre-order the K-x white now... or wait for the K-7 price to drop to what I think is a reasonable level of pricing in terms of it's high iso IQ differences to the K-x. Sure it has a better body and more features, but the big thing for me is the high ISO IQ which the K-x boasts. But if I wanted to wait for the newer advanced level DSLR from Pentax, I would have to wait for who knows how long but I hope not long before Pentax releases a new K-8 that has K-7 features but with the K-x sensor.

I don't want to have to buy and sell buy and sell all the time just because there's another body that's better than the other; no it's not that at all, it's that the K-x is so much better than K-7 in high iso IQ. They both came out this year, and I was really hoping to upgrade from my K-m to a K-7, I really had that down and on lock. But the K-x came out and it made me a little disappointed in the K-7 and now I am completely lost on what I really want. I don't want to keep my DA* 50-135, DA 35 Macro LTD, and DA 21 LTD in my bag for half a year or longer just for a newer body to be announced that will have the same if not then around the same high ISO IQ that the K-x boasts with the body that the K-7 has.

EDIT: By no means am I saying that the K-7 has bad high ISO IQ at all, it's that I am feeling the K-7 is boasting the K20D's high ISO IQ, and that there are newer technology out there and coming out. I just wish that for that pricing and for a new DSLR in 2009 it would at least give out better IQ than the K20D; or maybe even better but doesn't have to be, the K-x. Just as Bert quoted earlier, "The K-x must have been in sight while the K-7 was in development, a better sensor should have been considered, or the price difference should have been less".

stanleyk · 10-21-2009, 05:34 AM

Originally posted by Clarkey

In all ways apart from sensor noise, the K7 is better. For me, the quiet shutter, the good viewfinder relative to the K200d and the good build quality and lighter than expected feel in my hands, I am happy.?

I never shoot above ISO 400 or print larger than 11 x 14, so it's irrelevant to me. I am glad to pay the premium for the build quality, size and especially fantastic viewfinder since I don't use auto focus.

I'm sure the KX is a fantastic camera. In fact I recommended one to my sister. But I would have bought the K7 anyway. 99% of my photography is done outdoors hiking. The smaller size/build quality in conjunction with DA 15-70mm lenses makes the perfect kit for me. The whole thing fits in small Domke bag.

Extremely happy with the K7.

stanleyk · 10-21-2009, 05:36 AM

Originally posted by Pentaxor

although I do like the fancy colored bodies.

I think they are really cool too. My sister wants that white one Hin's blog. I wonder if you can order it from Japan?

rustynail925 · 10-21-2009, 05:57 AM

The K-7 has better IQ than the Kx at low iso IMO the Kx looks soft and i like the K7 colors . I saw a thread at dpreview. I was going to get the Kx but the softness and colors are giving me 2nd thoughts.

my K-x versus K-7 impressions [Page 4]: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

bymy141 · 10-21-2009, 06:02 AM

Originally posted by stanleyk

I think they are really cool too. My sister wants that white one Hin's blog. I wonder if you can order it from Japan?

Yes, you can: [Rakuten Ichiba][Order] PENTAXK-x kit lens color

- Bert

flippedgazelle · 10-21-2009, 06:59 AM

Originally posted by rustynail925

The K-7 has better IQ than the Kx at low iso IMO the Kx looks soft and i like the K7 colors . I saw a thread at dpreview. I was going to get the Kx but the softness and colors are giving me 2nd thoughts.

my K-x versus K-7 impressions [Page 4]: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

That may or may not be true, as the macaw shots posted are all soft and appear to have motion blur. Also, it really does sound from the tone of that poster and the questionable exposure of his photos that he may not quite know what he's doing (like, why isn't he increasing ISO and maybe DoF in order to get sharper photos?)

Urkeldaedalus · 10-21-2009, 07:40 AM

Originally posted by LeDave

I don't want to have to buy and sell buy and sell all the time just because there's another body that's better than the other; no it's not that at all, it's that the K-x is so much better than K-7 in high iso IQ. They both came out this year, and I was really hoping to upgrade from my K-m to a K-7, I really had that down and on lock. But the K-x came out and it made me a little disappointed in the K-7 and now I am completely lost on what I really want. I don't want to keep my DA* 50-135, DA 35 Macro LTD, and DA 21 LTD in my bag for half a year or longer just for a newer body to be announced that will have the same if not then around the same high ISO IQ that the K-x boasts with the body that the K-7 has.

The way technology is going, the longer you wait the better value you are probably going to get out of your camera purchase -- that's true before the K-X came out and I suspect it will be true after the next camera arrives, as well. The only problem is you have to bite the bullet sometime or you'll miss out on all those great pictures you could have taken

My take on the K-7 now that the K-x is released is that it would have convenient if the new Sony sensor was in the K-7 because that would have resolved pretty much my last major complaint with the camera -- that shooting at ISO1600, while it can produce good results, is more annoying than it would be to deal with than good out of camera results. As a result, as I am looking to buy a second body for shooting weddings, I will probably wait to see what the next Pentax camera can do in terms of high ISO before I decide what to buy. Either that, or I'll wait to see if the price drops on the K-7 and just buy another one.

This said, from ISO 100-1600 the K-7 takes great photos, with wonderful detail and color and it is such a solid, well performing camera that I haven't regretted buying it for a moment even when I bought it at its highest price. If Pentax were to come out with a full frame camera, or if I bought a camera from a competitor, I'd still likely keep the K-7 on its own merits.

If anything, instead of reacting negatively to the K-x's better high ISO results, I am optimistic about what they portend for future Pentax cameras.

p0opstlnksal0t · 10-21-2009, 08:22 AM

Originally posted by bymy141

Yes, you can: [Rakuten Ichiba][Order] PENTAXK-x kit lens color

- Bert

wonder how to convert the payment method to yen? also can you select the menu languages in the k-x? id imagine these would be in japanese...

tomtor · 10-21-2009, 08:43 AM

Originally posted by p0opstlnksal0t

also can you select the menu languages in the k-x? id imagine these would be in japanese...

All Pentax cameras guide you at the first power up through the language and timezone settings. I guess the K-X does the same.

knoxploration · 10-21-2009, 08:49 AM

Originally posted by LeDave

Those of you guys who own the K-7 - What are your thoughts about the recently released K-x now since it has a significantly improved sensor over a more advanced and twice the MSRP price, the K-7 that came out the same year.

Personally, I think that reads like you're on a fishing expedition - and one I don't agree with.

I don't believe it is a "significantly improved" sensor. I believe it has slightly better hish ISO performance, slightly worse resolution, and slightly worse burst speed.

Swings and roundabouts. My K-7 performs just as well as it did when I chose and bought it.

knoxploration · 10-21-2009, 08:53 AM

Originally posted by WerTicus

This is going to cost them sales, because anyone sitting on a k20d or k10d at the moment would be crazy to upgrade now. The k7 is out of date and the kx isnt professional enough.

Nonsense. As has been confirmed elsewhere, the K-7's noise performance is among the better DSLRs in its class. It's pricing is already around the $1,000 mark, and there's no other camera offering close to the same feature set at that price.

Cost them sales? They're flying out the door!

Are a very vocal minority who don't understand (and quite likely aren't themselves) who the camera is aimed at griping very loudly? Yes. Are most K-7 owners satisfied? Almost certainly.

libbyh · 10-21-2009, 08:57 AM

K-7 is a great little camera. fit well in the hand, good ergonomics and a ton of customizable options. IQ sufffers slightly compared to the 20D in my opinion, but not enough to notice unless you're really pixel peeping.

K-x is a home run for the price. a few niggles here and there, but really attractive to the consumer. I don't feel cheated - k-7 offers me a platform that i feel extremely comfortable and confident working with in an efficient way in terms of control.

I'm guessing Pentax wanted to offer something up to consumers that would get their attention and hope to capture market share with. Video, good hi-ISO noise performance and ease of use. I'm hoping they succeed for the good of the company, but i wouldn't say i feel cheated.

I'm actually looking to carry a 2nd system if not switch entirely for something that fits my needs better. Doesn't mean I don't love Pentax. They've been helping me created great images over the years and I love the support of the community. I think having competition in the market only benefits us all in the end - we just need to find the tools that best suit us and make the most of them.

Daemos · 10-21-2009, 09:46 AM

Well personally, I just started getting into photography a few days ago when I purchased a K7 and some DA* lenses.

I quickly have gone from shooting jpeg, to now deciding to shoot only RAW, only because I get more detail out of RAW than in body jpeg,

I've also quickly learned to depend on the histogram to adjust exposure, the DR in the K7 is not bad, although for highlights it falls short, so under exposing helps quite a bit. With RAW I also can recover much more DR, takes more work, but IMO the results are worth it.

Would if of been better if Pentax put in a sony sensor and given the K7 better high ISO and more DR? Yes, but all that can be worked around.

Marc Sabatella · 10-21-2009, 11:07 AM

Originally posted by netuser

I shoot raw+ and I was hoping for better jpeg since I only go for raw if needed and with k7 seems a lot is needed

It's very time consuming

If you find RAW more time-consuming the JPEG, you aren't using the right software for your RAW files. Modern programs virtually eliminate all differences.

10-21-2009, 04:39 AM	#17
LeDave Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Minneapolis - St. Paul Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,067 Original Poster	I was going to choose the K-7 as my next DSLR, but the K-x just came out and I see that it has better high ISO iq. I am going to have to wait it out now, kind of dissappointing really that I don't want to buy the K-7 because the price doesn't match up with the differential for the K-x in my opinion. I owned a K-m and the body felt good because it was small, and the interface was easy to read. But I want weather-sealing and AF adjustment. Although it doesn't indicate AF points in VF, that didn't bother me with the K-m so it shouldn't bother me with the K-x. I have either a few choices and that's to pre-order the K-x white now... or wait for the K-7 price to drop to what I think is a reasonable level of pricing in terms of it's high iso IQ differences to the K-x. Sure it has a better body and more features, but the big thing for me is the high ISO IQ which the K-x boasts. But if I wanted to wait for the newer advanced level DSLR from Pentax, I would have to wait for who knows how long but I hope not long before Pentax releases a new K-8 that has K-7 features but with the K-x sensor. I don't want to have to buy and sell buy and sell all the time just because there's another body that's better than the other; no it's not that at all, it's that the K-x is so much better than K-7 in high iso IQ. They both came out this year, and I was really hoping to upgrade from my K-m to a K-7, I really had that down and on lock. But the K-x came out and it made me a little disappointed in the K-7 and now I am completely lost on what I really want. I don't want to keep my DA* 50-135, DA 35 Macro LTD, and DA 21 LTD in my bag for half a year or longer just for a newer body to be announced that will have the same if not then around the same high ISO IQ that the K-x boasts with the body that the K-7 has. EDIT: By no means am I saying that the K-7 has bad high ISO IQ at all, it's that I am feeling the K-7 is boasting the K20D's high ISO IQ, and that there are newer technology out there and coming out. I just wish that for that pricing and for a new DSLR in 2009 it would at least give out better IQ than the K20D; or maybe even better but doesn't have to be, the K-x. Just as Bert quoted earlier, "The K-x must have been in sight while the K-7 was in development, a better sensor should have been considered, or the price difference should have been less". Last edited by LeDave; 10-21-2009 at 04:45 AM.

10-21-2009, 09:46 AM	#29
Daemos Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 106	Well personally, I just started getting into photography a few days ago when I purchased a K7 and some DA* lenses. I quickly have gone from shooting jpeg, to now deciding to shoot only RAW, only because I get more detail out of RAW than in body jpeg, I've also quickly learned to depend on the histogram to adjust exposure, the DR in the K7 is not bad, although for highlights it falls short, so under exposing helps quite a bit. With RAW I also can recover much more DR, takes more work, but IMO the results are worth it. Would if of been better if Pentax put in a sony sensor and given the K7 better high ISO and more DR? Yes, but all that can be worked around. Last edited by Daemos; 10-21-2009 at 10:00 AM.

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10-21-2009, 01:17 AM	#16
Pentaxor Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,513	Originally posted by WerTicus pentax really does not have their shit together in terms of tiering and pricing. wtf were they thinking? maybe it was a paper work error that had the sensors in these two cameras switched! I suspect a k8 is <6 months away. This is going to cost them sales, because anyone sitting on a k20d or k10d at the moment would be crazy to upgrade now. The k7 is out of date and the kx isnt professional enough. do you own a K-7? I wouldn't say that about the K-7, whether you own it or not. HiGH ISO Noise performance is not everything in a camera. if it did, then it's better if you get the T1i or 50D instead. I don't know if you failed to consider the metering, AF, and lowlight capability of the K-7. those features alone would simply trample both the K10D and K20D. the K-7 is not out of date as you may think. you take a look at how their Canon and Nikon counterparts have. they are simply tying to match each other, capability-wise. even when Pentax comes up with something like a K-8 this year with an improved and better sensor (great HIGH ISO performance + detail), I don't think that most people here would be willing or have the money to shell out USD 2,500, given the present price of the K-7. it would be illogical if they are going to sell such camera for less than 2,000 this year. better let Pentax do it's way so that we as consumers would benefit from it's cheaper price marketing strategy. give it time to pass when the K-7 hits 800 bucks, so that Pentax would have a good reason to sell the succeeding camera for 1,200 again. enough time for you to save money. p.s. Pentax still needs to resolve that soft image issue of the k-x. so it's better if they hold their horses before they release the K-7 successor prematurely. reason you don't see me owning a k-x. although I do like the fancy colored bodies.

10-21-2009, 05:34 AM	#18
stanleyk Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Taylor, Texas Posts: 1,018	Originally posted by Clarkey In all ways apart from sensor noise, the K7 is better. For me, the quiet shutter, the good viewfinder relative to the K200d and the good build quality and lighter than expected feel in my hands, I am happy.? I never shoot above ISO 400 or print larger than 11 x 14, so it's irrelevant to me. I am glad to pay the premium for the build quality, size and especially fantastic viewfinder since I don't use auto focus. I'm sure the KX is a fantastic camera. In fact I recommended one to my sister. But I would have bought the K7 anyway. 99% of my photography is done outdoors hiking. The smaller size/build quality in conjunction with DA 15-70mm lenses makes the perfect kit for me. The whole thing fits in small Domke bag. Extremely happy with the K7.

10-21-2009, 05:36 AM	#19
stanleyk Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Taylor, Texas Posts: 1,018	Originally posted by Pentaxor although I do like the fancy colored bodies. I think they are really cool too. My sister wants that white one Hin's blog. I wonder if you can order it from Japan?

10-21-2009, 05:57 AM	#20
rustynail925 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Philippines Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,551	The K-7 has better IQ than the Kx at low iso IMO the Kx looks soft and i like the K7 colors . I saw a thread at dpreview. I was going to get the Kx but the softness and colors are giving me 2nd thoughts. my K-x versus K-7 impressions [Page 4]: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

10-21-2009, 06:02 AM	#21
bymy141 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,563	Originally posted by stanleyk I think they are really cool too. My sister wants that white one Hin's blog. I wonder if you can order it from Japan? Yes, you can: [Rakuten Ichiba][Order] PENTAXK-x kit lens color - Bert

10-21-2009, 06:59 AM	#22
flippedgazelle Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: NJ, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,270	Originally posted by rustynail925 The K-7 has better IQ than the Kx at low iso IMO the Kx looks soft and i like the K7 colors . I saw a thread at dpreview. I was going to get the Kx but the softness and colors are giving me 2nd thoughts. my K-x versus K-7 impressions [Page 4]: Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review That may or may not be true, as the macaw shots posted are all soft and appear to have motion blur. Also, it really does sound from the tone of that poster and the questionable exposure of his photos that he may not quite know what he's doing (like, why isn't he increasing ISO and maybe DoF in order to get sharper photos?)

10-21-2009, 07:40 AM	#23
Urkeldaedalus Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Iowa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,369	Originally posted by LeDave I don't want to have to buy and sell buy and sell all the time just because there's another body that's better than the other; no it's not that at all, it's that the K-x is so much better than K-7 in high iso IQ. They both came out this year, and I was really hoping to upgrade from my K-m to a K-7, I really had that down and on lock. But the K-x came out and it made me a little disappointed in the K-7 and now I am completely lost on what I really want. I don't want to keep my DA* 50-135, DA 35 Macro LTD, and DA 21 LTD in my bag for half a year or longer just for a newer body to be announced that will have the same if not then around the same high ISO IQ that the K-x boasts with the body that the K-7 has. The way technology is going, the longer you wait the better value you are probably going to get out of your camera purchase -- that's true before the K-X came out and I suspect it will be true after the next camera arrives, as well. The only problem is you have to bite the bullet sometime or you'll miss out on all those great pictures you could have taken My take on the K-7 now that the K-x is released is that it would have convenient if the new Sony sensor was in the K-7 because that would have resolved pretty much my last major complaint with the camera -- that shooting at ISO1600, while it can produce good results, is more annoying than it would be to deal with than good out of camera results. As a result, as I am looking to buy a second body for shooting weddings, I will probably wait to see what the next Pentax camera can do in terms of high ISO before I decide what to buy. Either that, or I'll wait to see if the price drops on the K-7 and just buy another one. This said, from ISO 100-1600 the K-7 takes great photos, with wonderful detail and color and it is such a solid, well performing camera that I haven't regretted buying it for a moment even when I bought it at its highest price. If Pentax were to come out with a full frame camera, or if I bought a camera from a competitor, I'd still likely keep the K-7 on its own merits. If anything, instead of reacting negatively to the K-x's better high ISO results, I am optimistic about what they portend for future Pentax cameras.

10-21-2009, 08:22 AM	#24
p0opstlnksal0t Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: houston Posts: 165	Originally posted by bymy141 Yes, you can: [Rakuten Ichiba][Order] PENTAXK-x kit lens color - Bert wonder how to convert the payment method to yen? also can you select the menu languages in the k-x? id imagine these would be in japanese...

10-21-2009, 08:43 AM	#25
tomtor Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Netherlands Posts: 382	Originally posted by p0opstlnksal0t also can you select the menu languages in the k-x? id imagine these would be in japanese... All Pentax cameras guide you at the first power up through the language and timezone settings. I guess the K-X does the same.

10-21-2009, 08:49 AM	#26
knoxploration Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 846	Originally posted by LeDave Those of you guys who own the K-7 - What are your thoughts about the recently released K-x now since it has a significantly improved sensor over a more advanced and twice the MSRP price, the K-7 that came out the same year. Personally, I think that reads like you're on a fishing expedition - and one I don't agree with. I don't believe it is a "significantly improved" sensor. I believe it has slightly better hish ISO performance, slightly worse resolution, and slightly worse burst speed. Swings and roundabouts. My K-7 performs just as well as it did when I chose and bought it.

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10-21-2009, 08:53 AM	#27
knoxploration Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 846	Originally posted by WerTicus This is going to cost them sales, because anyone sitting on a k20d or k10d at the moment would be crazy to upgrade now. The k7 is out of date and the kx isnt professional enough. Nonsense. As has been confirmed elsewhere, the K-7's noise performance is among the better DSLRs in its class. It's pricing is already around the $1,000 mark, and there's no other camera offering close to the same feature set at that price. Cost them sales? They're flying out the door! Are a very vocal minority who don't understand (and quite likely aren't themselves) who the camera is aimed at griping very loudly? Yes. Are most K-7 owners satisfied? Almost certainly.

10-21-2009, 08:57 AM	#28
libbyh Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Rochester, NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 119	K-7 is a great little camera. fit well in the hand, good ergonomics and a ton of customizable options. IQ sufffers slightly compared to the 20D in my opinion, but not enough to notice unless you're really pixel peeping. K-x is a home run for the price. a few niggles here and there, but really attractive to the consumer. I don't feel cheated - k-7 offers me a platform that i feel extremely comfortable and confident working with in an efficient way in terms of control. I'm guessing Pentax wanted to offer something up to consumers that would get their attention and hope to capture market share with. Video, good hi-ISO noise performance and ease of use. I'm hoping they succeed for the good of the company, but i wouldn't say i feel cheated. I'm actually looking to carry a 2nd system if not switch entirely for something that fits my needs better. Doesn't mean I don't love Pentax. They've been helping me created great images over the years and I love the support of the community. I think having competition in the market only benefits us all in the end - we just need to find the tools that best suit us and make the most of them.

10-21-2009, 11:07 AM	#30
Marc Sabatella Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Denver, CO Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,685	Originally posted by netuser I shoot raw+ and I was hoping for better jpeg since I only go for raw if needed and with k7 seems a lot is needed It's very time consuming If you find RAW more time-consuming the JPEG, you aren't using the right software for your RAW files. Modern programs virtually eliminate all differences.