If you had to pick today, would you get a K7, or a K-x?

reeftool · 10-23-2009, 08:59 AM

The lack of weather sealing on the Kx will keep me from choosing it over the K7. I probably won't upgrade for a couple of more years as long as my K10D holds up and if it doesn't that may influence my decision on future purchases as I would expect a camera body to last at least 5 years. All this Kx chat...does anybody actually have this camera yet? As for the noise issue, if someone's shots are requiring 100% crops at ISO 1600 and above on a regular basis, open up your wallet and buy the right lens for the job. As for the comment about weather sealing being underrated, probably 80% of all my shooting this past summer has been outdoors on rainy, foggy wet days and even when nice, my camera has been with me in a kayak, getting splashed and dripped on. If you would care to join me with an unsealed camera for a week on my next trip I would welcome the company.

Sew-Classic · 10-23-2009, 09:29 AM

Originally posted by kittykat46

K-7....just shoot RAW, its High-ISO performance is as good as its competitors.

Just about Everything else about the K-7 is a class above the K-X.

It's understandable that everyone would like the NR system on the K-x to be available on the K-7. It's doing a great job from what I see so far.

But to take advantage of the many upgrades and features on the K-7, and still have improved, high ISO NR, your suggestion is the best approach IMHO.

For me, this one aspect is not a deal breaker for the K-7.

High ISO, in camera jpegs from my K-7- hand held shot of junk on my desk (no PP- only resized)

knoxploration · 10-23-2009, 09:52 AM

Originally posted by WerTicus

im getting a kx because i believe the k8 is not far away. I also prefer smaller cameras and I like having scene modes on the dial for my gf to use.

If by "not far away", you mean "probably only a year away", you might be right. If you mean sooner than that, it's doubtful. DSLR release schedules are fairly predictable, and Pentax's flagship looks to be somewhere around an 18 month schedule.

Jester_rm · 10-23-2009, 12:45 PM

Given those two choices, I'd have to go with the K7, at least for my purposes (I don't do high ISO work much at all...rare for me to exceed 800).

But really, I'm thinking that the K20 might fit me better than either of those. I haven't seen either in person, but I get the impression that they're both rather on the small side, and I have large hands and long fingers...my K100D is right at the border of smallness for me, I'd actually rather have something slightly larger for comfort. I think that means either a K7 with a grip or a K20 (with or without grip).

knoxploration · 10-23-2009, 01:28 PM

Originally posted by Jester_rm

Given those two choices, I'd have to go with the K7, at least for my purposes (I don't do high ISO work much at all...rare for me to exceed 800).

But really, I'm thinking that the K20 might fit me better than either of those. I haven't seen either in person, but I get the impression that they're both rather on the small side, and I have large hands and long fingers...my K100D is right at the border of smallness for me, I'd actually rather have something slightly larger for comfort. I think that means either a K7 with a grip or a K20 (with or without grip).

Best advice would be to try it in person. I'm 6'1" tall and people comment on the size of my hands and feet. I personally find the K-7 fits my hands very nicely, though. In terms of body size, it's just slightly larger than my wife's Canon Rebel-series camera (which is pretty darned impressive when one considers the far greater feature set and weather sealed, rugged body).

I've seen a few people complain about the K-7's size though, and I think it really comes down to personal taste. For me, my large hands don't have a problem with it.

jacksonpritt · 10-23-2009, 01:41 PM

Originally posted by reeftool

I probably won't upgrade for a couple of more years as long as my K10D holds up and if it doesn't that may influence my decision on future purchases as I would expect a camera body to last at least 5 years.

Even before I started having problems with my K10D I was unhappy with a lot of aspects of its performance.

Extremely loud shutter, extremely loud AF motors, Low-light AF hunting, very slow AF, back-focus issues with certain lenses, and very hit-or-miss P-TTL functioning with my flash were all constant annoyances.

From what I've heard the K7 helps with all those problems.

Marignac · 10-23-2009, 01:57 PM

Hard to say.

Where I come from: shooting jpg ooc usually higher/high ISO, my favourite camera was/is the K100d Super. I'm also having the GX20 but have never befriended with this one as much as with K100dS for the quality of jpg (ISO >= 400, "cold" rendering of colours), plus its weight and size.

Having said that I'm in the market for a K7. However my first impressions are mixed: though the ISO rendering has improved (the noise is still there but it has got a grainy feel to it, far less chroma noise compared to GX20), the jpg quality seems to have not.

At this point they launch surprisingly a successor to the k-m. So that camera wasn't interesting me for the lack of AF indicators and the opitcal preview. But now that I've seen the first jpgs, I'd say I'm dreaming og the jpg quality of the Kx in the body of the K7.

Now it seems I have to wait for the missing link, the one between the K7 and the Kx, combining jpg and noise performance of the Kx but adding focus adjustment and focus indicators as well as a top display. Then I wouldn't hesitate for a second.

jacksonpritt · 10-23-2009, 02:11 PM

Yeah, I agree.
I don't know if Id be able to switch back from a two-dial system...
The lack of controls on a K-x would be very frustrating for me.

reeftool · 10-23-2009, 03:33 PM

Originally posted by jacksonpritt

Even before I started having problems with my K10D I was unhappy with a lot of aspects of its performance.

Extremely loud shutter, extremely loud AF motors, Low-light AF hunting, very slow AF, back-focus issues with certain lenses, and very hit-or-miss P-TTL functioning with my flash were all constant annoyances.

From what I've heard the K7 helps with all those problems.

I have been happy with my K10D. I know the K7 is quite an improvement but I'm not ready at this point to go for a new body. I am adding to my lenses. Of the issues you mention, only the low light AF and AF speed are things that I have had any issue with. I like the faster burst rate of the K7 also. I don't own a flash. In 2 years someone will be making the same comment about the performance of the K7 compared to the K...? One of the reviews I read before buying the K10D was that it was built like a tank. I have treated it as such and it has held up to the task.

lesmore49 · 10-23-2009, 05:11 PM

I would get the K7

creampuff · 10-23-2009, 05:30 PM

Definitely the K-7...

... but the Pentax K-x makes for a great prop and accessory...

[yt][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnz00NY2_1Q&feature=player_embedded"][/yt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnz00NY2_1Q&feature=player_embedded

68deluxe · 10-24-2009, 02:23 AM

I was all set to get a K-7 as my first DSLR, now the K-x gives me a cheaper option, with good features to learn on. If I do grow out of it, I will by a K-7s/K-8 or whatever it will be called, and reap the benefits oh a newer better sensor. If I don't grow out of it, I never needed the K-7 in the first place, and saved myself around $800

win win!

Sew-Classic · 10-24-2009, 07:48 AM

Originally posted by 68deluxe

I was all set to get a K-7 as my first DSLR, now the K-x gives me a cheaper option, with good features to learn on. If I do grow out of it, I will by a K-7s/K-8 or whatever it will be called, and reap the benefits oh a newer better sensor. If I don't grow out of it, I never needed the K-7 in the first place, and saved myself around $800

win win!

$800 price diff? Are you sure?

I just checked, and the K-7 with the 18-55 WR lens sells for about $1100 on Amazon.

The K-x is going for about $650 with the 18-55 AL lens.

By my math, that's about a $450 price difference. That's still a chunk of change, but not quite 800 bucks.

ETA:

Newegg has the K-x available as body only for $600 and the K-7 for $1050 (also body only). That's more of a apples to apples comparision, and the price difference remains at $450.

Blue · 10-24-2009, 07:51 AM

I would go with the K-x as a second or third body with the K20d or K7 as the primary body.

Pentaxor · 10-24-2009, 09:21 AM

if it drops by $400 by January, I might consider it for a second body........not. I'll just wait for a K-7 successor for a second body. though I would love to buy one k-x for my wife as a gift, just to get her into photography.

View Poll Results: If you had to pick today, which camera would you get?
K7	339	68.48%
K-x	156	31.52%
Voters: 495. You may not vote on this poll

10-23-2009, 09:29 AM	#32
Sew-Classic Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Ohio, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 238	Originally posted by kittykat46 K-7....just shoot RAW, its High-ISO performance is as good as its competitors. Just about Everything else about the K-7 is a class above the K-X. It's understandable that everyone would like the NR system on the K-x to be available on the K-7. It's doing a great job from what I see so far. But to take advantage of the many upgrades and features on the K-7, and still have improved, high ISO NR, your suggestion is the best approach IMHO. For me, this one aspect is not a deal breaker for the K-7. High ISO, in camera jpegs from my K-7- hand held shot of junk on my desk (no PP- only resized) Last edited by Sew-Classic; 10-23-2009 at 09:43 AM.

10-23-2009, 05:30 PM	#41
creampuff Veteran Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,953	Definitely the K-7... ... but the Pentax K-x makes for a great prop and accessory... [yt][URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnz00NY2_1Q&feature=player_embedded"][/yt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lnz00NY2_1Q&feature=player_embedded Last edited by creampuff; 10-25-2009 at 05:21 AM.

10-24-2009, 07:48 AM	#43
Sew-Classic Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Ohio, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 238	Originally posted by 68deluxe I was all set to get a K-7 as my first DSLR, now the K-x gives me a cheaper option, with good features to learn on. If I do grow out of it, I will by a K-7s/K-8 or whatever it will be called, and reap the benefits oh a newer better sensor. If I don't grow out of it, I never needed the K-7 in the first place, and saved myself around $800 win win! $800 price diff? Are you sure? I just checked, and the K-7 with the 18-55 WR lens sells for about $1100 on Amazon. The K-x is going for about $650 with the 18-55 AL lens. By my math, that's about a $450 price difference. That's still a chunk of change, but not quite 800 bucks. ETA: Newegg has the K-x available as body only for $600 and the K-7 for $1050 (also body only). That's more of a apples to apples comparision, and the price difference remains at $450. Last edited by Sew-Classic; 10-24-2009 at 07:52 AM. Reason: ETA

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10-23-2009, 08:59 AM	#31
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,553	The lack of weather sealing on the Kx will keep me from choosing it over the K7. I probably won't upgrade for a couple of more years as long as my K10D holds up and if it doesn't that may influence my decision on future purchases as I would expect a camera body to last at least 5 years. All this Kx chat...does anybody actually have this camera yet? As for the noise issue, if someone's shots are requiring 100% crops at ISO 1600 and above on a regular basis, open up your wallet and buy the right lens for the job. As for the comment about weather sealing being underrated, probably 80% of all my shooting this past summer has been outdoors on rainy, foggy wet days and even when nice, my camera has been with me in a kayak, getting splashed and dripped on. If you would care to join me with an unsealed camera for a week on my next trip I would welcome the company.

10-23-2009, 09:52 AM	#33
knoxploration Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 846	Originally posted by WerTicus im getting a kx because i believe the k8 is not far away. I also prefer smaller cameras and I like having scene modes on the dial for my gf to use. If by "not far away", you mean "probably only a year away", you might be right. If you mean sooner than that, it's doubtful. DSLR release schedules are fairly predictable, and Pentax's flagship looks to be somewhere around an 18 month schedule.

10-23-2009, 12:45 PM	#34
Jester_rm Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Redmond, Oregon Photos: Gallery Posts: 228	Given those two choices, I'd have to go with the K7, at least for my purposes (I don't do high ISO work much at all...rare for me to exceed 800). But really, I'm thinking that the K20 might fit me better than either of those. I haven't seen either in person, but I get the impression that they're both rather on the small side, and I have large hands and long fingers...my K100D is right at the border of smallness for me, I'd actually rather have something slightly larger for comfort. I think that means either a K7 with a grip or a K20 (with or without grip).

10-23-2009, 01:28 PM	#35
knoxploration Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Knoxville, Tennessee Posts: 846	Originally posted by Jester_rm Given those two choices, I'd have to go with the K7, at least for my purposes (I don't do high ISO work much at all...rare for me to exceed 800). But really, I'm thinking that the K20 might fit me better than either of those. I haven't seen either in person, but I get the impression that they're both rather on the small side, and I have large hands and long fingers...my K100D is right at the border of smallness for me, I'd actually rather have something slightly larger for comfort. I think that means either a K7 with a grip or a K20 (with or without grip). Best advice would be to try it in person. I'm 6'1" tall and people comment on the size of my hands and feet. I personally find the K-7 fits my hands very nicely, though. In terms of body size, it's just slightly larger than my wife's Canon Rebel-series camera (which is pretty darned impressive when one considers the far greater feature set and weather sealed, rugged body). I've seen a few people complain about the K-7's size though, and I think it really comes down to personal taste. For me, my large hands don't have a problem with it.

10-23-2009, 01:41 PM	#36
jacksonpritt Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Berkeley, CA Posts: 124 Original Poster	Originally posted by reeftool I probably won't upgrade for a couple of more years as long as my K10D holds up and if it doesn't that may influence my decision on future purchases as I would expect a camera body to last at least 5 years. Even before I started having problems with my K10D I was unhappy with a lot of aspects of its performance. Extremely loud shutter, extremely loud AF motors, Low-light AF hunting, very slow AF, back-focus issues with certain lenses, and very hit-or-miss P-TTL functioning with my flash were all constant annoyances. From what I've heard the K7 helps with all those problems.

10-23-2009, 01:57 PM	#37
Marignac New Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Germany Photos: Gallery Posts: 24	Hard to say. Where I come from: shooting jpg ooc usually higher/high ISO, my favourite camera was/is the K100d Super. I'm also having the GX20 but have never befriended with this one as much as with K100dS for the quality of jpg (ISO >= 400, "cold" rendering of colours), plus its weight and size. Having said that I'm in the market for a K7. However my first impressions are mixed: though the ISO rendering has improved (the noise is still there but it has got a grainy feel to it, far less chroma noise compared to GX20), the jpg quality seems to have not. At this point they launch surprisingly a successor to the k-m. So that camera wasn't interesting me for the lack of AF indicators and the opitcal preview. But now that I've seen the first jpgs, I'd say I'm dreaming og the jpg quality of the Kx in the body of the K7. Now it seems I have to wait for the missing link, the one between the K7 and the Kx, combining jpg and noise performance of the Kx but adding focus adjustment and focus indicators as well as a top display. Then I wouldn't hesitate for a second.

10-23-2009, 02:11 PM	#38
jacksonpritt Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Berkeley, CA Posts: 124 Original Poster	Yeah, I agree. I don't know if Id be able to switch back from a two-dial system... The lack of controls on a K-x would be very frustrating for me.

10-23-2009, 03:33 PM	#39
reeftool Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Upstate New York Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,553	Originally posted by jacksonpritt Even before I started having problems with my K10D I was unhappy with a lot of aspects of its performance. Extremely loud shutter, extremely loud AF motors, Low-light AF hunting, very slow AF, back-focus issues with certain lenses, and very hit-or-miss P-TTL functioning with my flash were all constant annoyances. From what I've heard the K7 helps with all those problems. I have been happy with my K10D. I know the K7 is quite an improvement but I'm not ready at this point to go for a new body. I am adding to my lenses. Of the issues you mention, only the low light AF and AF speed are things that I have had any issue with. I like the faster burst rate of the K7 also. I don't own a flash. In 2 years someone will be making the same comment about the performance of the K7 compared to the K...? One of the reviews I read before buying the K10D was that it was built like a tank. I have treated it as such and it has held up to the task.

10-23-2009, 05:11 PM	#40
lesmore49 Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Western Canada Posts: 12,342	I would get the K7

10-24-2009, 02:23 AM	#42
68deluxe Forum Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Australia/Africa Posts: 52	I was all set to get a K-7 as my first DSLR, now the K-x gives me a cheaper option, with good features to learn on. If I do grow out of it, I will by a K-7s/K-8 or whatever it will be called, and reap the benefits oh a newer better sensor. If I don't grow out of it, I never needed the K-7 in the first place, and saved myself around $800 win win!

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10-24-2009, 07:51 AM	#44
Blue Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Florida Hill Country Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 17,377	I would go with the K-x as a second or third body with the K20d or K7 as the primary body.

10-24-2009, 09:21 AM	#45
Pentaxor Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Vancouver, B.C. Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,513	if it drops by $400 by January, I might consider it for a second body........not. I'll just wait for a K-7 successor for a second body. though I would love to buy one k-x for my wife as a gift, just to get her into photography.