[jgredline]

JPEG engine in K-7 is really not so good. But, shooting RAW and PP doesn't have to be time consuming at all. For instance, in Lightroom you just connect your camera, import all photos and let the software automatically apply default conversion upon import. Easy as 1, 2, 3 ... and results can be much, much better then with in-camera JPEG conversion.

On the other side, but don't get offended please, I think that anybody who is serious in photography should try to get best quality from their equipment, and the way to do so is shooting RAW. Differences are tremendous.

I just saw photos on your blog. I love street photography, and I think that you are guy who really enjoys looking at world around yourself and take photos of it! I think that you can automate RAW import workflow very easy and with no serious effort. Also, I do a lot of street shooting and think that K-x, because of it's size, could be pretty good tool for such shooting.

Thank you very much!.
Have you seen this thread? https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/mini-challenges-games-photo-stories/43981...eet-style.html I would love to see your street photos. Here is my smugmug as well... Street Vision...The eyes are the window to the soul- powered by SmugMug

I will start a thread on RAW converstion shortly and see what I come up with. Thank you again

[jgredline]

I'd suggest re-considering the K-x as a high ISO street workhorse. I'd love to use a D700 or D300s, since they are beautiful machines, but they are big, heavy, expensive boxes that I'd be scared to take out onto the street, especially at night in some of the places I go . Compared to the Nikon's, a K-x is almost a disposable. If some drunk smashes it or some bastard steals it, it will hurt, but not as much as a smashed or stolen D300 or D700 would hurt.

I wanted to elaborate a little more on this. First the Context.
My average street walk averages between 4-6 miles per outing, usually 5 days a week. Sometimes more, but seldom less...Weight is a real issue here which is why I love my Pentax gear and don't use my D700 for street shooting. The D700 with my 12-24F/2.8 or my 28-70F/2.8 is like a millstone around my neck...So yes I agree, this is a hindrance. As it stands I use my Nikon mostly at family events, church and school stuff...BUT i love street shooting so weight and HIGH ISO is important to me....

Now the K20D is really a wonderful camera that produces some amazing out of the camera Jpegs...I am exteremly comfortable at ISO1600-2000..I do not think twice about it. Infact my base ISO is 640 on my K20D's...Now one of my K20D's has the grip and other does not. I usually use the one with no grip...My K-7 does have the grip because it was a tad too small for my hands with out the grip. I love the quiet shutter very, very much. The AF speed does not matter to me as does the low light performance because I use zone focusing with very short primes or very short zooms..Now the K-7 with grip feels great in my hands and is a joy to use, but the iso after 800 PLAIN STINKS and it gets me mad...Why did not Pentax stick the sensor from the K-X into the K-7????????

Now back to the Nikon. Before I buy a K-X I would rather sell the K-7 and buy a D300s because I will have my cake and eat it to...This coming weekend there is a no tax sale at Samy's in Pasadena where I already have a D300S reserved...Another downside to Nikon is that the primes are huge! which I also don't like. Clearly pentax has the advantage there.

As for Pentax, I have a fortune invested in them so it is a shame about the K-7. I will likely get rid of it and all my long lenses. I will keep my 2 K20D's and all my short primes...

Among the long glass I will be selling at very good prices to members here are
DA*200, DA*300, DA*16-50 Perfect copy, DA*50-135, Sigma 100-300F/4.0 with TC, Sigma 500F/4.5, Sigma Bigma, Tamron 70-200F/2.8. and Tamron MC-4 TC 1.4.....

i really love APS-C and I will only need 2-3 long lenses for my Nikon's.

By the way, another downside to nikon is the cost of the glass...Ouch!

Anyway, I still a pentaxian and always will be, but I will also carry a second system.

My K20D's will still be my primary choice for street shooting rigs....Here is my most beloved baby complete with my own DOF marks...

[jgredline]

Javier, interesting perspective

But first, that is assuming that even those who are suggesting to get the K-x is implying the D300s is up to the task. IMO, it is not. The K-x is a better iso performer. Secondly, I think 'most' are saying to shoot in RAW with the k-7 and take a little time for PP to match the iso performance of the D300s and not to get a second body (I didn't count though...).....so, I guess it is all relative.

But, the D300s still has a better AF, and the K-7 a smaller package, and myriad of other differences other than just iso. So, it is not as easy as just comparing iso performance..

Anyhow, as you said you only shoot jpeg's, and own a D700 and lenses, the logical choice is indeed the D300s. Good luck! will hate to see you go.....

Thank you so much for your support, but I am not fully going anyplace.

[jgredline]

JG,
I see that you like the K20D better for "noisy" issue, and that is understandable according to your comparisons, hands-on. I like the fact that real users present their opinion. I too like to shoot at F8 or 5.6 and of course one needs to work at higher ISO at lot of times.
Did you really have that bad results with the K7 above ISO 800 in the 100-400 range? But that is JPEG ... no RAW at all to compare?
Considering the D300 which some say can be comparable to the K7 in RAW (I know you shoot only JPEG) while you already have the D700 is quite a departure from this thread. Comparing the K7 to the D700 is really no match, in my honest opinion.
I too would just love to be able to afford a D700 with the corresponding lenses I already have in Pentax mount, but that would be financial suicide, for me anyway.
On the other hand, if I did, I certainly would be the Pentax gear as well. It served me well this far.
The point of this thread being to find out from K7 users what they think of its noise level has been answered in your post here, and thank you for the reply.
JP

Sorry for hijacking your thread. For me the bottom line is that the K20D is a full stop better in the ISO dept as far as Jpegs go and even from what I have read, in RAW as well....

[Jadran]

I wanted to elaborate a little more on this. First the Context.
Now the K-7 with grip feels great in my hands and is a joy to use, but the iso after 800 PLAIN STINKS and it gets me mad...Why did not Pentax stick the sensor from the K-X into the K-7????????

Obviously, there is something wrong if you have problems with ISO 800 on K-7. I really don't know as I found it pretty good. Here is shoot at ISO 800, don't let the focus distract you, it was shoot at very shallow depth of field with 50mm on 1,4. Detail is at 1:1

[jgredline]

Obviously, there is something wrong if you have problems with ISO 800 on K-7. I really don't know as I found it pretty good. Here is shoot at ISO 800, don't let the focus distract you, it was shoot at very shallow depth of field with 50mm on 1,4. Detail is at 1:1

ISO 800 is ok, it is ''after'' I am not thrilled about. @ ISO 1000 it goes away in a hurry.

[Rondec]

I wanted to elaborate a little more on this. First the Context.
My average street walk averages between 4-6 miles per outing, usually 5 days a week. Sometimes more, but seldom less...Weight is a real issue here which is why I love my Pentax gear and don't use my D700 for street shooting. The D700 with my 12-24F/2.8 or my 28-70F/2.8 is like a millstone around my neck...So yes I agree, this is a hindrance. As it stands I use my Nikon mostly at family events, church and school stuff...BUT i love street shooting so weight and HIGH ISO is important to me....

Now the K20D is really a wonderful camera that produces some amazing out of the camera Jpegs...I am exteremly comfortable at ISO1600-2000..I do not think twice about it. Infact my base ISO is 640 on my K20D's...Now one of my K20D's has the grip and other does not. I usually use the one with no grip...My K-7 does have the grip because it was a tad too small for my hands with out the grip. I love the quiet shutter very, very much. The AF speed does not matter to me as does the low light performance because I use zone focusing with very short primes or very short zooms..Now the K-7 with grip feels great in my hands and is a joy to use, but the iso after 800 PLAIN STINKS and it gets me mad...Why did not Pentax stick the sensor from the K-X into the K-7????????

Now back to the Nikon. Before I buy a K-X I would rather sell the K-7 and buy a D300s because I will have my cake and eat it to...This coming weekend there is a no tax sale at Samy's in Pasadena where I already have a D300S reserved...Another downside to Nikon is that the primes are huge! which I also don't like. Clearly pentax has the advantage there.

As for Pentax, I have a fortune invested in them so it is a shame about the K-7. I will likely get rid of it and all my long lenses. I will keep my 2 K20D's and all my short primes...

Among the long glass I will be selling at very good prices to members here are
DA*200, DA*300, DA*16-50 Perfect copy, DA*50-135, Sigma 100-300F/4.0 with TC, Sigma 500F/4.5, Sigma Bigma, Tamron 70-200F/2.8. and Tamron MC-4 TC 1.4.....

i really love APS-C and I will only need 2-3 long lenses for my Nikon's.

By the way, another downside to nikon is the cost of the glass...Ouch!

Anyway, I still a pentaxian and always will be, but I will also carry a second system.

My K20D's will still be my primary choice for street shooting rigs....Here is my most beloved baby complete with my own DOF marks...

DP Review interestingly did not like the D300s much for jpeg shooters. The jpegs are quite soft with less detail compared with similar cameras, particularly in comparison to Canon products. http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond300s/page28.asp
"The soft JPEGs we've already seen in this review do nothing to help the D300S in this test - any resolution disadvantage of its lower pixel count is exacerbated by its rather smooth output. As a result, it is out-performed by both Canons. Similarly soft JPEGs from the Pentax mean the Nikon doesn't look too outclassed."

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Last edited by Rondec; 11-24-2009 at 08:54 AM.

[Wheatfield]

DP Review interestingly did not like the D300s much for jpeg shooters. The jpegs are quite soft with less detail compared with similar cameras, particularly in comparison to Canon products. Nikon D300S Review: 28. Compared to (Resolution): Digital Photography Review
"The soft JPEGs we've already seen in this review do nothing to help the D300S in this test - any resolution disadvantage of its lower pixel count is exacerbated by its rather smooth output. As a result, it is out-performed by both Canons. Similarly soft JPEGs from the Pentax mean the Nikon doesn't look too outclassed."

Ah yes, the famous DP "we don't know how to use the menus, so we just point and shoot" Review.
How they got to where they are is beyond me.

[jgredline]

Ah yes, the famous DP "we don't know how to use the menus, so we just point and shoot" Review.
How they got to where they are is beyond me.

Agreed which is why I did not respond.