Move to K-7 or Wait for K-8/FF?

aleonx3 · 04-08-2010, 12:02 PM

Originally posted by henryjing

Can my K-x get a grip?

Henry, is there any particular reason that you would want to have a grip for the K-x? Is it because you want to have better balance holding the camera or just the extra batteries so you don't have to change battery in the middle of a gig?

You could save the money for the grip when you get your K-7 rather than the K-x. The extra features/options in the K-7 would likely enhance your photo-taking experience and get better results. I have the K10D now, I am also waiting to get the K-7 (when the price point gets more favorable).

GLXLR · 04-08-2010, 04:07 PM

Originally posted by henryjing

I have a K-x now, but I wanna a more professional camera.
I am now thinking about two options,
1. sell my K-x and buy K-7
2. keep K-x for backup and wait for a K-8 or FF
Any suggestion?

It's hard to answer your question... The more details you give of what you really want, the better and less vague peoples' answers will be.

henryjing · 04-08-2010, 04:33 PM

I am happy to see my thread is still hot...however I have bought my K7 with grip a week ago. But items are still on shipping...due to the holidays...

kxuser · 04-08-2010, 04:45 PM

I went through the exact same process. The K-7 was calling my name after purchasing a K-x.

I went ahead and purchased the K-7 with the battery grip. I was really burning through batteries on the K-x, even though I was using rechargeables. The body does feel much better in my hands. The autofocus is much better. High ISO is still worlds better on the k-x. But I rarely go above 800.

I still use both cameras. I find that I am more likely to take the k-x with me when portability and weight is an issue. For serious photo shoots I always use the K-7.

I find that they compliment each other nicely, just depends on what I plan on photographing on any given day. Enjoy your cams!

johnmflores · 04-08-2010, 06:17 PM

Looks like the K-7 is already in the mail. I would have spent the money on a couple of your wishlist lenses first. That would have effected your shooting ability - and been more 'pro' whatever that means - more than the difference between the K-x and K-7.

Besides the DA* 50-135 F/2.8 is pretty comical but very usable on the K-x!

tokyoso · 04-08-2010, 06:42 PM

it's always fun to shoot with two cameras...

henryjing · 04-08-2010, 06:45 PM

Thanks. I am now planning to buy a 35mm film camera here. I have one and several lens in Shanghai(Of course they are Pentax), but I did not bring them with me. So I wanna buy a 35mm camera body and some color negative films to replace the K-x.

Originally posted by kxuser

I went through the exact same process. The K-7 was calling my name after purchasing a K-x.

I went ahead and purchased the K-7 with the battery grip. I was really burning through batteries on the K-x, even though I was using rechargeables. The body does feel much better in my hands. The autofocus is much better. High ISO is still worlds better on the k-x. But I rarely go above 800.

I still use both cameras. I find that I am more likely to take the k-x with me when portability and weight is an issue. For serious photo shoots I always use the K-7.

I find that they compliment each other nicely, just depends on what I plan on photographing on any given day. Enjoy your cams!

henryjing · 04-08-2010, 06:46 PM

Originally posted by tokyoso

it's always fun to shoot with two cameras...

I have no budget to keep K-7 and K-x, especially they are in one generation.

henryjing · 04-08-2010, 06:49 PM

I tried to buy DA*50-135 here, but it seems that it is out of stock everywhere. And I really seldom use the lens above 50mm right now...So I don't wanna spend so much on the long distances shoot so quickly. To me, I like wide angle lens, 31mm on the 35mm film camera is my favorite angle, so does 21mm on APS-C...I would like to provide more information in my photograph...
But your K-x with 50-135 seems very beautiful, I love it!

Originally posted by johnmflores

Looks like the K-7 is already in the mail. I would have spent the money on a couple of your wishlist lenses first. That would have effected your shooting ability - and been more 'pro' whatever that means - more than the difference between the K-x and K-7.

Besides the DA* 50-135 F/2.8 is pretty comical but very usable on the K-x!

shawnxji · 04-15-2010, 07:42 AM

"For those that are asking why not just keep the KX...there are features and functionailty other than ISO that someone might find important;.
- AF-assist lamp
- Stereo mic
- HDMI
- Cold and weather resistant
- Magnesium alloy body
- Electronic Level function
- Optional Grip with AA battery option
- rechargable batteries

Areas where the K-7 is better than the K-x;

- 5.2 fps vs 4.7 fps
- 77 segment AE vs 16 segment
- Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
- 1024 30fps vs 720 24fps
- 3.0 inch LCD with 921,000 dot resolution vs 2.7 inch, with 230,000 dot resolution
- True Mirror Lock-up vs 2 second timer
- Shutter speed of 1/8000 vs 1/6000
- Better low ISO performance due to higher resolution"

That's a great summary. I personally don't care that much for the features of K-7 but I'd like to have better high-ISO performance. It's funny that you're considering K-7 and you currently own K-x. I'm a K-7 owner that's actually considering moving "down" because I bought K-7 for the rebates on the lenses.

My suggestion is to wait, because K-x is such a fine camera and we're looking at some excellent next gen cameras coming out over the next two years.

stan8331 · 04-15-2010, 12:52 PM

I have a K10D. Was intending to get a K20D after the K-7 came out, but waited too long to get a good deal. Now I'm thinking I may go ahead and get a K-X for the time-being and wait on the next generation after the K-7 to replace the K10D. My greatest need right now is something with good high-ISO performance to use without flash at dimly lit club (rock & roll) shows, so the K-X seems like a good, inexpensive option.

The only thing holding me back (apart from the fact that I'm currently spending buckets of money in the process of getting back into auto racing after a decade hiatus) is the issue of an external microphone for video. Sound levels at shows are so high that any built-in mic is likely to suffer extreme distortion. I'm not sure how much video I would actually try to shoot, but the lack of good audio would be a problem if I were to try to do much video...

Timichango · 04-16-2010, 02:59 AM

Simply put, the K-7, for me, is the closest thing that I've handled in the DSLR world to my old Nikon FM2n.

Superficially, this might sound like I'm comparing apples to oranges, but ultimately, to me, they feel spiritually related, as they're both compact, solid, reliable cameras that feel good in the hand, are built like a brick sh*t-house, are responsive, and are inexpensive enough that I'm not going to lose sleep over travelling around town (or around the world) with it.

It's not the most full-featured system camera for shooting sports, it's not the insanely expensive leica, it's not the junky 'consumer' slr; it's the happy amalgam of a selection of the best points of all of the above, and it's built tough and versatile to be hammering in nails with it one second, shooting a fashion spread the next, and dropping stealthily into a shoulder bag for some street shooting the next.

I spent some time before buying my K-7 handling all of the cameras that I could get my mitts on, and frankly the K-7 was one of the few contemporary DSLRs that actually felt good in my hand (as well as the sony 850/900, and the d300, both of which dwarf the K-7 in terms of bulk, but seem well designed). Most of the rest just seemed to feel like either plasticky toys that won't be around in a few years, or like hefting an anvil with the approximate ergonomics of a pumpkin *ahemcanon*.

Timichango · 04-16-2010, 03:04 AM

I should also add that I had pretty much assumed that my next Camera was going to be another nikon, and that it'd be a d90 or d300 - ended up with a K-7, and couldn't be happier.

**Michaelina2** · 04-16-2010, 04:44 AM

1. ...a free copy of Lightroom 3 beta 2 and learn all you can about it. Once LR3 is released, plan of getting the full featured version.

2. Make sure your computer, monitor, archiving approach and printer are up to spec to run LR3 in all of its glory. If iyou need to update and fine tune your processing and output system, now is the time to do it.

3. Once 1 & 2 are done, look around for a camera system that's a combination of the best glass you can afford, plus the least expensive camera body with the features you feel you need.

*** Think software first, then computing system to drive it. You camera and lens choice is the least important part, IMHO. ***

In the meantime, get out and enjoy the season. Turn off your computer, don't buy a new camera, but make good use of whatever you currently own.

Cheers...

Timichango · 04-16-2010, 03:22 PM

*** Think software first, then computing system to drive it. You camera and lens choice is the least important part, IMHO. ***

I'm perplexed by this opinion, since it seems to run contrary to the conventional wisdom that the captured image is always going to have the biggest impact on your final output. A better 'darkroom' is going to improve your end output, but, like any process, digital or otherwise, if you start off with crappy 'raw' materials, the end product is going to be inherently limited. As they say, garbage in = garbage out.

Put another way, if you've got great 'negs' (or raw files), you can always output them in a better darkroom, virtual or otherwise. If you've got crap to start off with, no darkroom is going to fix that.

04-08-2010, 04:45 PM	#34
kxuser Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Brooklyn Posts: 71	k-7 and grip I went through the exact same process. The K-7 was calling my name after purchasing a K-x. I went ahead and purchased the K-7 with the battery grip. I was really burning through batteries on the K-x, even though I was using rechargeables. The body does feel much better in my hands. The autofocus is much better. High ISO is still worlds better on the k-x. But I rarely go above 800. I still use both cameras. I find that I am more likely to take the k-x with me when portability and weight is an issue. For serious photo shoots I always use the K-7. I find that they compliment each other nicely, just depends on what I plan on photographing on any given day. Enjoy your cams!

04-16-2010, 04:44 AM	#44
Michaelina2 Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: SE Michigan USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,300	Consider getting... 1. ...a free copy of Lightroom 3 beta 2 and learn all you can about it. Once LR3 is released, plan of getting the full featured version. 2. Make sure your computer, monitor, archiving approach and printer are up to spec to run LR3 in all of its glory. If iyou need to update and fine tune your processing and output system, now is the time to do it. 3. Once 1 & 2 are done, look around for a camera system that's a combination of the best glass you can afford, plus the least expensive camera body with the features you feel you need. * Think software first, then computing system to drive it. You camera and lens choice is the least important part, IMHO. * In the meantime, get out and enjoy the season. Turn off your computer, don't buy a new camera, but make good use of whatever you currently own. Cheers...

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04-08-2010, 12:02 PM	#31
aleonx3 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Brampton, Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,996	Originally posted by henryjing Can my K-x get a grip? Henry, is there any particular reason that you would want to have a grip for the K-x? Is it because you want to have better balance holding the camera or just the extra batteries so you don't have to change battery in the middle of a gig? You could save the money for the grip when you get your K-7 rather than the K-x. The extra features/options in the K-7 would likely enhance your photo-taking experience and get better results. I have the K10D now, I am also waiting to get the K-7 (when the price point gets more favorable).

04-08-2010, 04:07 PM	#32
GLXLR Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Sugar Land, TX Photos: Gallery Posts: 684	Originally posted by henryjing I have a K-x now, but I wanna a more professional camera. I am now thinking about two options, 1. sell my K-x and buy K-7 2. keep K-x for backup and wait for a K-8 or FF Any suggestion? It's hard to answer your question... The more details you give of what you really want, the better and less vague peoples' answers will be.

04-08-2010, 04:33 PM	#33
henryjing Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: United States Posts: 467 Original Poster	I am happy to see my thread is still hot...however I have bought my K7 with grip a week ago. But items are still on shipping...due to the holidays...

04-08-2010, 06:17 PM	#35
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	Looks like the K-7 is already in the mail. I would have spent the money on a couple of your wishlist lenses first. That would have effected your shooting ability - and been more 'pro' whatever that means - more than the difference between the K-x and K-7. Besides the DA* 50-135 F/2.8 is pretty comical but very usable on the K-x!

04-08-2010, 06:42 PM	#36
tokyoso Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Tokyo Photos: Albums Posts: 723	it's always fun to shoot with two cameras...

04-08-2010, 06:45 PM	#37
henryjing Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: United States Posts: 467 Original Poster	Thanks. I am now planning to buy a 35mm film camera here. I have one and several lens in Shanghai(Of course they are Pentax), but I did not bring them with me. So I wanna buy a 35mm camera body and some color negative films to replace the K-x. Originally posted by kxuser I went through the exact same process. The K-7 was calling my name after purchasing a K-x. I went ahead and purchased the K-7 with the battery grip. I was really burning through batteries on the K-x, even though I was using rechargeables. The body does feel much better in my hands. The autofocus is much better. High ISO is still worlds better on the k-x. But I rarely go above 800. I still use both cameras. I find that I am more likely to take the k-x with me when portability and weight is an issue. For serious photo shoots I always use the K-7. I find that they compliment each other nicely, just depends on what I plan on photographing on any given day. Enjoy your cams!

04-08-2010, 06:46 PM	#38
henryjing Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: United States Posts: 467 Original Poster	Originally posted by tokyoso it's always fun to shoot with two cameras... I have no budget to keep K-7 and K-x, especially they are in one generation.

04-08-2010, 06:49 PM	#39
henryjing Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: United States Posts: 467 Original Poster	I tried to buy DA50-135 here, but it seems that it is out of stock everywhere. And I really seldom use the lens above 50mm right now...So I don't wanna spend so much on the long distances shoot so quickly. To me, I like wide angle lens, 31mm on the 35mm film camera is my favorite angle, so does 21mm on APS-C...I would like to provide more information in my photograph... But your K-x with 50-135 seems very beautiful, I love it! Originally posted by johnmflores Looks like the K-7 is already in the mail. I would have spent the money on a couple of your wishlist lenses first. That would have effected your shooting ability - and been more 'pro' whatever that means - more than the difference between the K-x and K-7. Besides the DA 50-135 F/2.8 is pretty comical but very usable on the K-x!

04-15-2010, 07:42 AM	#40
shawnxji Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: DC Metro, USA Posts: 212	"For those that are asking why not just keep the KX...there are features and functionailty other than ISO that someone might find important;. - AF-assist lamp - Stereo mic - HDMI - Cold and weather resistant - Magnesium alloy body - Electronic Level function - Optional Grip with AA battery option - rechargable batteries Areas where the K-7 is better than the K-x; - 5.2 fps vs 4.7 fps - 77 segment AE vs 16 segment - Pentaprism vs Pentamirror - 1024 30fps vs 720 24fps - 3.0 inch LCD with 921,000 dot resolution vs 2.7 inch, with 230,000 dot resolution - True Mirror Lock-up vs 2 second timer - Shutter speed of 1/8000 vs 1/6000 - Better low ISO performance due to higher resolution" That's a great summary. I personally don't care that much for the features of K-7 but I'd like to have better high-ISO performance. It's funny that you're considering K-7 and you currently own K-x. I'm a K-7 owner that's actually considering moving "down" because I bought K-7 for the rebates on the lenses. My suggestion is to wait, because K-x is such a fine camera and we're looking at some excellent next gen cameras coming out over the next two years.

04-15-2010, 12:52 PM	#41
stan8331 New Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 13	I have a K10D. Was intending to get a K20D after the K-7 came out, but waited too long to get a good deal. Now I'm thinking I may go ahead and get a K-X for the time-being and wait on the next generation after the K-7 to replace the K10D. My greatest need right now is something with good high-ISO performance to use without flash at dimly lit club (rock & roll) shows, so the K-X seems like a good, inexpensive option. The only thing holding me back (apart from the fact that I'm currently spending buckets of money in the process of getting back into auto racing after a decade hiatus) is the issue of an external microphone for video. Sound levels at shows are so high that any built-in mic is likely to suffer extreme distortion. I'm not sure how much video I would actually try to shoot, but the lack of good audio would be a problem if I were to try to do much video...

04-16-2010, 02:59 AM	#42
Timichango Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Vancouver Photos: Albums Posts: 62	Simply put, the K-7, for me, is the closest thing that I've handled in the DSLR world to my old Nikon FM2n. Superficially, this might sound like I'm comparing apples to oranges, but ultimately, to me, they feel spiritually related, as they're both compact, solid, reliable cameras that feel good in the hand, are built like a brick sht-house, are responsive, and are inexpensive enough that I'm not going to lose sleep over travelling around town (or around the world) with it. It's not the most full-featured system camera for shooting sports, it's not the insanely expensive leica, it's not the junky 'consumer' slr; it's the happy amalgam of a selection of the best points of all of the above, and it's built tough and versatile to be hammering in nails with it one second, shooting a fashion spread the next, and dropping stealthily into a shoulder bag for some street shooting the next. I spent some time before buying my K-7 handling all of the cameras that I could get my mitts on, and frankly the K-7 was one of the few contemporary DSLRs that actually felt good in my hand (as well as the sony 850/900, and the d300, both of which dwarf the K-7 in terms of bulk, but seem well designed). Most of the rest just seemed to feel like either plasticky toys that won't be around in a few years, or like hefting an anvil with the approximate ergonomics of a pumpkin ahemcanon*.

04-16-2010, 03:04 AM	#43
Timichango Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Vancouver Photos: Albums Posts: 62	I should also add that I had pretty much assumed that my next Camera was going to be another nikon, and that it'd be a d90 or d300 - ended up with a K-7, and couldn't be happier.

04-16-2010, 03:22 PM	#45
Timichango Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Vancouver Photos: Albums Posts: 62	* Think software first, then computing system to drive it. You camera and lens choice is the least important part, IMHO. * I'm perplexed by this opinion, since it seems to run contrary to the conventional wisdom that the captured image is always going to have the biggest impact on your final output. A better 'darkroom' is going to improve your end output, but, like any process, digital or otherwise, if you start off with crappy 'raw' materials, the end product is going to be inherently limited. As they say, garbage in = garbage out. Put another way, if you've got great 'negs' (or raw files), you can always output them in a better darkroom, virtual or otherwise. If you've got crap to start off with, no darkroom is going to fix that.