[JCPentax]

First.. JCPentax thank you very much for taking the time to answer our questions. I'm a k100d user and the K-7 is looking more and more like my next camera. I was saving for an FA 77 limited, but I'll put that off for another year or so. Maybe the prices will come back down – hint hint.

1. Weather resistant - Does this mean it will take moderate or heavy rain or even immersion (close to surface)?

2. Cold resistant (I'm from Winnipeg.. -10c isn't really cold) but is that fully functional to -10c? I guess the weather sealed lenses help with the condensation problem when cameras come back in from the cold.

3. Battery grip can use 6 AA's. Do they power the K-7 if the primary battery is dead? I'm thinking extended periods away from available or reliable recharge power. AA's are easy to pack and readily available.

Electronic level function – no question, just a big thank you.. thank you.. thank you!

Cheers,
Geoff

1) I would say moderate to heavy rain would be fine (as long as you have a WR lens.) Submerging the camera is a big no-no. Any pressure caused by submersion would push water through the seals.

With that said, it is better sealed than almost any DSLR out there.

2) The lens condensation issue would be a problem, but there is not much that can be done about that besides introducing the lenses to the cold before you plan to shoot.

3) Of course. You can even shoot with AA batteries in the grip and no battery in the camera.

[flyer]

I would really like to know if the SR mode will include a panning mode where SR only acts one way. If it does include a panning mode, it would also be nice to be able to set it either in vertical or horizontal mode, unlike everybody else DSLR.

[beaumont]

I guess the civility is due to the British background of DP Review.

Again, sorry for any offense my original message may have caused. I started the thread sitting on my couch at home, after a communte home that lasted twice as long as normal, and missed putting my 6-month old to bet.

You guys are fiesty over here though.

Congrats on the new arrival! My question is...What lenses are you using the most for baby pictures?

[Arpe]

Thanks for this opportunity John. I'm using the K20D for quite a bit of sport (rugby - website in sig.).

1. Do you have any idea on the relative speed of the AF of the K-7 as compared to other makes or models of dSLRs, and also its tracking ability (person running at you head-on)? I'll admit to eyeing up a D300.

2. Why is it K-7 and not K7, I'm very slow at typing -!

[RawheaD]

3) We are including a rebate coupon with all K-7's shipped in the US (if you don't get the coupon, you likely have a grey market camera). They are numbered, and no copies are accepted (to keep fraud down). The rebate is paid out in the form of a Visa gift card. The coupon includes the following:

DA 17-70 - $90
DA 55-300 - $60
DA 10-17 - $90
DA 40 Limited - $60
DA* 16-50 - $100
AF 360FGZ - $25
AF 540FGZ - $25
8x36 DCF NV binos - $30
10x36 DCF NV binos - $30
8x25 UCF WP - $20
10x25 UCF WP - $20

Sweet; so what's the deal, you buy a K-7, get the coupon, THEN purchase one of the above to get a coupon? How does it work? Because I'm set on purchaseing both a K-7 and a 16-50.

[skamaraju]

Don't know if this question is allowed. Why was not K-7 provided with "uncrippled KAF2 mount"? That would have been great for a camera of that calibre. We could have avoided that extra step of pressing the green button (for stopped down metering).

[inferno10]

Thanks for offering this thread on this forum as well, John.

Does the dust removal function feel less violent now that the K-7 utilizes a piezo-ceramic actuator on the low-pass filter, rather than using the SR system to shake the entire sensor?

- Jason

[JCPentax]

I would really like to know if the SR mode will include a panning mode where SR only acts one way. If it does include a panning mode, it would also be nice to be able to set it either in vertical or horizontal mode, unlike everybody else DSLR.

Not that I am aware of.

[JCPentax]

Congrats on the new arrival! My question is...What lenses are you using the most for baby pictures?

I have left my DA 40mm Limited lens on my K20D pretty much the entire time, and have kept the Optio M50 on hand for the quick snaps.

[JCPentax]

Thanks for this opportunity John. I'm using the K20D for quite a bit of sport (rugby - website in sig.).

1. Do you have any idea on the relative speed of the AF of the K-7 as compared to other makes or models of dSLRs, and also its tracking ability (person running at you head-on)? I'll admit to eyeing up a D300.

2. Why is it K-7 and not K7, I'm very slow at typing -!

1) It is improved, but we have not been given any quantitative numbers. We would appreciate it if you didn't eye the D300 too closely.

2) Good questions. I had to learn to add the "-" myself.

[JCPentax]

Sweet; so what's the deal, you buy a K-7, get the coupon, THEN purchase one of the above to get a coupon? How does it work? Because I'm set on purchaseing both a K-7 and a 16-50.

You buy the camera with the coupon in the box and the lens with a rebate within a reasonable time. Submit the coupon and your receipt and in a few weeks you get the gift card (it works just like a regular Visa.)

And yes, this is essentially a rebate tied to the purchase of the camera.

[JCPentax]

Don't know if this question is allowed. Why was not K-7 provided with "uncrippled KAF2 mount"? That would have been great for a camera of that calibre. We could have avoided that extra step of pressing the green button (for stopped down metering).

This kind of comment always blows me away. Pentax offers an unprecended level of backward lens compatibility, but it is still criticized.

[JCPentax]

Thanks for offering this thread on this forum as well, John.

Does the dust removal function feel less violent now that the K-7 utilizes a piezo-ceramic actuator on the low-pass filter, rather than using the SR system to shake the entire sensor?

- Jason

Most defenitely. However, you do need to get used to the high pitch whine when you turn the camera on (if dust removal is activated at start-up). I think it is growing on me and kind of sounds cool (it is not very loud).

[inferno10]

Most defenitely. However, you do need to get used to the high pitch whine when you turn the camera on (if dust removal is activated at start-up). I think it is growing on me and kind of sounds cool (it is not very loud).

I can live with a little whine instead of a little earthquake.

Nice to know it's improved.

- Jason

[jct us101]

What an interesting thread.