|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-23-2009, 03:32 PM
|
| |
I just got my K7 a few days ago.. no problems so far.
|
|
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-23-2009, 01:52 PM
|
| |
Thanks everyone for all the advice.
|
|
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-21-2009, 04:11 PM
|
| |
I just got my K7 two days ago. I went out and took about 150 photos with it yesterday.
Anyway I just have a question about shooting in Jpeg with the K7. When you put the camera on Jpeg mode.
What level of JPEG Quality do you guys use? You have one star up to four stars to choose from. I have an 8GB SD card I'm using and I've been shooting in the best quality 4 stars. But I noticed the Green auto mode shoots JPEG with 3 stars ( I don't use the full auto modes I was just testing it out and noticed it uses 3 star JPEG quality.) From what I can tell shooting with 3 or 4 stars I don't seem to see any difference other than the size of the JPEG file. Am I really getting the best quality using 4 stars? It don't really matter to me as I'm really starting to like shooting in RAW. But when I do use JPEG mode should I just set it to 4 stars quility?
Also I have tried taking 3 or 4 HDR photos but they come out real bad. I don't really know much about HDR. I'm gussing it would work better if I did HDR shooting when mounted on my tripod?
some other questions I have.
When would I use the eletronic leveling via the menu?
What does the Horizon Correction do?
I understand how the Digital Preview works and I have that set up. But what is Optical preview?
When do I use the Lens Correction settings? Are these settings something I want to have on all the time if I can turn them on?
I am pretty new to DSLRs and I'm learing. These menu functions are covered in the K7 booklet. But in my case with some of these functions the book does not tell me when to use it or what the function really does. It just tells you how to turn the function on or off. But I will give the K7 operating manual credit in some other areas. It is easy to undersand and most of the functions have a little explanation of what it does. Then others dont have any explanation at all and I've left scratching my hard thinking hmmm what does this do?
I'm am really enjoying the K7 and very happy with it. Its the best camera I've ever owned. Now I'm thinking about buying the battery grip for it.
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-20-2009, 11:39 AM
|
| |
Falconeye,
Thanks for the info I went to the Pentax USA site and got the new firmware.
No problems works good now I have the 1.00.00.09 and my firmware on camera reads 1.01
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-19-2009, 07:31 PM
|
| |
Well I just got my new K7 about 2 hours ago.
I went to a local camera shop in Protland Oregon and walked out with a nice new K7.
To make a long story shot. About two weeks ago I got a new K2000 with the two lens kit. I really liked it not a bad camera. But I wanted live view and even the video on the K7 is nice. Also I wanted manual AF points and haveing a CMOS sensor. And the weaher sealing is nice. So I was able to return my K2000 with no problems. I was thinking about just buying a K-X when they come out. But the K-X doen't have the weather sealing and I wish Pentax would have put the lighted AF points in the VF. I could have been ok with the K-X but the one I wanted would cost me $850. And on top of that having a K110 and a K1000 with 4 pentax lenses the only lense I would want is the 55-300mm.
I think I will really like the K7. I have only taken one picture with it so far I'm waiting for the battery to charge.
This is my first real pro like DSLR. I have had a Cannon XSI, Sony Alpha 350, Nikon D60, Pentax K2000 and now the Pentax K7. When I got my XSI canon over a year ago. At that time I really wanted a K200D Pentax but no local stores had them. My dad has an old K1000 and the K110 with four lenses that I can just use those lenses when I want.
So now I think I will be buying an extra battery pack and maybe the battery grip.
I did notice on ebay I saw some replacement battery packs that were really cheap from stores in China. Are these safe to buy I kinda feel that might not be the way to go. Anyone bought any of these from out of China on Ebay?
|
|
Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion
09-19-2009, 06:25 PM
|
| |
I just got my new K7 a couple of hours ago. Its a really nice camera I like it :D
I just did a check on my firmware on the camera.
Using PhotoME the exif data says this.
DSP firmware Version Ver 1.00.00.08
CPU firmware Version Ver 1.00.00.08
So do I need to update my firmware? I have only taken one photo with it so far. I wating for the battery to charge.
My serial number is 3402*** so maybe my K7 is newer and has the updates from the factory.
I havent went looking at my 1 photo yet to see if there was a green line.
Also my shutter count is 286 is that normal for brand new?
|
|
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-02-2009, 04:05 PM
|
| |
Thanks for the replys.
I just ordered the K2000 with two lenses kit from Costco.
They show the K2000 coming with the new AL II lenses but I see from one of the Costco reviewers that he got the older AL lenses.
Also I went to a local camera store today and looked at the K2000 there. I liked the feel of the camera and the menu system seemed good. But they wanted $130more than Costco. So I came home and ordered it from Costco.
Now I guess I need to get some good batteries. I was looking at some Sanyo Eneloops at my local Costco store. They come with 8AA 2AAA and some C and D shells to load the AA's into and a charger. Would this be a good set of batteries to buy?
|
|
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help
09-01-2009, 08:52 PM
|
| |
Hello everyone I'm new here.
I would like some advice about which Pentax DSLR I should buy.
First of all I had a new Nikon D60 two lens kit for the past 6 months or so and I just sold it. I did enjoy using it but I wished that it had live view at times and I wished it would allow me to tweak some of the other settings in the camera. Also it looks like Nikon has stopped production of the D60. Before I bought my Nikon I was really wanting to get a Pentax K200D but I could not find one locally. I really liked the weather sealed body and the in camera RAW processing and other features the K200D has. I also think Pentax has the very good optics. To me from what I have seen in the reviews all over the internet the Pentax and the Nikons take the best photos. (I mean photos not edited in PS etc)
Also my father bought a new K1000 35mm and some lenses back in the day years ago. He has given me this K1000 and lenses they are all made in Japan and seem very well made.
Also my father has K110D DSLR that I have been using since I sold my Nikon. I really enjoy shooting with this K110D. I like the features that it allows me to make such as custom white balance, image adjustments and filters and others. I like the K110D more than my Nikon D60. Also I will say I don't care if the camera shoots video or not. I don't buy a still camera for shooting video I think this idea is really dumb but I know this is something that really sells.
So now this time I really want to buy a Pentax camera. I'm looking at the K2000/KM two lens kit. I can find the K2000 at some local stores but I think they have the older AL lenses not the new AL II. Also I'm thinking about the K20D body only and using the old Pentax lenses and the 18-55 mm that is on my dads K110D. Then buy new lenses as soon as I get an idea of what I want. Also I notice B&H has the K20D with some other Pentax lenses but that takes me up to near or above the $1000 price. I feel that if I'm going to spend that much maybe I should just go for the new K-7.
K2000 things I like.
I like the price
I like the smaller size of the camera
I like the newer Pentax menu system
And its one of the newer Pentax cameras
I like that it runs off of AA batteries
K2000 things I don't link
No live view (But I can live with out it)
CCD sensor I don't know how this camera will do in low light with out flash.
Build quality no weather sealing or alloy body all plastic.
Its the bottom of the line entry level DSLR I'm not sure how long it will be before wishing I bought the K20 or K7
I've read where AF light only lights up in the center. Does this mean you cant choose your own AF point?
K20D things I like
Live view
CMOS sensor
Build quality and weather sealing
Seems more like a pro camera
I like the in camera features and settings the user can set
K20D things I don't like
Out of production
The 14MP sensor and noise and hot pixels I don't know if this is a problem or not.
Also because of the sensor I might have to get the best lenses to really get the best from the sensor. I also don't really think I need 14MP sensor I'm happy with the 6.1 MP sensor on my dads K110D. I don't plan on making big photo prints.
The live view wile it does have it I which it could display shooting information, A live histogram etc but I guess you cant.
Slower AF I hear the K2000 and the K7 are faster.
K7 things I like
Fast AF
live view
Build quality and size
Pentaprism viewfinder with 100% coverage
The 3 inch nice LCD
Its a current model
K7 things I don't like
Video mode this really something I don't use and does me really no good.
I just hope that most of the price of the K7 is not just for its video recording.
The price is a little more than I want to spend at the moment but I could do it.
Also I worry this camera may be more that what I really need. I'm not a pro and I don't plan on buying $1000 plus lenses etc.
I dont think I need that big of sensor
I mostly just take photos of airplanes, landscapes, sunsets and sunrises, birds and other wildlife. Also I like to take night photos of city lights and Christmas lights at Christmas time.
I see that Sony and Canon announced new cameras. Dose Pentax have anything coming up? Should I wait and see of they bring out a updated K2000 or a new K30D or something?
Also I wish Pentax would market there cameras in the stores more. It would be really nice to be able to walk in some place and buy and K7 or K20. I get tired of going to local camera stores asking "Do you guys stock Pentax cameras?" Then about %50 of time I get this responce " Pentax hmmm I think there out of business or going out of business". And that brings me to my last thing here.
As bad as I want a Pentax camera I am a bit worried now as they only have the K2000 and K7 in production. And it seems they are cutting back on there marketing. I makes me wonder if the company is pulling back and is getting ready to sell or what. I hope this is not the case.
Thanks for any advice.
|
