The Pentax K-7: Post-review Reflections

This is the Masonic Temple in Center City Philadelphia, shot with a Pentax K-7 and 35mm f/2.8 Macro DA at ISO 100. If you think this JPEG looks good you should see the print!

As most of you know, I finished a 3-part review of the Pentax K-7 for Mike Johnston’s TOP blog a few weeks ago. Although I pointed out a few weakness, such as the sometimes bewildering number of menu options, distracting noise at high ISOs when shooting JPEGs, and slow AF speed in low light, the review was positive.

And why not? I judge a camera by how much I enjoy using it to take pictures, not by how it looks on paper or how “inferior” it is to a camera I can’t afford or would never buy because it’s too big and heavy. My experience has been (and still is) that there are few practical situations for which the K-7 is not be up to the task. The trick is knowing how to get the best out of it. Now that I’d had the chance to get even more familiar with it, here are a few tips and observations I’d like to pass along to anyone else interested in how to do so.

1. If something about the K-7 bothers you, there’s probably a way to change it.

For example, you can set the front and rear control dials to control pretty much anything you like, depending on what exposure mode you’re in. I shoot most often in AV mode, so I have the rear dial set to control the aperture. By default, the front dial would control exposure compensation in AV mode, but the front dial turns so easily that I was always moving it accidentally. Since the K-7 also has an EV button, I changed one of the custom functions so that the front dial is inoperative in AV mode and so the rear dial will adjust exposure compensation, but only when I simultaneously press the EV button. Problem solved.

Similarly, you can turn noise reduction on or off, the amount, and the ISO at which it kicks in. You can adjust how much the K-7 will protect the highlights, lighten the shadows or sharpen the image. If you're willing to put effort into finding a solution it's probably there to be found.

2. Shoot raw.

It’s not that the JPEGs are bad, mind you. They look just fine up to about ISO 800. In fact, the “Precipitation” photo I sold online as a follow-up to the review was a JPEG shot at ISO 400, straight out of the camera, with only a bit of cropping and unsharp masking. Not a single person, even those who bought an 11x14, complained about digital noise. You can shoot and print JPEGs with confidence. That said, raw images from the K-7 retain more detail and have noticeably less noise than its JPEGs. If you shoot raw and have one of Pentax’s better lenses mounted, the K-7 can definitely hold its own with the best APS-C DSLRs from Canon and Nikon.

3. Take a close look at Pentax’s lens selection.

There are so many lenses available for Canon and Nikon mount (especially when you include the Sigma, Tamron and Tokina offerings) that it can sometimes be difficult to decide what to buy. The selection is a lot smaller for Pentax brand lenses. The good news is that there are very few outright duds in the Pentax lens line and many are exceptionally good. The bad news is that some Pentax lenses cost a lot more than you might expect and 3rd party alternatives are slim to non-existent. If it takes only a few good lenses to make you happy, you should be able to find what you’re looking for. If you like compact, lightweight primes you have several choices. If you’re looking for a different type of exotica, such as PC lenses and f/2.8 telephotos longer than 200mm, look elsewhere.

4. Be willing to slow down in low-light.

When the light level drops below average residential room lighting (EV 4 at ISO 100 for example), the K-7’s focusing speed drops noticeably and may even hunt for a second or two. Fortunately, when it finally does seize focus it’s almost always accurate. Keep in mind, however, that I’m basing this on using a moderately fast f/2.8 prime lens. My guess is that focusing in low light with an f/3.5-5.6 kit zoom would be more difficult, especially at f/5.6.

5. Use good technique.

This might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many photographers behave as shake reduction ensures sharp photos no matter how sloppy their technique. Careful handholding can result in sharp photos at 1/8 of a second with focal lengths of 35mm or less. Use a telephoto at the same shutter speed with the camera set to live view and the camera extended in front of your face and you’re asking for a blurry image.

So as you can see, there’s no magic to this. It’s not even all that specific to the K-7. Put some thought into how to get the best out of your equipment and the best is what you’ll get.

I'm happy to report that after several weeks of using the Pentax K-7 it’s still the camera I most often choose to sling over my shoulder when I’m walking out the door. As for indoors, well, I’m still working on that. I plan to give the Pentax AF540FGZ flash a try soon and report back to you.

Comments

[Tim]

I recently got a K7 after using a K10D since they came out. I may be kidding myself, but I seem to see a startling improvement in IQ in the K7. Like you, I usually shoot RAW in AV mode, but Jpegs are pretty darn good, too. Thanks for your thoughts. I'm still thinking about the best ways to set it up and I'm still working my way through the manual. That may be a long-term project.

[Dr Mickey]

I had my reservations about going back to a DSLR after I sold my N*kon gear, but the K-7 is a wonderful tool! It works smoothly and with much less effort and produces consistently higher-quality images than my D300 (or maybe I just enjoy the camera more and tend to take my time rather than rushing most shots). Either way, I am lovin' the Pentaxian side of the street!

[dave9t5]

Thanks for the well-written review series on the K-7. However, I disagree with your statement "3rd party alternatives are slim to non-existent". There is a sizable selection of decent 3rd party lenses from Sigma, Tamron, Voigtlaender and Zeiss. It's not as great as available for Canon/Nikon but equal or better than what those brands offer for Sony or 4/3. In fact, at the slow rate of current lens releases from mother Pentax, many Pentax users who want non-2nd-hand lenses are 'forced' to fill in the gaps from 3rd party users.

[Gordon Lewis]

"There is a sizable selection of decent 3rd party lenses from Sigma, Tamron, Voigtlaender and Zeiss."

It's true that Sigma and Tamron offer AF lenses in Pentax mount. The Voightlander and Zeiss offerings are all manual focus. So my use of "non-existant" was an exaggeration. How about "slimmer?"

[Michael]

Thanks a lot for these comments. I'm still on the Pentax K20, but it's nice to know there's someplace to go from here.

As for lenses: the Zeiss 50mm 1.4 is a wonderful lens for the Pentax, and forces you to observe the Lewis Principle, i.e. use your brain and eye to focus. The Pentax 31mm 1.9 is also superb. Both produce -- given a level of calm, care, and skill which sometimes escapes me -- absolutely pin-sharp images. They are pricey, though, so you may have to save up...