woodsliv Loc: Tehachapi,CA

OK, I'm a Nikonian, but recently I got a new, In the box K7, and several lenses, 3 of the lenses were new in the box as well. A friend of mine passed away and his son gave the camera and lenses to me. I got a Sigma DG 70-300mm 1.4-5.6 macro, a Tamron XR-DiII AF 18-200mm F/3.5-6.3 macro, a Bower 500mm, 1:8.0 mirror lens, a Soligor zoom mzcro 28-80mm F3.5-4.5, and a Konica Hexanon AR 50mm F1.7
I'm not familiar at all with a Pentax, I took it out today for the first time with the 70-300. I noticed it is very loud.
What do you Pentax users think of the K7?

blackest Loc: Ireland

It is a Semi-pro body which was the flagship for Pentax in 2009 if you are on a budget it is a good quality camera to have and there are a lot of affordable lenses for it. I love vintage manual lenses. So saying the K7 will work well with AF lenses as well.

I have the K200D which I would rank lower than the K7 for a first DSLR both are good and reliable quality cameras, and you will not get that build quality in entry level cameras.

The weak point on both is iso 800 is about as high an iso that you would choose to use.

I've just bought a K5 which has better IQ better low light performance a very quiet Shutter and I think still pretty competitive with 2016's camera's but without the huge price. I guess that a K7 makes a good first DSLR and is a quality camera but it doesn't do quite enough to make it as a second DSLR simply because the technology is so much better now and it is not that much of a stretch to get a k5, k30, k50 which do have that high iso performance that is missing on the K7.

So as a first DSLR most people should be delighted with it. As a second DSLR a little disappointed it isn't a [K5 . K30 . K50] k5 II K3 or the new K1 I think i would rank the K7 around 8th best Pentax DSLR.

Larrymc Loc: Mississippi

Its a little long in the tooth since the current APS-C Pentax top shelf DSLR is a K-3II but its was a pretty good camera in its day. One good thing about A Pentax DSLR is the K mount lens system so even legacy lens will still mount and work well. You'll find that they are built to take a lot of abuse and keep on working.

woodsliv Loc: Tehachapi,CA

Thanks guys, I do like that it is rugged, and 3 of the lenses are macro.

usn ret Loc: SoCal High Desert

Another thing the K7 has going for it, is with a Pentax WR series lens the system is Weather Resistant. I have the K7 with the 18-135 WR lens which I used in Italy a couple of years ago "in the rain" got many weird looks as if I were insane for using that good camera in the rain. I only changed to a longer lens once in two weeks, so yes the 18-135 WR lens is more than adequate. A VERY good walk around lens. Sell off one of the macro lens and get the WR lens.
By the way, I am in Ridgegrest. the 2 photos were taken with K7 & 18=135 attached. The windmills thru a moving buss window and the leaves, a hand held closeup. Regards, Cliff

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woodsliv Loc: Tehachapi,CA

Thanks Cliff, I'll look into selling one and getting the 18-135

usn ret Loc: SoCal High Desert

A link to the pentax forum lens review for the 18-135WR.


http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-DA-18-135mm-F3.5-5.6-ED-AL-IF-DC-WR.html

jburlinson Loc: Austin, TX

Just a couple of suggestions. Number one -- shoot in RAW and then customize a noise reduction profile for use in post production. JPEGs are just too noisy, especially at high ISO (>800).

Number two -- in bright light, drop exposure compensation a third of a stop. Otherwise you'll be clipping a lot of highlights.

Otherwise, very, very solid camera -- and compact, especially for its time, with very good ergonomics, IMO.