Comprehensive transformation of function and performance: evaluation of Pentax SLR K-7

The situation that 35mm and small format digital SLR cameras are dominated by Canon and Nikon will not change in a short time. Even if Sony wants to bring three pillars, it is still necessary to draw a question mark. Although everyone's expectations for Pentax have not spread to the streets, they are almost all deep, which naturally stems from Pentax's accumulation for many years. We are the same. When the news of the new Pentax machine began to spread, we thought it would be at least APS-H model, but in fact, the innovation brought by the new K-7 was not so thorough. So where did K-7 come from?

Pentax K-7 (Click here to view larger image.

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Any brand needs to be accumulated, just like the experience of life. However, if the accumulation is too thick, it will make new actions difficult, just like if the experience of life is too rich, it is difficult to maintain passion. For Pentax, based on the accumulation of optical technology and sensor research for many years, how to calmly deal with the strength of competitors and launch a mid-to high-end product from hit floor will be the first step in the post-accumulation transformation. After all, K20D is old in various fronts such as high-definition video, high-speed response, high-dynamic imaging and even professional functional design. The brand-new K-7 will launch a war without smoke with Nikon DX flagship D300 and Canon mid-range weapon EOS 50D. We will reveal how many unparalleled stunts the brand-new K-7 has.

"Product advantages:

1. The system responds quickly.

2. Provide many practical functions

3. Fine picture quality

"Product disadvantages:

1. Inefficient menu access

The Story of the Prince and Princess Pentax K-7 Multi-angle Portrait

In this article, we show a lot about the appearance of K-7. Let's analyze the difference between it and the previous Pentax model in appearance design. Although in terms of overall size and weight, the K-7 is not much different from the previous top model K20D, even smaller. However, the most obvious change can be seen from the outline. K-7 looks more square and three-dimensional, without the beauty of previous models, and its style is a little more calm and restrained.

Pentax K-7 (Click here to view larger image.

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Pentax K-7 (Click here to view larger image.

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There are also many changes in detail design. K-7, which also uses SD card, does not retain the design mode of locking the memory card bin, and the whole becomes simpler. This may be a concession for the new function key on the limited body area. This concession also includes the omission of the anti-shake function switch (K-7 needs to switch the anti-shake function through menu setting) and the integration of Fn key. For the loss of reliability and convenience brought by these changes, we can only be optimistic that the transformation always needs some pains.

Button interface of Pentax K-7 (click here to view larger image

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Pentax K-7' s mode dial (click here to view larger image

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Of course, there are some improvements. For example, the position of the AF/AE lock key is easier to use than the previous design in which the model is located in the corner. A double locking system is also added to the mode dial, and the mode can be switched only by pressing the central button, which is safer to use.

Top of Pentax K-7 (click here to view larger image

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There are also some changes in the design of set-top boxes. K-7 has a wide sensitivity range and can be upgraded from ISO 100 to ISO 6400. The high-sensitivity imaging effect will be better than that of the previous models, so the access frequency of the sensitivity setting function will be higher than before. Based on this, a special ISO sensitivity adjustment button is designed on the set-top box, which can help users control shooting efficiently.

Due to the change of appearance and style, the feeling of holding the K-7 in the hand is generally thicker, which is less than that of the previous Pentax model? Exquisite . However, the well-received parts of the previous model have also been inherited, such as the shape of the back of the fuselage handle, which well meets the convenience of the left-handed operation part.

The fuselage side of Pentax K-7 (click here to view larger image

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But that's not what we want to say, okay Greatly improved? The content of. Maybe Pentax doesn't want to talk about it, but the fact is that the mirror movement of Pentax model K20D was not so quiet before, which was worse than other brands. Intense? . We have seen a radical change in K-7. After the redesign, the mirror movement of the K-7 is very soft and the noise is very small, which may even surpass the new machines of Nikon and Canon. Don't worry that the mirroring action will blur the photos and even not disturb the people around you.

Finder of Pentax K-7 (click here to view larger image

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On the other hand, the viewfinder field of view brought by the new prism and focusing screen is brighter and the picture coverage is higher, so we can get a better experience by observing the shooting scene through K-7, and we are more handy in composition and focusing. The tilt of the field of view, which was widely criticized before, has also been effectively solved here in K-7, because we can fine-tune the state of CMOS, thus correcting the consistency between the field of view and the shooting picture, and thus obtaining a more accurate viewing range. This is a pioneering work in the design of SLR cameras. It may be a last resort to solve the position movement of anti-shake CMOS, but it can improve the shooting experience and is always worthy of recognition.

Provided by Pentax K-7? Fine-tune the composition? function

I have used and commented on many digital SLR cameras, and I often discuss the menu system in my articles. Flexible? . The photographer wants to communicate with the camera, and the menu system is the intermediary between the photographer's instructions and the machine language, so the design of the menu system is directly related to whether the photographer's instructions can be conveyed accurately and efficiently. Menu design, including the number of items, structural layout, and even details such as color matching and fonts, will affect the shooting experience and shooting efficiency. Leave a certain amount for the system? Flexible? So it can fit different user habits, which is an important difference between high-end digital cameras and other models. For example, user A likes to set the aperture with the front wheel, and user B likes to use the rear wheel. If the camera provides corresponding customization options, it can satisfy their different habits. Is that what we're talking about? Flexible? .

Menu system of Pentax K-7

The menu system of Pentax K-7 is generally characterized by good flexibility, but its structure is complicated. Due to the increase of functions and the further expansion of user-defined space, K-7 has more menu items than any previous Pentax camera. However, K-7 still adopts the previous menu structure, with fewer menu levels and less concise access experience.

Information menu of Pentax K-7

Thanks to the large-size and high-precision LCD screen, K-7 can also display the current system settings in standby state, including metering parameters, image quality, effect style, focus mode and so on. In this way, through the status display screen at the top of the camera, the photographer can be helped to monitor the camera status more completely.

Customized menu of Pentax K-7

Setting of dial and button control mode of Pentax K-7

Pentax K-7 supports automatic white balance setting for incandescent lamps.

There are as many as 37 custom menus in K-7 alone. The exposure mode, image effect and control mode can be personalized in detail, and the operation modes of most buttons and dials can be customized. What's more special is that K-7 can choose the automatic white balance setting under incandescent light source, which can better solve the color problem of photos when we take pictures under ordinary incandescent light.

As we mentioned earlier, the menu system of K-7 is more complicated than any previous Pentax digital SLR camera, which means that K-7 provides more functions than previous models.

What is the exposure compensation range provided by K-7? 5EV

These rich functions are more reflected in the details, but the benefits brought by these functions can only be realized in actual use. With the increasing latitude of digital cameras, the exposure compensation effect required for shooting some special scenes is higher, and the exposure compensation range provided by K-7 is as high as? 5EV, it is very convenient to use.

K-7 provides? Expand the encirclement? Exposure function

K-7 offers a variety of digital filters.

K-7 provides multiple exposure and interval shooting functions.

In addition to the conventional exposure bracketing shooting, K-7 can also bracketing shooting through white balance, saturation and other ways, thus achieving different photo effects in one shooting. However, a variety of digital filters enrich the single image expression of K-7, and multiple exposures and interval shooting are helpful for scientific research and special effects.

K-7 supports color setting of display screen.

K-7 supports distortion and dispersion compensation.

If you rely heavily on the effect of the display screen, it is very necessary to set the color of the display screen, but setting the color of the display screen is a very professional and cumbersome thing. K-7 provides this function, which can meet the critical professional needs to some extent. And then what? Lens aberration correction? It can make the picture effect more perfect, but it needs the support of DA or DFA lens.

For the present digital SLR cameras, the live view function seems insignificant, but K-7 has made further attempts after the basic contrast detection, focusing and face recognition, such as the high-speed continuous shooting for live view by locking the mirror, providing an electronic level, and even automatically correcting the level, which provides great convenience for shooting buildings, landscapes and other subjects.

K-7 supports live view.

K-7 also provides a special camera mode, which supports the highest recording resolution of 1536x 1024 pixels (3:2 frames, the resolution is between 720P and 1080P). The camera image effect is very delicate, but the storage mode of motion JPG format takes up a lot of space. In addition, the video exposure control mode provided by K-7 is also slightly open, allowing users to fix the aperture.

Video mode of K-7

K-7 recorded short film, click to download.

Although the sound effect recorded by K-7 built-in microphone is average, it is easily disturbed by operating noise. However, K-7 provides an external microphone jack and HDMI, which can further expand the shooting and playback effects.

Response speed has always been the weakness of Pentax digital SLR cameras. As a new series, K-7 is better than previous Pentax models in response speed, focusing and other basic performance.

Pentax K-7 (Click here to view larger image.

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Pentax K-7 provides 1 1 autofocus point.

The highest shutter speed of 1/8000 seconds indicates that K-7 has opened up a brand-new Pentax series. Coupled with the continuous shooting speed of 5.2 frames per second, K-7 can basically rank among the high-speed SLR. SAFOX VIII+ wide area autofocus system provides 1 1 autofocus points, of which 9 points are cross-shaped, which improves the focusing speed and accuracy of K-7.

K-7 matching handle (click here to view larger image

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With the introduction of the special handle D-BG4 by K-7 Pentax, K-7 has been enhanced in terms of operating experience and dynamic performance. The capacity of D-LI90 battery used in K-7 is 1860mAh. When the battery is fully charged, the continuous shooting number can be close to 1000 without using the built-in flash.

In terms of white balance settings, K-7 provides a variety of options, including various scene white balance modes, custom white balance and color temperature settings, and also supports color temperature fine-tuning. Even the white balance of fluorescent lamps includes several types, which are simple enough to use and can be professional.

White balance setting of K-7

Setting of K-7 Imaging Color Style

In terms of imaging color style, K-7 provides more control items on the basis of various style modes, which can adjust the imaging color effect more carefully. Under the normal bright setting, the imaging color of K-7 is already very bright.

K-7 natural mode color effect

K-7 vivid mode color effect

K-7' s dynamic range optimization function is also richer than previous models. It supports independent adjustment of highlights and shadows, and can automatically synthesize high dynamic (HDR) photos in the camera.

Optimal setting of K-7 dynamic range

Shadow correction effect of K-7

High dynamic photo effect of K-7 synthesis in camera

Through the actual test, it is found that the shadow correction effect of K-7 is more obvious than the highlight correction, that is to say, the system can obviously adjust the gray response curve, but it will not obviously improve the imaging latitude of the camera. Of course, the effect of HDR composite photos will be quite obvious. In general, judging from a large number of samples we have taken, the imaging tolerance of K-7 is not small, which seems to be larger than other cameras of the same brand.

The CMOS used in K-7 is newly developed. Although the sensitivity range is not improved compared with the previous CMOS, the imaging quality is improved. In addition, K-7 also provides high-sensitivity noise reduction function, and can be set? High sensitivity? The definition scope of. We look at sample slices taken at the following speeds:

ISO 1600 turns on the shooting effect of noise reduction.

Judging from the shooting effect, K-7 is very delicate in imaging at low sensitivity, and the level of detail is vivid and natural. The graininess of photos began to be obvious at ISO 800, but the overall color tendency of photos shifted obviously at the highest sensitivity. The overall performance is much better than K20D. K-7 is not inferior to Nikon D300 and Canon EOS 50D in effective pixels and imaging quality.

Judging from a large number of test samples, the average metering effect of K-7 is still dark, keeping Pentax consistent? Conservative? Style. In addition, when the weather is bad, the contrast of the pictures taken by K-7 is small, which should be related to its large imaging tolerance. On the whole, the performance of K-7 is natural and beautiful, whether it is color reproduction or gradation and contrast. The following are the test samples taken by K-7, which are stored as JPG with the largest size and highest quality.

Judging from a large number of test samples, the average metering effect of K-7 is still dark, keeping Pentax consistent? Conservative? Style. In addition, when the weather is bad, the contrast of the pictures taken by K-7 is small, which should be related to its large imaging tolerance. On the whole, the performance of K-7 is natural and beautiful, whether it is color reproduction or gradation and contrast. The following are the test samples taken by K-7, which are stored as JPG with the largest size and highest quality.

"IT 168 assessment center view:

After a period of use, our impression of the K-7 changed from clear to deep, probably because of various expectations for the new Pentax machine. As a brand-new series, the emergence of K-7 finally made Pentax SLR easy to get rid of? Slow? The hat can compete with Canon and Nikon's new machines in response speed, which is the most gratifying place for the author. Of course, the flexibility of imaging effect, exposure process and control mode enables K-7 to meet more unused user habits, and its rich functions are also very meaningful for improving shooting efficiency and coping with a wider shooting field. However, the only deficiency of the system design lies in the structural layout of the menu, which is inefficient in the case of rich content.

Pentax K-7 (Click here to view larger image.

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Excellent imaging performance. We can give K-7 such a simple conclusion, no matter from the color, level or details of the picture. Bright colors have always been a feature of Pentax SLR cameras, inherited from the original K-7, especially blue and red, which are bright and full. The imaging latitude of K-7 is high. In order to reproduce the rich and subtle level changes in nature, we should make rational use of its latitude to optimize its functions and color style settings. To sum up, the Pentax K-7 has indeed made obvious changes on the basis of the previous model. Restore realistic images and understand the essence of photography? On the way, I can be a strong partner of photographers.

"Disclaimer: The evaluation content of this paper is based on the engineering samples provided by Pentax. Our evaluation conclusion is only responsible for the individual who sent the sample, and there is no guarantee that the individual can represent the overall level of the products on the market.