I've got a K-7 to play with for 2 weeks!!

Title says it all really!

I was the extremely lucky bugger that got randomly chosen to have the privilege to test out the K-7 for the next 2 weeks! Most of my initial findings, Amin has already posted in the open day thread, so I won't go to pains to repeat it here, but I do have a big smile on my face!

It has been confirmed that I have the only K-7 in private hands, all other test models in the UK are either with the press / retailers / pros etc. Seeing as though most other testers probably do not have the time to respond to every question on a forum, I will do my best to answer any questions you have!

Have to give out a few pointers though, so please respect these:-

This is a pre-prodcution camera and is not the final product so please do take that into consideration!

The Firmware on the camera does show as 0.00, however I have been told that it is equivalent to the 0.35 firmware that was recently released. We may have the final firmware available 2-3 days before I have to give it back, so any photo comparison shots (i.e. high ISO pixel peeping!) will have to wait until then, as results from the pre-production firmware may change, so won't be conclusive!

Any photos will be no more than 800x600 for now, as we are not sure if full size photos can be posted yet, will try to confirm this as soon as possible!

Dont ask for any RAW files, you won't get em!

Same goes for video, you'll have to take my word for it!



We are going up to Whipsnade Zoo tomorrow to have a good play, and I will have my laptop on me, so if any of you guys would like to see one up close, you're quite welcome to meet up for a chat / coffee etc. It looks like the weather will not be that great, so a damn fine chance to test out the weather sealing!

Will also be out and about with it Sunday 14th, so if you want to make an impromptu Pentax meet, organise it quickly, keep it within say 80ish miles of Aylesbury, and I'll bring it along for those who didn't get a chance to come to the SRS open day today!

For my mobile number if you want to meet up either tomorrow or next week, please PM me and I'll get back to you as soon as I can, but please, I don't want to see people just signing up to the forum to get their hands on it or just call me up in the middle of the night wanting to hear how quiet it is, I'm willing to help as much as I can, but please don't abuse this! I would like to give the regulars on the forum the chance to play first!

Right, just locking up the shop and going home for dinner, then I'll be back to answer any questions that I can! For now please keep the questions as simple as you can because I'm not going to do any thorough testing over the weekend, I want to get used to how it feels first!

And finally, a big thank you to both Pentax for letting me have the privilege to have a play with their new baby for a couple of weeks, and Chris at SRS for organising pick up at the open day, I'm chuffed to bits!

nice to meet you today you jammy bugger

Danny, you lucky bugger
how did you manage this?

This is really great, I think its in great hands for some fantastic reviews.
Go wild with it, you seem to have the perfect set of lenses to put it to a good spin. Let's hear it all.

Ohhhh, now I realise why you said that I would be seeing you sooner than I thought, when I was leaving from SRS and said bye to you. Is that what you were trying to imply? Did you already know that you were getting the K-7 at that time?

I'm with envy Danny.
Really looking forward to your impressions

BTW, I just noticed: how come I have now become a 'site veteran'? How does that work?

I was just thinking. I had a gut feeling about it from everything I have read these last few weeks, but now I have played with it I wouldn't trade the K7 for any Canon or Nikon I have seen even if they are 3 times the price (no that's a lie, I would sell them and buy the K7 plus loads of great Pentax lenses for the trade in price I'd get for a D3x or whatever)

Congratz Danny!
They need to change Pentax Pro Master to Pentax Pro Tester now

Let me be so free to ask the first question then and one which many would like to know about.

The Electronic Spirit Level and the fancy stuff like moving the Sensor.
If you could write a little explanation about that, that would be great!
It was one of the bits I couldn't play with

That should be interesting, what's he going to do .. tell us about the image quality in a Tommy Cooper voice?

Just like that ....


Personally, until the final firmware is released the camera doesn't interest me that much as I think everything has just about been said ... when the firmware happens then things will get a lot more interesting.

Enjoy yourself Danny.

Let us know the auction number when you sling it on ebay

Now theres an idea .. stick it on Ebay with a BIN price of 10k and see how many views you get.

Thanks for the ideas guys!

The electronic spirit level is actually in 3 places!

On the top lcd
In the viewfinder
On the main LCD when in Live View

There is a series of dots that go up and down either side depending on how far you tip it, so it is quite easy to get it level when shooting hand held, also works in portrait mode too!

As for the moving sensor, will try it out another day as the tripod is in the shop, will put it on the list though!

Will check back later as I'm getting moaned at for not being in the pub!

PS. It's looking more like a perfect kit now!

If someone in a black ski mask mugs you it wont be me......I have my alibi planned

must go now, have to put Whipsnade zoo into my sat nav

Don't bother, I'm just off down the pub

Thank you Danny, thought it was only on the lcd screen.
About the ESL (elctronic spirit level) I've readed that it could correct the level automatically up to 5 degrees or something, that would be very interesting and useful to know.

Have a good time in the pub =]