In your hands the K-7 vs K10D

Alright I had a early K-7 demo model in my hands, it was older then the one use in the youtube video and the software wasn't so great and it had the K20D sensor in it... so yeah not really a K-7 to be honest and they had forgot to turn it off so the battery was dead when I wanted to play with it *sighs*

okay first of all the spirit level indicator is only an indicator so far as they could tell (at least with that demo model it was) it didn't straighten your photo automatically (most likely).

Okay I can't talk much about the software since that wasn't working and wasn't even finished so going to talk about how the camera is in your hands.

The camera had the DA*50-135 on it and the viewfinder was good not noticeable much better then that from the K10D but what I liked was that the information bar was better readable for me as a four eye (spectacles).

The K-7 doesn't appear to be a lot smaller and also isn't that in your hands and also the weight is the same. You do feel that the camera isn't that heigh because my pinky had more room to move but the grip was a bit better then the K10D and the controlls were all good rachable and I didn't miss the buttons and the grip on the left side.
The two buttons on the camera (iso & EV balance) are good reachable and not a problem at all. The AF button was for some a concern and also for me but since all the other buttons are quite flushed the AF button appears quite thick but when the camera is in your hands it wasn't a probelm at all. The AF button is almost in the same place as on the K10D so didn't need to search for that one and was good usable and I don't expect it to be a problem for anyone.
The top of the grip were the scroll wheel is does apear to be long certainly when you have it in your hands but still the scroll wheel is no problem to reach.
The need of pressing the button to rotate the mode-dial was not anoying for me, you could do it with one hand so it's something to get used too.
Also the magnesium body didn't feel a lot more durable then the K10D so that says alot about the high quality plastic that they used on the K10D.

There is only one point that might be a problem in use and that's the "rubber" cover of where the HDMI connection and some others are.
It's easy to make it loose but to get the rubber back in place might be a bit of an hassle. It's probable better and cheaper solution to make a weather prove cover and you don't use that very often so I don't see it as a problem really but something that might could have be done better.

So all in all I find the K-7 better in my hands as the K10D it didn't feel smaller so for all that worried about that it really isn't something to worry about. You might think it feel a bit slimmer but not smaller and I've long fingers so once again don't worry.
Also all the controlls were good at hand, just need to see how the FN buttons and the AF selection combo works.

Anymore questions?

Thanks for that Stefan

No thanks, it was easy to write.
Hopefully I didn't make to many mistakes in it

So Peter are you tempted to buy one?
I don't have a grip with the K10D but I think I'll get one for the K-7, depending on how big the grip is. Most of the time the camera lens on my wrist while I hold the lens and I prefer that to be under an angle.

oh btw, the battery is differend from shape but the contacts are the same so you can use the charger from the K10D and the K20D. The K-7 battry is really square while the K20D batteries have to clinderical shapes, so if the size is the same you might be able to fit the K20D batteries inside the K-7.

The most interesting bit would be that the K-7 batteries would fit inside the K20D because of the higher capacity...
But the advantage for the K10D and K20D users is that the batterie in those camera's is just the "old" NP-400 battery which Minolta used and there are plenty of those around at good prices.

It might fit and it might work, but it isn't the same battery. As repeated many times!

The batteries of the K-7 won't fit in the K10D since the battery compardment clearly follows the contour of the battery so those cliniderical shapes where as the K-7 battery is square.

Oh and another thing... they said it didn't had a micophone

Of course I am Stefan but it needs to meet my requirements in a number of areas. In order of importance:-

1: Price is too high at the moment. I'll consider it when it drops to around £750.00
2: It's AF accuracy has to be better than the K20D for me. I'll have to wait for the tests of others to determine if it is.
3: Noise control at high ISO needs to be better than the K20D.

If it fails my expectations in 2 & 3, I'll not buy one, but I expect that it will probably exceed my expectations anyway.

I am more than happy with my K20D at the moment and have thought about replacing my K10D with another K20D. Truth is, the K10D doesn't get used any more so having another K20D would be a waste as I am very much an amateur, not a professional who might need a backup.

Yes we had this discussion a number of times But there hasn't been anyone with convincing evidence of it either being the same or it being different.
The only people who can give an anwser to this ever lasting discussion is the producer of the battery because Pentax will allways say it is different because they want to sell their own.
A difference in capacity alone is not an argument in believing the battery is different.

But I think that we can never convince you on this matter

Which is quite possibly the reason they changed it in the K7

It's simple logic that if something has a different capacity then it is different, that is, not the same. Whether it's relevant or not is the bit that could be debated.

I just think it would be better if we didn't propogate inaccuracies on the forum if we can avoid it, especially for the benefit of those who are new.

I reckon it was clear enough that GolfDiesel was referring to the battery form factor rather than the exact product that is supplied with the camera.

However, I suggest using the phrase "takes an x battery" or "takes the same battery as x" - then one is referring to what fits and works with the camera rather than what is supplied with it.

Pity... Hight is the only dimension I wished the k10D would gain, so I could fit my fingers better... I think I'd be worse with the K-7.
Good news about the VF though, being a 4 eyed person myself, it isn't easy to use it very.

I also like the fact that the BG is fatter, grest improvement (plus the AA use).

Thanks for posting this - the new small size was the one thing I was concerned about.

It wouldn't surprise me that if you open the K20D battery that you'll find two NIMH AA batteries.
My batteries are still good but if I've a weak one I'll surely try that and see if I can switch them for higher capacity batteries.
Maybe the same is true for the K-7 batteries aswell.