I see, Steven! Perhaps using a fast lens would have let you use ambient light, without the flash, with the added benefit of blurring the background a bit more. You could then have lightened up her face a bit in PP. Easy to say in retrospect though, isn't it!

Unfortunately the range of 'affordable' primes from Pentax can't really compete with what Nikon offers. This is fine if you want to shoot a lot of MF glass, shoot zooms, or have the moolah to go the FA ltd route, but for those in the middle, the situation is a bit annoying. The plastic mounted DA primes are a step in the right direction, but they are a bit toy-like compared to Nikon lenses like the 50/1.8 or 35/1.8 (and they are more expensive as well, or slower as with the 35/2.4).

I was thinking the same as John. The flash lighting is a bit harsh, which creates hard shadows under her chin. The background is going to be a pig to replace / fuzz out, becuase of the stray hairs. There's also something mildly disconcerting about a very young girl wearing that much make up. Trying to make a 'portrait' out of it doesn't seem quite right. I would have gone for a reportage approach with this subject - show a bit more of her context and what she was doing.

What was she doing?

K7 is capable of great IQ if you get your exposures right and stick to low ISOs.

Interesting news re the Q7, going to a larger sensor (same as the MX1). Looks like they factored this in when they designed the lenses too.

So not a magnesium body after all, ah well. Great to have two cheaper bodies with 100% view finders though.

If you want those lenses, at those prices, with af, you're going to have to switch brands. It's not illegal! You could buy an old K10d to keep using your old Pentax lenses. Or a NEX body.

They have a lovely 'pop' to them. Did you process using Topaz Adjust by any chance?

Perhaps so... I seem to be addicted to Topaz Adjust these days