Not entirely on topic but as an aviation buff you might like to browse this link for my local aviation group link

I no longer take my Camera to airshows though i do point my 300mm skywards on occasion! (I work on the noisy things every day so the novelty has worn off a bit)
I still find my old Kaiser rifle grip useful for handheld shots. Now very much modified to accept a digital cable release.

Regards - Pete.

That`s a fantastic idea! It could possibly even be incorporated in a firmware upgrade.

Well thought out!!!

Regards - Pete.

I too am waiting for a full frame Pentax, I only bought the K7 as a stopgap , Though i have to say its a great little Camera in its own right especially with decent glass on the front. As For shutter sync, With a dedicated flash even my old K10 could sync up to 1/4000 sec so i`m guessing the K7 will go up to 1/8000? but i have not tried it yet!.

Regards - Pete.

This was one of my laments too as i shoot mostly in manual mode.
Though since i have used the K7 for a while i have trusted the metering to take some handheld shots in Shutter Priority where i can use the level, It is still a pity this really useful feature cannot be used in Manual.

Regards - Pete.

The K7 default setting is "Bright" and i found that the images were a bit noisy. After several Homebrew fixes i followed the advice in the AP and set the camera to "Natural"
Quick access to the Shake Reduction on/off is via the Info Page, You can then switch it on/off with the rear thumbwheel.
I find the fastest focusing in live view is by Phase Detection where the mirror flips up,Camera Focuses and Mirror flips down. Of course it is not suitable for every occasion but The Face/Contrast Detection is noticeably slower.
If you are fitting the Battery Grip and a heavy lens it might be worth looking at a Neoprene Camera Strap. You can get a Pentax one for around £13 from SRS Microsystems.It saves a lot of neck ach!
I hope your K7 gives you as much pleasure as i have had over the past month with mine!
Regards - Pete.

Nice!
How about a Sepia Version?


Regards - Pete.

I love the exhaust staining on the Trojan!


Regards - Pete.

This is misleading as the kit lens is not worth just £20. It is a deliberate pricing strategy by Pentax to make it appear as though if you buy the kit lenses with the body you are getting a much better deal than if you buy the body only. Anyone who seriously thinks the 18-55mm WR is only a £20 lens doesn't understand marketing.

However, I personally think this is a flawed strategy as it alienates existing Pentax owners who don't need a new lens and therefore would need to pay a premium just to acquire the body on its own[/quote]I am well aware of the strategy, The point i was attempting to make was that if Pentax were to pair the K7 with a better specified lens that was comparable with its status as a high end DSLR it would have improved its appeal. As the few negative comments were largely down to shortcomings of the lens, I for one would have been happy to pay £100 or more for a kit lens that gave a half decent performance had i been just starting out with Pentax. After all first impressions count for a lot!

Regards - Pete.

They mention that the Shake Reduction can only be accessed by using the menu but in fact there is a quicker way. If you press the Info Button you can switch the S R on and off using the rear wheel. I have the S R selected in my Info screen so its a 2 click operation for me. You could even have the info screen on the whole time if you prefer.
I was surprised that Pentax offer the 18-55 zoom, As it does the Camera few favours when in comparison tests with top of the range Cameras. Far better to have a higher spec lens paired with it. After all i`m sure that a kit lens which costs only £20 more than the body only price is not going to impress anyone!
I keep mine in the bag just in case i need to use it at sea in stormy conditions or on a windy beach where i would be loath to use a quality lens for fear of damage.
Testing with DA* lenses would have given a completely different verdict as the K7 is fast,silent,accurate and with a brighter viewfinder/Live View using these lenses.
Regards Pete

I had been looking forward to the A P review but at first i thought they had left it out! There is no mention of it on the cover as there is only the D300s splashed all over that. As i thumbed through several times i almost missed it! I eventually found it on page 45!!!
Whilst A P reviews are usually on the harsh side i do feel that several useful features were overlooked which is surprising as they have had a good long time to get to know the camera in one form or another. They also failed to mention that the autofocus was much quieter with DA* lenses attached and the Shake reduction coping with rotational movement but i bet they make a big hoo- ha when Canon bring out their lenses with the same capability! There was one good point in the review as the Default "Bright" setting does display a lot of noise. I had moved the Sharpness slider down to zero on mine to get rid of this but Angela Nicholson had switched to "Natural" so i tried the same and this does the trick! by adding no sharpening in this setting it removes the noise.

Regards - Pete.