Pentax K7 gets official details and a price
By Sean P. Aune
The eagerly anticipated Pentax K7 has finally gotten its official details, and a price that may send some people searching for a loan to buy it.
As we reported the other day, people have been anxiously awaiting any and all official details on the Pentax K7, and the time has finally come for the company to cut loose with all of the goodies. The camera does have all of the usual features such as Shake Reduction, a 3-inch screen, 11-point auto-focus system and so on, but features new to this model include:
- A compact, magnesium alloy body that makes it 7 percent smaller than the K20D, and up to 25 percent smaller than other cameras in the same class.
- A 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor to minimize noise, with four channel output for fast image capture, and the ability to capture HD quality movies. Will allow for very large prints up to poster sized.
- A new 77-segment metering system quickly and accurately determines exposure for even the most complex and dynamic lighting situations.
- HD Movie capture features adjustable quality and resolution settings, aperture control, as well as mechanical Shake Reduction, and an external microphone terminal for recording stereo sound. (Which Pentax highly recommends you do use an external microphone)
- The K-7 will capture video at the default standard of 1280×720 resolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio (equivalent to 720p), 1536×1024 resolution with a 3:2 aspect ratio, or 640×416 resolution with a 3:2 aspect ratio (equivalent to VGA quality), all shot at 30 frames per second.
- An HDMI port with selectable output resolution (1080i, 720p, 480p, and auto).
- A Dedicated AF-assist lamp further improves autofocus response and accuracy in low light conditions.
- An Electronic Level function ensures that images have truly level horizons to minimize post-capture editing.
- An in-camera Lens Correction function that electronically adjusts for Distortion and Lateral Chromatic Aberrations to maximize image quality with DA series lenses.
- A dedicated Mirror Lock-up function eliminates image blur due to mirror movement during long exposures.
- A High Dynamic Range (HDR) image capture mode captures three images then combines them in camera to widen the exposure gamut to bring out detail in all exposure areas of images.
- A composition adjustment feature in Live View allows minor shifts in the framing and composition of images using the Shake Reduction mechanism without having to physically move the camera. This feature is ideal for tripod use.
- A programmable embedded copyright function preserves artistic integrity and image ownership during capture via a keypad that may record ownership in metatag data.
So how much is all of this going to cost you? Well, that’s where the news isn’t so good. $1,299.95 is the suggested list price on this bad boy, which makes it higher than other cameras in its class. While all of the new features are exciting, it may be a tough sell in the current economic climate.
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