Pentax The Pentax K-7 experience, so far

JensM

All-Pro
I bought a K-7 kit, with the WR lenses and the large Pentax flash upon its release in 2009. I choose it based on IBIS, weather-sealing and perceived smallness, with a very minor glance towards the Oly E-P1 which a colleague bought, and an ever smaller glance towards the GF1 more or less based on it being released the same month as the Pentax. I had planned to get a Canon G10, but things happened and off to Pentax DSlr country I went. I knew the brand from when I started up with photograpy, so I wasnt very worried about the choice.

By some notion, I never bonded with the camera, and kept using the Ixus 100IS, bringing the Pentax out mainly on holidays and oogling Fujifilms offerings, based on size. Ended up parting the whole kit out and selling it off in 2016 along with a sizable Canon system I inherited, and putting the money into M43. No regrets, it triggered me back into this fine hobby, but once and again, I got some "what if" thoughts, somewhat based around what can best be described as having a feeling of having under-utilising the Pentax gear, from back then.

Fast forward to 2023, and browsing gear in the local classifieds, habitually looking at Lumix and Olympus, with detours into Pentax and Fujifilm occasionally, finding an add for what looks to be a Pentax battery grip for €90, thinking to myself: Well, which model is that for, then and opening the add. Turns out the add was for this package:
Pentax K7_.jpg
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With the following data sourced from the camera reader at Pentax forums:
Shutter Count21,130
Manufacture Date2009:07:22

So buying the bundle was rather swiftly done. Got a pick-up SMS earlier this evening so went out and got it home. Even with a top screen that has a crack in the cover, I think I did well, especially when I saw what it was able to do with the DA21 which I bought for my K10D:
Space marine.jpg
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This was a very, very off the cuff picture of a space marine, that resides on a ledge in my window. But dang, the colours and details are rather nice. Worth noting is that the fellow in the picture is probably 4-5 times the size of the actual figure.

I will horse around with this one a bit and I have probably missed out quit a lot, the first time around with the K-7. I am not even going full circle, I am somewhat spiraling. But it is, even measured towards the G9, quite beastly in both size and weight, not that the battery grip helps. The 7 probably wont be the first choice for day to day photography, but I can see it being used every now and then for either "cozy" and/or slow work along with its CCD brother, the K10d when I get around to fix the back focus issue on that one.
 
Congrats on the whole thing, Jens.
And a minor note-- I think the DA21 is one of the finest prime lenses for ANY camera system, Pentax or otherwise. I'm liking the shots you are taking with it quite a bit, so far -- and am looking forwards to seeing more from the K7 + DA21 combination.
Thanks Miguel!

I was a bit keen to give the 21mm a proper try, and it seems like the K-7 was a proper vessel for that. I am somewhat in awe over what it produces and will go over the take from when I first had the K-7 to see if I can identify something I missed the first time around, other than the 21mm, that is. I have an idea, but I must check it out. Not being very interested in post back then, nor any good at it, I think I shot quite a lot of JPGs and went SOOC most of the time, no camera tweaking either.

It is that, and there is also the possibility that the around 1000 jpgs a year shooter I was back then, has gotten a bit better after shooting and processing around 5K pics a year, over the last 8 years. :drinks:
 
In the early 2000s on some watch forums, one would title a post, "Is Happy Day!" along with the make and model of the watch the forumite had just bought. I feel like this is your happy day. Congratulations on returning to some kit, I hope you get much enjoyment from it.
 
Not entirely related to the camera, but more towards the 21mm. It is so shallow that my rather big mitts (glove size 13) interferes with the lens doing its thing when AF. It is noticeable with bare hands, but with gloves on yesterday, I had some rather desperate WTF moments, with the camera not doing its thing.

That was until the hammer dropped and a blinding flash of the obvious was obtained, but obviously after I was through with my walk... :dash2::rofl:
 
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