In a time when people are tightening their belts like Christian Bale in The Machinist and scrutinizing each purchase, Pentax introduces a pocketbook-friendly prosumer DSLR body that's bursting with useful features, some only found on cameras costing two or more times its $1300 price tag.
Demonstrating that it's serious about making a run at the top-end offerings from Canon and Nikon, the K-7 bows with a spankin' new 14.6 megapixel, 28.1mm (diagonal) CMOS image sensor and an updated Prime II processor that enables HD-video capture, built-in high dynamic range shooting, a 77-segment metering system, pre- and post production filtering and distortion correction all in a form factor more than 10 percent smaller (and actually easier to handle) than its predecessor, the K20D.
Pentax prides itself on rugged cameras and the K-7 makes no deviation from that heritage. The magnesium-alloy clad body has more than 70 weather seals that fairly ensure you'll be able to keep firing away in some soppy conditions.
Beyond its unimpeachable durability Pentax has gamely tackled one of digital imaging's biggest bugaboos — white balance. At times even the highest end pro models struggle, especially with fluorescent lighting. In our testing, the K-7 gives those heavyweights a lesson when it comes to getting the color right. Even in the toughest mixed-lighting conditions, the Pentax achieved excellent color reproduction. Plus the K-7 includes four unique fluorescent light presets and postsets, so you can tune the color temperate to either your eye or the temp of the bulbs.
Speaking of settings, the K-7 has a raft of in-camera digital filters so you can overlay multiple effects like monochrome, Holga-like softness and vignetting, fisheye, star bursting, color. Even tastier, your in-camera adjustments are saved as a new file, so you won't lose the original image. High dynamic range (HDR in shutterbug parlance) image making as a post-production effect has become quite popular.