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Pentax has a new toy in their K line and it’s worth a second look.  It’s the Pentax K-7.  Compact, rugged, with a whole new body design, the 14.6 megapixel DSLR may be all new and improved, but it still works with every Pentax lens out there.

Pentax is designing this one with an obvious push towards serious photographers who know their way around a camera, but don’t want to necessarily pay the uber-high end ticket price of a professional DSLR system.

With the K-7, you have some of the really good stuff without that “oh dear God” price tag.  But no, it’s also not going to be one you get at the local discount club either.

So, what sets it apart?  Well, according to Ned Bunnell, president of Pentax Imaging Company, it is this:

“The K-7 will appeal to many current Pentax SLR photographers who have been asking for more advanced features, but in a smaller, solid, comfortable-to-hold body.  We also believe the combination of the K-7’s smaller, high quality construction coupled with the growing line-up of our Limited compact prime lenses will appeal to serious shooters who currently don’t own or previously hadn’t considered adding a Pentax to their camera bag.”

What it’s got that others don’t

There are several features that the K-7 has that have never been offered by any K-series camera, or in some cases, by any digital camera.  The body itself is a winner.  It is a magnesium alloy that is one of the most compact in its class.  It is 7% smaller than the K20D, and up to 25% smaller than cameras in the same class.  So, if size is your thing, this may be something to consider.

There is a new 77-segment metering system that helps you to figure out exposure no matter how complex the lighting.  A huge problem for so many is noise in their photos.  The new 14.6 megapixel CMOS sensor was totally rebuilt.  It is made to minimize noise, as well as adding a 4-channel output.  It combines the perfect mix of resolution and file size, so you don’t have to compromise either.

What else?  HD video capture.  The default standard is 1280x720 with a 16:9 aspect ratio, 1536x1024, or 640x416.  All of these are shot at 30 fps.  An HDMI port that lets you pick output resolution. 

Have trouble making those horizons actually level?  It has an Electronic Level function, to make sure your images are just right.  You’ve got in-camera Lens Correction to compensate for lateral chromatic aberrations and distortion.  There is a Mirror Lock-up function.  This helps to get rid of image blur that is caused during long exposures by mirror movement.

One feature I especially like is the programmable embedded copyright function.  This one lets you show ownership of an image via metatag data during capture.

Improved and Jazzed Up

Some areas that they improved on from their previous K Lines are with their LCD screen.  The K-7 has a 3” with a 921,000 dot resolution.  The image shooting itself is nice and fast with the new PRIME II Image processing engine.  It offers 5.2 frames-per-second, which makes it great for catching action shots.  Going along with that is the 1/8000 top shutter speed the K-7 offers. 

Some other nice tweaked features are the Live View mode, which now has Face Detection, contrast AF, as well as optional histogram, grid and other goodies so you can compose your images quickly without having to have your face pressed up against the viewfinder.  The viewfinder itself, however, sports 92x magnification for 100 percent field of vision.

To compensate for rotational sensor movement, they beefed up the Shake Reduction system as well.  And the one area that is a bane to just about any photographer is addressed in the K-7s Dust Reduction System.  It features a “piezo ceramic vibration action to the sensor’s low-pass filter.”  What does this mean to you the photographer?  No dust on your shots.

The loaded and ready to shoot weight of the camera is 26 and a half ounces, and the body dimensions are 5.1 x 3.8 x 2.9.

When and How Much?

The Pentax K-7 will be available in July 2009.  MSRP for the body will be $1,299.95, with the battery grip going for $229.95.  The latest in the lens line will be the DA 18-55mm for $199.95, and $249.95 for the DA 50-200mm.  They are also expected to ship July 2009.  Each order also gets you a coupon for up to 15% off different Pentax products.  You can find more information on all of their products at their site, or preorder the K-7 online at their store.