Web Analytics RiceHigh's Pentax Blog: K-7 Firmware Version 1.0 (Production Firmware) Arrives!

Thursday, June 18, 2009

K-7 Firmware Version 1.0 (Production Firmware) Arrives!

See Falk Lumo's latest article at his blog:-

http://falklumo.blogspot.com/2009/06/k-7-final-firmware-and-tungsten-high.html

And, he has uploaded some test shots in DNG format. Note that he mentions that his
beta testing K-7 unit is somewhat different in hardware than those production
K-7, although now his unit is programmed with the production firmware.

Noise is well controlled up to ISO 1600, exposure is good (multi-segment metering, no exposure compensation applied), white balance is good (Auto WB used). The white balance is not really very "whitest" but I like that it does reproduce the true feel of being under tungsten that the objects in the pics are not overly yellowly casted (just see the iPhone which is in snow white and we should know).

As for the ISO 3200 and 6400, they are there as standard or expanded options. But I would rather avoid to use them as far as possible for that high noise level and the obvious grains. The difference between the ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 is huge. Btw, does any Noise Reduction applied for any of these shots? I don't know, and I shall ask Falk..

Still, the lens used seems to produce not very sharp images. I think the focus is on the ball but yet I can still see some blurs when viewed 100%. Kit lens? (It does not look like Noise Reduction for that kind of blur.)

Edit (6-19): One more test with 1.0 firmware programmed into a beta K-7 by Frank (Fengwei) at Singapore here:-

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=527416&page=8

The results look good but do note about that very adequate exposures were given for all the shots (so that the resulted pictures are all looking bright) and there is not much shadow and darker area in the test scene. All these just mean a more favourable environment and testing condition for the test, e.g., over Falk Lumo's one above (and below, read further).

If you have read the latest K-7 Vs K20D Noise Comparison Test by Falk Here, it can be easily noticed that shadow/dark area/underexposure is the true friend of noise. In fact, the noise as shown in Falk's test is that the K-7 isn't going to be better for the noise level and control for every ISO speed than the K20D, but the higher level of details achieved at higher ISOs by the K-7 would be.

Edit (6-20): One more review on K-7 with production firmware:-

http://www.whatdigitalcamera.com/equipment/digitalslr/1203/1/pentax-k7-dslr-full-review.html

And reactions by Pentaxians here, here and here. What I would say is that this review is not much useful, frankly.

15 comments:

  1. Anonymous18/6/09 10:06

    You're SO fast!

    Jopy

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  2. Of course not as fast as you, my dearest Mr. Blurrycamera Phoneman! ;-)

    Btw, when will you report come?? Do let me and folks here know if you can!

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  3. Anonymous18/6/09 10:20

    We will spend whole day to take some photo tomorrow, so maybe tomorrow night~~ if I'm not so tired :)

    Jopy

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  4. Oh, I see. Waiting for your great works, then! :-)

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  5. Kit lens !"Shot with the kit lens and AF focussing onto the SD card in the center" real all info correctly.

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  6. Anonymous18/6/09 12:42

    Again. I'm seriously thinking you have some problems with understanding what you read. He clearly wrote he used NR for camera processed JPGs and default Lightroom settings for second set of samples. Default for LR is 25 on chroma noise reduction slider - in case you don't know.

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  7. Not sharp because:

    "The camera was set to "natural" (default is "bright") and default settings otherwise (i.e., sharpness -1, NR medium, NR start iso800"

    Rice you can read or no ?

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  8. I inspected and commented on the DNG RAW files just in case you haven't read and don't know, not the in-camera Jpegs nor the Lightroom ones.

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  9. anyhow, I like that result.. and it seems better than k20d. so it's a reason to upgrade..
    thanks RH.

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  10. Not about pentax, but is that true that ogl wants to meet you in Shànghǎi?)

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  11. i've just rechecked the pictures and at ISO 3200 the picture is taken at 1/400s so, this indicates that there were a lot of light.. so.. there shouldn't be that much noise.. :( oh well i'll check what my k20d would do in similar lighting in 1/400s at ISO 3200

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  12. Anonymous19/6/09 01:55

    Do note that the auto white balance function is *adjustable* - the user can choose how much it will compensate for tungsten light.

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  13. I'm considering that is a strange thing no AF on movie mode...
    Is there any justification for this???

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  14. Not enough processing power for both simultaneously?

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