PENTAX Q7

Third generation micro mirrorless camera

A review and photo examples of the Pentax Q7 interchangeable lens mirrorless digital camera

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Review
Specification
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Gallery

The lens used in the photo examples is the Ms-optics SONNETAR 25mm F1.1.

Review

Features and differences from the previous Q10
Usage
Digression

1．Features and differences from the previous camera of Q10

The Pentax Q7 is the third generation of the Pentax Q series of interchangeable lens mirrorless cameras.

The size of the image sensor, the heart of a digital camera, has been changed to 1/1.7 inches (7.5mm x 5.6mm = 42mm2). The sensor area is 1.5 times (1.448 times to be exact) larger than the 1/2.3 inch (6.2mm x 4.7mm = 29mm2) of the original Q and its predecessor, the Q10. This change means that the coefficient for converting the focal length to a 35mm version is about 4.6 times, making it possible to shoot a little wider than the Q and Q10. The shorter focal length and wider shots will be an advantage when shooting landscapes, etc. The specific focal length in 35mm format is listed in the dedicated lens linked below, but for example, for the standard lens 01 Standard prime with a focal length of 8.5mm, the focal length in 35mm format is 47mm in Q and Q10, and 38.7mm in Q7 and Q-S1.

The change in sensor size means that some lenses made during the 1/2.3-inch sensor era of the Q and Q10 may result in slightly worse image quality in the periphery when shooting with the Q7 and Q-S1. Click here for a review of the Q10.

The recording media is compatible with SDXC cards, which have the largest capacity among SD cards, so another advantage of this camera is that there are no problems with the availability of recording media on the market.

The model number of the included battery is D-LI68, but for unknown reasons the model number was later changed to D-LI122. Fujifilm’s NP-50 and NP-50A and Kodak’s KLIC-7004 are also of the same shape.

A common feature of the Pentax Q series is that the camera body does not have a mechanical shutter; instead, the 01, 02, 06, and 08 are equipped with a leaf shutter. Other toy lenses use the camera’s sensor shutter for shooting. The “K Mount Lens Adapter Q”, which allows Pentax K mount lenses to be used with this camera, is equipped with a shutter mechanism in the mount adapter, making it a truly luxurious adapter.

2．Usage

The camera I own is a customized lime + black, and I also got a 01 Standard prime in the same lime color, so the color coordination is perfect.

The most noticeable thing when using it is that the image quality of the Q10 and Q7 is almost the same as that of a compact digital camera. I have seen people say that the poor image quality of compact cameras is not only due to small sensors but also poor lenses, but even with the Pentax 01 Standard prime lens, you cannot get such amazing images, so I think the theory that the image quality is limited by the sensor size is more correct.

The camera’s startup speed and shooting tempo are absolutely no problem for general photography, and it can shoot 5 frames per second in JPEG (Hi). Continuous shooting is not possible in Raw format, but if you shoot with a certain amount of leeway, you will not encounter buffer overflow.

There are many buttons for a compact body, and most operations can be performed without entering the menu screen to change them, and there is no need to call up the menu during shooting. Exposure compensation is assigned to the dial, and there are independent buttons for ISO sensitivity change and white balance, so it is a highly complete camera.

The metal fittings for the strap are sturdy enough to accommodate a relatively wide strap, and if the camera project had been successful, it seems likely that a dedicated compact lens with a 1000mm (35mm equivalent) would have been released. For example, a 100mm AF mirror lens (500mm (35mm equivalent)) would have pleased enthusiasts.

According to a patent filed by Ricoh Imaging Co., Ltd. and published, four interchangeable lenses were planned: two wide-angle prime lenses, a medium telephoto macro lens, and a telephoto prime lens.
Unfortunately, these plans were never realized because the camera body did not sell well.
Even Nikon failed with its plans for a small-sensor interchangeable lens camera, so it seems that Pentax, with its small camera business, did not have the resources to continue the Q series.

3．Digression

The Pentax Q series was popular among camera enthusiasts because it was a compact interchangeable lens camera, but it did not catch on with the general public and the product reached the end of its lifespan in three years.

The fact that it ended after three years clearly shows that the added value of being able to change lenses is not accepted by general users if the image quality is the same. In order to attract the attention of general users, the company made excessive efforts to promote color variations, but it seems that this ended up being a project for enthusiasts. Even Nikon, whose main product is cameras, failed in its plan for a small-sensor interchangeable lens camera, so it seems that Pentax, whose camera business is small in scale, did not have the resources to continue.

It is ironic that the used prices of Q series lenses at camera stores have risen so much since the 2020s. They must be aware that prices are rising due to competition among enthusiasts, but I still don’t think the Q series will be revived.

From the user’s perspective, when considering purchasing a relatively expensive interchangeable lens camera, it is easy to understand that even Olympus and Panasonic’s M4/3 are avoided because of their small sensors, and that the choice is always to choose at least an APS-C size sensor, and if possible a full-size sensor.

For this reason, the failure of the Nikon 1, which was released around the same time in 2011 and used a 1-inch sensor, was probably inevitable.

For these reasons, the several years from 2011 were considered to be a crossroads that determined the direction of interchangeable lens digital cameras.

By choosing the APS-C size sensor, Fujifilm seems to be staying in the market into the 2020s, but looking at its product supply policy that seems to be fueling a sense of hunger in Japan, it would not be surprising if it fell off a cliff at any time, but for now it seems to be supported by enthusiastic users.

In the 2010s, sensors below Micro Four Thirds were abandoned, and in the 2020s, Sony, the pioneer of full-frame 35mm sensors, and the two major players, Nikon and Canon, are seriously supplying 35mm full-frame sensor cameras. However, it is very unclear whether the market will converge to 35mm full-frame sensor cameras, and the prices of camera bodies and lenses are steadily rising, and when sales of new cameras slow, the supply of used cameras will become thinner. Combined with the poverty of Japanese people, it is very interesting to see how the camera market will develop in the future.

It is not impossible that in the future, cameras will be replaced by smartphones and settle into a position similar to that of film cameras today.

Specification and Competitor

Items	Q	Q10	Q7	Q-S1
Number of pixels	12.4 megapixels	←	←	←
Sensor type	CMOS	←	←	←
Sensor size	1/2.3	←	1/1.7	←
Image Stabilization	Image sensor shift method	←	←	←
Back LCD size	3	←	←	←
Back LCD	460,000 dots	←	←	←
Electronic Leveler	None	←	Exist	←
Battery	D-LI68	←	←	←
Record media	SD、SDHC、SDXC	←	←	←
Size(mm) W x H x D	98 × 57.5 × 31	102.0 × 58.0 × 33.5	←	105.0 × 58.0 × 34.0
Weight (g) 1: Main unit only 2: Battery + media	180 1 200 2	←	←	183 1 203 2
Release date	2011.8.31	2012.10.12	2013.7.5	2014.8.28
Body color	ブラックホワイトシルバー(限定)	オーダーカラーエヴァンゲリオンカラー x3	120オーダーカラー	40パターンのカラーバリエーション

Options

Waterproof remote control O-RC1
Auto flash AF201FG
Auto flash AF200FG
Rechargeable lithium-ion battery D-LI68
Battery charger kit K-BC115J
Camera bag O-CB133
Camera case (with strap) O-CC131
Soft case O-CC1333
Camera case (with front) O-CC133
K-mount lens adapter Q

Pentax Q Lenes

Number	Lens name	Focal length	Q10	Q7	PPrice(Yen/No-tax)
01	STANDARD PRIME	8.5	47	39	17,000-
02	STANDARD ZOOM	5〜15	27.5〜82.5	23〜69	25,000-
03	FISH EYE	3.2	17.6	16.5	10,000-
04	TOY-WIDE ZOOM	6.3	35	33	6,000-
05	TOY-TELE PHOTO ZOOM	18	99	94	6,000-
06	TELE PHOTO ZOOM	15〜45	82.5〜247.5	69〜207	14,000-
07	SHEILD	11.5	63	53	3,000-
08	WIDE ZOOM	3.8〜5.9	21〜32	17.5〜27	40,000-
Ms-optics	Sonnetar 25mm F1.1	25	137.5	115	48,000-