Pentax has announced details of a new mid-range DSLR camera that is set to rival the likes of Canon and Nikon prosumer shooters.

The Pentax K-7 is a range refresh of the company's K20D, offering more features and a smaller body.

The big change is an HD video option, something that is becoming increasingly popular in the world of DSLRs.

Feature focus

Sensor size is 14.6MP, which is shielded from the elements by Pentax's dust-proof and 'weather-resistant' magnesium-alloy body.

Other features include a 5fps burst rate, a top shutter speed of 1/8000sec and ISO sensitivity of 6400.

On the body, there's a 3-inch LCD screen and images can be taken as 3:2, 4:3, 16:9 and 1:1 ratios. These images are all filtered through a PRIME II imaging engine, an update to the PRIME engine found on the K20D.

The Pentax K-7 is set to ship in July, with a jaw-dropping price of £1,199.99 (body only).