K-50 becomes unresponsive

sgh-62 · 07-01-2016, 01:27 PM

When trying to take a picture, the shutter will release and then the camera becomes unresponsive. The screen becomes dark, and there are no responses to any buttons that I press. It wont even shut off unless i pull the battery which seems to reset the camera and this cycle starts over again.

stevebrot · 07-01-2016, 01:38 PM

Welcome to the Pentax Forums!

Sorry you are having problems with your K-50. There are a few standard questions:

How long have you had your camera? Did you buy it new?
What battery are you using? Is it fully charged?
Does this happen on every shot?

Steve

sgh-62 · 07-01-2016, 02:13 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Welcome to the Pentax Forums!

Sorry you are having problems with your K-50. There are a few standard questions:

How long have you had your camera? Did you buy it new?
What battery are you using? Is it fully charged?
Does this happen on every shot?

Steve

I bought the camera new and I have had it for about six months. The battery is fully charged and this problem happens on every shot.

**niceshot** · 07-01-2016, 02:21 PM

Originally posted by sgh-62

I bought the camera new and I have had it for about six months. The battery is fully charged and this problem happens on every shot.

Aperture Control Block failure strikes again.Or in other words your mirror motor. Send it in to be fixed.

stevebrot · 07-01-2016, 02:38 PM

Originally posted by niceshot

Aperture Control Block failure strikes again.Or in other words your mirror motor. Send it in to be fixed.

If so, this would be a new and unusual set of symptoms.*

Originally posted by sgh-62

I bought the camera new and I have had it for about six months. The battery is fully charged and this problem happens on every shot.

For problems such as you describe, the usual suspect would be a power issue. Low battery, brand-X battery, cheap batteries with the AA adapter...all have been implicated in the past. Another possible cause might be moisture or corrosion in the camera.

I agree with niceshot that warranty service repair is probably your best option.

Steve

* At least as far as I am aware. The usual symptoms for that problem are underexposed photos, dim optical viewfinder, and/or (rarely) blurry optical viewfinder due to mirror control failure (aperture block controls both).

**pepperberry farm** · 07-01-2016, 03:25 PM

early on with my K-50, I had this happen to me.... I thought it was unresponsive, but had unwittingly set the camera up to take a long exposure and did not realize it. Ended up having to remove the battery each time until I finally realized what I had done.

Changed exposure settings and was back to normal...

(just sharing my experience and hoping it helps you)

**ramseybuckeye** · 07-01-2016, 05:23 PM

If you're not set for a long exposure, it does sound like aperture control block failure, very similar to my K-30 when it happened. Fortunately you're under warranty.

Not a Number · 07-01-2016, 09:17 PM

The K-50 has the AA battery option correct? And you can set what type of battery you are using? Is the battery type set correctly? Try manual setting vs auto.

**niceshot** · 07-02-2016, 02:44 AM

Originally posted by sgh-62

When trying to take a picture, the shutter will release and then the camera becomes unresponsive. The screen becomes dark, and there are no responses to any buttons that I press. It wont even shut off unless i pull the battery which seems to reset the camera and this cycle starts over again.

Try using your live view, if you cant then it is the mirror motor

07-01-2016, 01:27 PM	#1
sgh-62 New Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 2	K-50 becomes unresponsive When trying to take a picture, the shutter will release and then the camera becomes unresponsive. The screen becomes dark, and there are no responses to any buttons that I press. It wont even shut off unless i pull the battery which seems to reset the camera and this cycle starts over again.

07-01-2016, 01:38 PM	#2
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Welcome to the Pentax Forums! Sorry you are having problems with your K-50. There are a few standard questions: How long have you had your camera? Did you buy it new? What battery are you using? Is it fully charged? Does this happen on every shot? Steve

07-01-2016, 02:13 PM	#3
sgh-62 New Member Join Date: Jul 2016 Posts: 2 Original Poster	Originally posted by stevebrot Welcome to the Pentax Forums! Sorry you are having problems with your K-50. There are a few standard questions: How long have you had your camera? Did you buy it new? What battery are you using? Is it fully charged? Does this happen on every shot? Steve I bought the camera new and I have had it for about six months. The battery is fully charged and this problem happens on every shot.

07-01-2016, 02:38 PM	#5
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by niceshot Aperture Control Block failure strikes again.Or in other words your mirror motor. Send it in to be fixed. If so, this would be a new and unusual set of symptoms.* Originally posted by sgh-62 I bought the camera new and I have had it for about six months. The battery is fully charged and this problem happens on every shot. For problems such as you describe, the usual suspect would be a power issue. Low battery, brand-X battery, cheap batteries with the AA adapter...all have been implicated in the past. Another possible cause might be moisture or corrosion in the camera. I agree with niceshot that warranty service repair is probably your best option. Steve * At least as far as I am aware. The usual symptoms for that problem are underexposed photos, dim optical viewfinder, and/or (rarely) blurry optical viewfinder due to mirror control failure (aperture block controls both). Last edited by stevebrot; 07-01-2016 at 02:48 PM.

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07-01-2016, 02:21 PM	#4
niceshot Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,565	Originally posted by sgh-62 I bought the camera new and I have had it for about six months. The battery is fully charged and this problem happens on every shot. Aperture Control Block failure strikes again.Or in other words your mirror motor. Send it in to be fixed.

07-01-2016, 03:25 PM	#6
pepperberry farm amateur dirt farmer Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: probably out in a field somewhere... Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 41,766	early on with my K-50, I had this happen to me.... I thought it was unresponsive, but had unwittingly set the camera up to take a long exposure and did not realize it. Ended up having to remove the battery each time until I finally realized what I had done. Changed exposure settings and was back to normal... (just sharing my experience and hoping it helps you)

07-01-2016, 05:23 PM	#7
ramseybuckeye Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Hampstead, NC Photos: Gallery Posts: 17,295	If you're not set for a long exposure, it does sound like aperture control block failure, very similar to my K-30 when it happened. Fortunately you're under warranty.

07-01-2016, 09:17 PM	#8
Not a Number Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Venice, CA Posts: 10,526	The K-50 has the AA battery option correct? And you can set what type of battery you are using? Is the battery type set correctly? Try manual setting vs auto.

07-02-2016, 02:44 AM	#9
niceshot Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,565	Originally posted by sgh-62 When trying to take a picture, the shutter will release and then the camera becomes unresponsive. The screen becomes dark, and there are no responses to any buttons that I press. It wont even shut off unless i pull the battery which seems to reset the camera and this cycle starts over again. Try using your live view, if you cant then it is the mirror motor