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09-12-2007, 03:25 PM   #1
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Leaning viewfinder on K10D

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My images coming from the K10D is leaning to the right.

Checking and a straight line (horizon or whatever) in the veiwfinder on a tripod and shoothing dead straight results in a leaning picture. This issue came up on the Swedish forum and it seems that qiute a few camera bodies suffer from this as the repair deparment in Sweden has gotten a lot of retuned K10D bodies due to this.

Anyone here who recognizes this here on the board?

Thank you,

// Mats

09-12-2007, 05:28 PM   #2
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I wouldn't surprised if mine does, often correct later. I've never tested to see if it's just me or it's the camera.
09-12-2007, 06:10 PM   #3
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So I'm not imagining it then!!!! I wuz sure I was taking care using the horizon ticks in the view-finder, yet all my images are off. I was blaming myself as somehow screwing up even given all the care I was talking most times.

+1 plagued by this ailment too then. Broke the display and sending it in for repair so will add this to the repair sheet.
09-13-2007, 12:09 AM   #4
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There have been several posts in the past about shots coming out askew because the SR had moved the CCD. Solution, as I recal was to make sure it is off when shooting on tripod. Don't know if this is the case here, just thought I would mention it.

09-13-2007, 07:17 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by davemdsn Quote
There have been several posts in the past about shots coming out askew because the SR had moved the CCD. Solution, as I recal was to make sure it is off when shooting on tripod. Don't know if this is the case here, just thought I would mention it.
AH! Interesting. I hadn't happened upon those posts in the past. The magnitude of the angle I see on some of mine when I knew I wasn't moving while I press the shutter is hard to imagine was from the IS (for me, again) ... however I will reserve my conclusion until after performing what you suggest. Thank you!
09-13-2007, 08:41 AM   #6
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Doesn´t matter if the SR is on or off. Here´s how it works for me:

If I place the camera on a flat surface, like a table, looking in the V/F at something that lines up, like a window, then the window looks to be leaning to the left in the V/F.

Then, if I fire a shot, the pic´ (window) comes out straight.

So, the sensor seems to be sitting ok in the camera body, but the V/F (focusing screen frame) isn´t. The result is that a straight horizon in the V/F, comes out low on the right side on the shot.

// Mats
09-13-2007, 10:36 AM   #7
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... so this might explain why _every_ shot I take needs rotation adjustment. I guess I can now stop beating myself up over why I can't shoot a straight shot, and fix the actual problem =)

(To wit: I keep "seeing" a straight horizon in the viewfinder, but each one is 0.1-0.3 degrees off, always clockwise.)

!c

09-13-2007, 11:28 AM   #8
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Ironically

This goes way back to the D days (gosh I feel old ). Some seem to find it , others not. Some it just has to do w/ the top frame line. The "markers" were more level. This is not easy to really evaluate. Last check (years ago) seemed to imply a 1.5 degree tilt (Not a lot)lusing the top frame line in some cameras. Most ignore it. Some sell their cameras.
So are you levelling using the hash marks or frame borders??

Last edited by jeffkrol; 09-13-2007 at 11:37 AM.
09-13-2007, 11:56 AM   #9
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Jeff.

I´m levelling with both and the focusing screen seems to have the right fit, so there´s no difference.

I´ll be sending the camera to the Pentax workshop for fixing. I really cannot stand it, now that it has become clear.

Seems like I´ll be shooting RTS, Planar 50/1.4 and Velvia to capture the fall colors this year... I can live with that.....

// Mats
09-13-2007, 01:16 PM   #10
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QuoteOriginally posted by matsoberg Quote
Doesn´t matter if the SR is on or off. Here´s how it works for me:

If I place the camera on a flat surface, like a table, looking in the V/F at something that lines up, like a window, then the window looks to be leaning to the left in the V/F.

Then, if I fire a shot, the pic´ (window) comes out straight.

So, the sensor seems to be sitting ok in the camera body, but the V/F (focusing screen frame) isn´t. The result is that a straight horizon in the V/F, comes out low on the right side on the shot.
// Mats
lol ... that might actually be my case w/o me realizing its the viewfinder making me artificially tilting the image. I'll experiment more once I get the camera back (busted display).
09-13-2007, 01:17 PM   #11
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Trying to eyeball the camera into the horizontal this way doesn't work well, at least in my experience. You may want to try one of those little bubble levels that fit into the hot-shoe. Here's an example that's currently on E-Bay.

SLR Bubble Level
09-13-2007, 02:03 PM   #12
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I guess I need to clarify;

The image in the veiwfinder is not levelling with the image on the sensor that shows on the LCD screen. They are off each others angles. Please see my first post as well as my second.

The sensor is sitting straight in the camera while the veiwfinder image is a bit off (clockwise).

Thanks,

// Mats

Last edited by matsoberg; 09-13-2007 at 02:34 PM.
09-13-2007, 11:52 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by m8o Quote
lol ... I'll experiment more once I get the camera back (busted display).
If the camera is already there being repaired, why not call them and ask them to check the straightness of the viewfinder, and that shots lined up in the frame, come out rotated.

Maybe they'll discover something, and repair it.

Larry
09-14-2007, 07:10 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by mutley Quote
If the camera is already there being repaired, why not call them and ask them to check the straightness of the viewfinder, and that shots lined up in the frame, come out rotated.
Maybe they'll discover something, and repair it.
Larry
It's not there but being sent there; hoping to finally box it up and send it out Monday (you are talking to the world's worst procrastinator ). I am going to add this observation to the worklist for sure tho.
09-14-2007, 07:57 AM   #15
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Mine too.

My K10d does this too, at least when I use the edge of the viewfinder mat to try to level pictures. I put it on a tripod, positioned it so that the viefinder mat exactly followed a straight line, took the picture, and found that I had to rotate the image .6 degrees CW to make the line straight. I haven't tried it with the markers in the viewfinder yet though.

I am wondering whether to bother returning the camera for another (I have only had it two weeks). It seems like a hassle to return it, and from what I have heard here and elsewhere, it is far from certain that the next body won't do the same thing. Any thoughts?
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