Help needed with *ist-DL and black pics

smmoore · 10-14-2007, 03:05 PM

I was out with the family yesterday taking some pics and my *ist-DL started taking black pictures. No, the lens cap is not on. I tried two different lens, another SD card, even replaced the batteries. No matter what I do, the pictures come out black. The camera meters correctly and adjusts to the light. The mirror and shutter appear to be operating. Has anyone had this problem? Thanks for any help.

*Mallee Boy* · 10-14-2007, 03:32 PM

Hi,
Strange, very strange. Just a thought to eliminate the obvious....have you downloaded the card to see if anything is on it?
Is it possible that the display is somehow turned off or not working?

smmoore · 10-14-2007, 03:45 PM

Yes, I checked them. The exif data is all there, just no picture. Or a black picture, I should say. I just had a thought and did a mirror lockup for sensor cleaning. It looks to me like the shutter is not open. I am not sure because I have never looked at the sensor before. But I have looked at guts of my film SLRs and it looks like a closed shutter.
Thanks,
Mark

*Syb* · 10-14-2007, 04:18 PM

A very curious thing, I can imagine you want to know what happened. Does it come out black all the time? Or are there some exposures black, and some other correct? Or is it one black, one correct, one black... etc.

I'm asking because i recognize a problem I had with my K10d not too long ago as well. Do not know what I did to improve it, but it has not been back the last time. Looks like a ghost, that takes control of the electronics sometimes.

Hope that a solution will come up!

Syb

Mikhail · 10-14-2007, 04:25 PM

Havent a clue what it could be... Are you hearing the mirror slapping up and down? Maybe try reseting everything? It sounds like the shutter isnt opening for what ever reason...
Hope you sort it out asap!

Thanks

Eddie · 10-14-2007, 07:34 PM

What memory card are you using? I have an off-brand (ebay special) 4g card that after it gets so full, it does that. Black pictures with EXIF intact. Unfortunately, as it was so bright outside I didn't notice it in the LCD until I wasted over 120 pictures. It has done it in both my cameras. I switched to SanDisk cards and haven't had the problem since.

smmoore · 10-14-2007, 10:08 PM

1. All pictures turn out black.
2. The mirror operates. I did a full reset - no help.
3. I am using a 512M and a 64M card. Both Sandisk and both empty.
I guess I will have to send it back to Pentax. That sucks because I am the second owner and I do not know if it can be covered under warranty.

Thanks for your help. I will let you know how it turns out.

FotoPete · 10-14-2007, 11:08 PM

maybe the shutter broke. I hope your repair bill doesn't justify just gettin' another second hand Pentax dlsr lol.