Got my K-x Yesterday, and it's Going Back to B&H Today - Known Battery Problem

wll · 10-30-2009, 06:05 AM

Yep,

Great little camera, and fast as heck, but ....... battery always shows low and shuts off after just a few minutes.

Have rechargeables that are new in it and use the same brand in other cameras ... this set was brand new and then recharged slowly in a MAHA 801D charger.

This is a known problem and happens in selected units ..... some K-x's work great with everything you feed them and some are very particular.

I did not try the Lithiums that came with the camera, as I was planning on keeping them in the bag as a back up.

I'll send it back today and tell B&H to send another K-x out. Hope #2 does not have this problem.

wll

rawr · 10-30-2009, 06:23 AM

Just for info, what was the battery brand, type and capacity?

jerrymouse · 10-30-2009, 06:30 AM

I'd rule out batteries first. Try different ones (fully charged), wait for a while after inserting batteries before turning the camera on. Try to swith LV on/off.

And try supplied lithiums.

wll · 10-30-2009, 06:45 AM

Did all that stuff, use Rayovac Hybids, and they are great.

wll

*pxpaulx* · 10-30-2009, 07:10 AM

That is unfortunate. I will have to give my eneloops a run-through over the weekend. Been using the lithiums supplied with no sign of slow down so far. Shot probably 20 minutes of video, extensively tried out the liveview options, lots of menu and playback useage and just over 100 photos taken so far without a hiccup.

chedoy · 10-30-2009, 08:03 AM

So the Pentax Tech Center recommendation did not work?

As I understand it ..... Insert batteries. Wait 20-30 seconds before powering up camera, which allows internal circuitry to reboot and recognize battery type.

blu3ness · 10-30-2009, 08:12 AM

what chedoy said, also go into the menu and set the correct battery type to NiMh, do a reboot.

Eruditass · 10-30-2009, 08:16 AM

Please post part of your SN here

K-x owners: NiMH batteries results please

wll · 10-30-2009, 10:13 PM

I put batteries in, let set for over a minute.

Reset battery type in menu, bla, bla bla.

Sorry, camera did not work with Hybrid batteries that my Ds, Sony, Canon and others work with ..... camera is on its way back as of 2ish this afternoon.

wll

zxaar · 10-31-2009, 03:39 AM

Originally Posted by wll

I put batteries in, let set for over a minute.

Reset battery type in menu, bla, bla bla.

Sorry, camera did not work with Hybrid batteries that my Ds, Sony, Canon and others work with ..... camera is on its way back as of 2ish this afternoon.

wll

your bad luck, either your cam is bad or the battery.
Anyway good that you returned.

for me, used nimh batteries today took around 250 photos, still working fine.
I think pentax should fix this bug, if it is possible to fix in firmware it would be wonderful for people who want buy and use it.

wll · 10-31-2009, 05:25 AM

Originally Posted by zxaar

your bad luck, either your cam is bad or the battery.
Anyway good that you returned.

for me, used nimh batteries today took around 250 photos, still working fine.
I think pentax should fix this bug, if it is possible to fix in firmware it would be wonderful for people who want buy and use it.

It is hopefully a fixable problem in firmware. If my second camera has this problem, instead of sending it to B&H for yet another camera, I will just call Pentax USA and have them fix the problem.

I can tell the rest of you folks who have not seen the camera, it is a little thing, that feels very nice in your hands. I did not get to take any photos, but from all reports it's high ISO and good DR is exactly what I've been looking for.

This camera, a 15mm DA and my 18-250mm DA in my little Domke bag will fill the bill very nicely as a walk around set up. The fact that the 18-250mm is a bit slow now does not matter much as higher ISO's in this camera are fantastic (according to what I've seen).

I might add from the little I played around with the K-x ..... It focuses MUCH faster than my K20D's or my K200D's ..... and I do mean MUCH faster.

wll

WerTicus · 10-31-2009, 11:05 AM

You DIDNT try another set of batteries first?

tomtor · 10-31-2009, 11:19 AM

See my thread about the Varta 2100 hybrids which are probably the same as the Rayovacs. Bottom line, the eneloops and high capacity non hybrids seem to work better, but I got the 2100 hybrids to work with some effort:

Flash, battery, MF and other K-x experiences

mcjm78 · 10-31-2009, 11:46 AM

I have varta 2100 hybrid too. So far it works very well.
I'm on my 3rd set of four. First was Eneloop, then Varta, and now back to Eneloop.
The first 2 sets got me around 1000 photos. I use lifeview to focus quite a bit, and tried some Adhoc video as well.

Nice little cam. All my Nikon friends are amazed by the high iso shoots at 3200 and 6400. I can say the photos from D90 ISO1600 can't even get close to Kx at the 3200 setting.

tomtor · 10-31-2009, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by mcjm78

I have varta 2100 hybrid too. So far it works very well.
I'm on my 3rd set of four. First was Eneloop, then Varta, and now back to Eneloop.
The first 2 sets got me around 1000 photos. I use lifeview to focus quite a bit, and tried some Adhoc video as well.

Nice little cam. All my Nikon friends are amazed by the high iso shoots at 3200 and 6400. I can say the photos from D90 ISO1600 can't even get close to Kx at the 3200 setting.

Yes, it's a nice little cam.

Good to hear that it works also for you. Did you never had start-up troubles after placing the batteries? Have you Auto or the NiMH setting in your configuration?