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11-02-2010, 04:18 PM   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by imtheguy Quote
Overall, I find the K-5 meters brighter than my k20D by about 0.5 stops w/o flash. With the Metz48 indoors, it seems more spot-on such that I have not used any EV changes. But, have not done any hard testing with the flash, just shots of the cat using bounce. I like what I see so far indoors. Outdoors I use it often with a Better Beamer to help with shadows on birds with the a*400/2.8. Because that is usually in HSS mode I would not know if my inability to start each session off with proper exposure is due to conditions or a difference between the K20D and K-5.
Thanks bud. I'm just now starting to line up the gear I have now with the K-5. How does the Metz48 do with wirless on the K-5?

I have the AF-540FGZ, and was thinking of pairing it with the Metz48, but didn't know if they played good together.

11-02-2010, 04:20 PM   #17
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QuoteOriginally posted by 65535 Quote
Honestly I've had enough bad experiences with clone batteries that I do not take the chance anymore. Especially to save what, 15 bucks per battery?
===================

If you do much backpacking and outdoor hiking, you can really go through the batteries.

OFF TOPIC: Have you played Fallout, New Vegas yet?
11-02-2010, 05:05 PM   #18
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QuoteOriginally posted by imtheguy Quote
Thus I wondered if it was a "smart" battery.
My answer is yes..... I have some DX batteries from HK, which look almost identical in every way and even work perfectly, and give identical performance to the originals. However i recently noticed an issue with my A-50mm f/1.2 & K-7.

This lens requires me to enter the Focal Input Length of 50mm every time i turn on the Camera. However when i swapped to my 3rd party battery, the Menu that appears when turning on the Camera asking to input focal length, no longer appeared. Not only that but manually entering the focal length in the menus, after it's turned on, also refuses to register a focal length.

I kept using the battery and at around 50% depletion, the focal length menu, returned to asking me for the focal length, as normal when turning the camera on. The original Pentax battery asks every time, but the 3rd party battery does not invoke the menu screen until it's almost empty.

From that i take it that these are smart batteries, and the voltage required to invoke that menu is set via a certain voltage calibrated to Pentax's battery.

I.e The 3rd party battery has too much current or voltage, and thus when the Camera tells the battery to output a certain voltage (to make the menu appear) the 3rd party battery isn't dipping it's voltage quite low enough, and thus doesn't activate the menu.

When the battery is less full however, when turning the camera on it's hitting the magic numbers that the original battery is hitting, and thus the menu appears again.

So i believe my 3rd party batteries are technically supplying a little more power. And indeed when looking at the sticker my 3rd party claims 7.4volts, and the Pentax one 7.2volts. (They both claim 1860Mah)


PS... I Have also seen the same issue you mention with the lockup, and numbers staying on the TopLCD even after turning the Camera off. So i do believe this is a battery, rather than K-5 bug or issue, it's just particular about batteries.
11-02-2010, 05:36 PM   #19
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Yes guys the problem exists i had 2 sample of k5 already with original pentax battery - and the same situation: camera hangs up when empty rectangle starts to lit (not blink) iv experienced this with 6xAA battery inserted into grip it happened, i mean freezing, even when the rectangle was 1/3 full...

11-02-2010, 05:58 PM   #20
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Remember that there are only a few manufactures that make these batteries. They are batch tested and the top 5-10% go to the camera manufactures and the rest (bottom of the barrel) go to the 3rd party people willing to sell them.

With my wife's Nikon D50 she never had good results with 3rd party batts. You do get what you pay for.

I found the cheap rechargeable Li-Ions test well on the Fluke meter but the problem was always "recovery time". The 3rd party batteries never bounce back to the correct specs after fast shooting or using a flash.

As for the K-5 vs. K20D they are probably two totally different cameras when it comes the demand for stable voltage.

As to the above: Did you use 6 lithium (Energizer Ultra) AA's
11-02-2010, 06:32 PM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rite Quote
Sure hope Pentax debugs that battery issue.

He's not using genuine Pentax batteries, so it's quite likely that Pentax has nothing to debug.
11-02-2010, 07:38 PM   #22
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rite Quote
Thanks bud. I'm just now starting to line up the gear I have now with the K-5. How does the Metz48 do with wirless on the K-5?

I have the AF-540FGZ, and was thinking of pairing it with the Metz48, but didn't know if they played good together.
I can't help with the 540 or true wireless but the K-5 has no trouble firing the Metz-48 when the K-5 is ether Controller or Master.

11-02-2010, 07:49 PM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by Wheatfield Quote
He's not using genuine Pentax batteries, so it's quite likely that Pentax has nothing to debug.
Trouble in river city....I just exchanged PMs with a member who just had the exact freeze I did while he was using 6 AA batteries in the grip when they depleted! I am not sure if he had the original Pentax battery in the Body though.
11-02-2010, 08:06 PM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by imtheguy Quote
Trouble in river city....I just exchanged PMs with a member who just had the exact freeze I did while he was using 6 AA batteries in the grip when they depleted! I am not sure if he had the original Pentax battery in the Body though.
=====================

Thanks for the Metz AND the battery updates.
11-02-2010, 09:03 PM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by imtheguy Quote
Trouble in river city....I just exchanged PMs with a member who just had the exact freeze I did while he was using 6 AA batteries in the grip when they depleted! I am not sure if he had the original Pentax battery in the Body though.
I'll keep an eye on mine. See what it does when the battery gets weak.
11-02-2010, 10:03 PM   #26
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I remember the K-7 had a glitch involving the battery grip as well, which had no effect when powered with the in-body battery. That was fixed with the first firmware upgrade.

Not sure if its a similar issue on the K-5.
11-03-2010, 11:01 AM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rite Quote
=============================

See post #1. imtheguy is talking about the grip batteries that worked with the K20D.

K20d uses the DL150 battery. The K7 and K5 both use the DL190.

Not sure what's going on here ..

Pentax D-BG4 Battery Grip f/ Pentax K-7 39846 B&H Photo Video

NO. I am guilty of leaving out some detail in the #1 post but DID NOT try the DL150 in the K-5. New clone batteries were bought specifically for othe K-5 and its hard to mix them up since the DL150 only has 2 metal contacts and the DL190 has 3 contacts.

Just heard from member Filop who had the same freeze with his K-5 with only the Pentax battery in the body and no grip attached. I can't blame my clones or the grip at this point.
11-03-2010, 11:44 AM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by imtheguy Quote
Just heard from member Filop who had the same freeze with his K-5 with only the Pentax battery in the body and no grip attached. I can't blame my clones or the grip at this point.
==================================

YOU should have been one of the FIELD TESTERS for the K-5.

I'm thinking Pentax is watching this thread.
11-03-2010, 11:55 AM   #29
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QuoteOriginally posted by Rite Quote
==================================

YOU should have been one of the FIELD TESTERS for the K-5.

I'm thinking Pentax is watching this thread.
I think I AM!

Started shooting it on Oct. 15 and so far this is the only real issue after 3,900 shots. Fortunately it can only happen every 600 or so shots and can be prevented by just changing batteries before its fully depleted.
11-03-2010, 04:36 PM   #30
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QuoteOriginally posted by imtheguy Quote
I think I AM!

Started shooting it on Oct. 15 and so far this is the only real issue after 3,900 shots.
======================================

LoL - I have heard about people like you who take photos while sleeping, showering, copulating, and even routine body functions.

3,900 shots in 18 days. We have a winner here!

BTW, can you please ping me when you post K-5 shots?
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