bounce flash issue hardware problem?

schneider · 10-13-2013, 08:54 AM

I noticed on the K3 Q&A that Adam asked the Ricoh/Pentax staff if the 'bounce flash overexposure issue' is solved with the K3.

The answer was that this issue is a hardware problem and as the metering hardware is completely new they expect the problem to be solved.

Does anyone know what this hardware issue is?

sTi · 10-13-2013, 01:19 PM

I can't claim to know, but take a look at this thread I opened recently (before Pentax said anything about the issue being hardware related) for some speculation about the cause: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5/238961-indirect-flash-overexposure-k-5-k-5ii.html

p38arover · 10-13-2013, 02:45 PM

Wouldn't it be nice if the hardware issue was fixable for a reasonable price.

adwb · 10-13-2013, 11:47 PM

Wouldn't it be nice if it was fixed for free, it's a design fault and should gave been found and corrected pre production.

simico · 10-14-2013, 04:02 AM

Originally posted by schneider

they expect the problem to be solved.

I expect the manufacturer to test its product before releasing to the market.

schneider · 10-14-2013, 05:12 AM

Originally posted by simico

I expect the manufacturer to test its product before releasing to the market.

Absolutely! But it seems they don't, otherwise they would have found the issue in the K7 and the K5........

Ah well, nothing to do about it but try to get the best out of the K5's abilities. Hopefully the K3 and following cameras have great flash capabilities.

asp1880 · 10-14-2013, 12:40 PM

Originally posted by simico

I expect the manufacturer to test its product before releasing to the market.

Yeah well, they do and they don't. Integrated circuits are committed to high volume production midway through product development. Sometimes an unfixable or unpatchable bug makes its way into the chip design. Pentax may well have found the bounce flash bug during late testing of the K-5, but couldn't fix it because the chips had been produced.

In that case, what's a manager to do? Ship the K-5 with the bounce flash bug or spend a fortune and a giant plan slip on a chip revision?

Let's just hope Pentax learnt a lesson from the experience and moves more of the testing up earlier in the planning.

Regards,
--Anders.

Quicksand · 10-15-2013, 05:07 PM

Originally posted by asp1880

Let's just hope Pentax learnt a lesson from the experience and moves more of the testing up earlier in the planning.

It remains to be seen whether Pentax has learned anything. But yeah, let's hope.

I can say this:

THIS CUSTOMER has learned. The K-3 sounds great on paper, but I am NOT going to buy it until the bugs have been shaken out for, maybe, six months or so.

Heck, this K-3 announcement is, as far as I know, the first official acknowledgement that there actually is a real bounce flash exposure problem in the older model cameras.

adwb · 10-15-2013, 11:40 PM

So has this customer learned, I've learned to wait a year till the next model comes out then you can buy this one new with warranty for half price

10-13-2013, 08:54 AM	#1
schneider Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 200	bounce flash issue hardware problem? I noticed on the K3 Q&A that Adam asked the Ricoh/Pentax staff if the 'bounce flash overexposure issue' is solved with the K3. The answer was that this issue is a hardware problem and as the metering hardware is completely new they expect the problem to be solved. Does anyone know what this hardware issue is?

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10-13-2013, 01:19 PM	#2
sTi Forum Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 98	I can't claim to know, but take a look at this thread I opened recently (before Pentax said anything about the issue being hardware related) for some speculation about the cause: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5/238961-indirect-flash-overexposure-k-5-k-5ii.html

10-13-2013, 02:45 PM	#3
p38arover Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Western Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,084	Wouldn't it be nice if the hardware issue was fixable for a reasonable price.

10-13-2013, 11:47 PM	#4
adwb Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bristol UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,636	Wouldn't it be nice if it was fixed for free, it's a design fault and should gave been found and corrected pre production.

10-14-2013, 04:02 AM	#5
simico Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Budapest Posts: 821	Originally posted by schneider they expect the problem to be solved. I expect the manufacturer to test its product before releasing to the market.

10-14-2013, 05:12 AM	#6
schneider Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Amsterdam Posts: 200 Original Poster	Originally posted by simico I expect the manufacturer to test its product before releasing to the market. Absolutely! But it seems they don't, otherwise they would have found the issue in the K7 and the K5........ Ah well, nothing to do about it but try to get the best out of the K5's abilities. Hopefully the K3 and following cameras have great flash capabilities.

10-14-2013, 12:40 PM	#7
asp1880 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Lyngby, Copenhagen Photos: Albums Posts: 742	Originally posted by simico I expect the manufacturer to test its product before releasing to the market. Yeah well, they do and they don't. Integrated circuits are committed to high volume production midway through product development. Sometimes an unfixable or unpatchable bug makes its way into the chip design. Pentax may well have found the bounce flash bug during late testing of the K-5, but couldn't fix it because the chips had been produced. In that case, what's a manager to do? Ship the K-5 with the bounce flash bug or spend a fortune and a giant plan slip on a chip revision? Let's just hope Pentax learnt a lesson from the experience and moves more of the testing up earlier in the planning. Regards, --Anders.

10-15-2013, 05:07 PM	#8
Quicksand Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Ohio (formerly SF Bay Area) Posts: 1,519	Originally posted by asp1880 Let's just hope Pentax learnt a lesson from the experience and moves more of the testing up earlier in the planning. It remains to be seen whether Pentax has learned anything. But yeah, let's hope. I can say this: THIS CUSTOMER has learned. The K-3 sounds great on paper, but I am NOT going to buy it until the bugs have been shaken out for, maybe, six months or so. Heck, this K-3 announcement is, as far as I know, the first official acknowledgement that there actually is a real bounce flash exposure problem in the older model cameras.

10-15-2013, 11:40 PM	#9
adwb Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bristol UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,636	So has this customer learned, I've learned to wait a year till the next model comes out then you can buy this one new with warranty for half price

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