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**TaiChiTom** · 12-31-2010, 10:45 AM

I think others have commented on this issue, but I cannot find the thread right now.
I tend to be an early adopter and bought my K5 from B&H near the end of October. Very happy with the camera. No issues. No stains. No e-dial problems. Then this past week on a short trip the front e-dial started to behave very erratically. I generally shoot on a tripod with 2 sec delay in M mode, set a baseline exposure with the Green button, check exposure with Digital Preview and set the time and aperture that I want with the e-dials. The rear e-dial works fine to set aperture but the front e-dial is very weird. I can eventually get to the time value I want but it takes lots of rolling of the dial. I've tried slow turning, fast turning. Nothing is consistent. I guess it will have to go to Pentax for repair or replacement. Are there others with similar issues?
Tom

Mike.P® · 12-31-2010, 10:54 AM

One of them was my thread here

Apparently it's user error but mine has gone back anyway due to sensor staining (which is probably my fault as well)

**TaiChiTom** · 12-31-2010, 01:33 PM

Mike,
Thanks for the reply and the link.
Doubt in my case if it's user error, since I've used the camera w/o problems for nearly 2 months.
Tom

Mike.P® · 12-31-2010, 02:40 PM

Originally posted by TaiChiTom

Mike,
Thanks for the reply and the link.
Doubt in my case if it's user error, since I've used the camera w/o problems for nearly 2 months.
Tom

It wasn't user error on my part either, the poster that suggested it just wasn't worth the effort of a reply if I'm honest.

frank · 12-31-2010, 04:30 PM

There is a quick DIY fix for this problem: keep turning the dial left and right for 2-3min, the problem will go away. Try it and see if I'm right

Happy New Year!

**TaiChiTom** · 12-31-2010, 04:35 PM

I have been doing a little messing about in the living room trying to understand my K5's front e-dial dilemma. Seems that if I turn the wheel very slowly, i.e. one 1000, two 1000, three 1000 click, one 1000, two 1000, three 1000 click, I can get where I want to be in terms of time for exposure. This slows things down a lot which is not necessarily a bad thing if I'm shooting landscapes and similar.
Anyone have an explanation? Or a similar problem?
Tom

**TaiChiTom** · 12-31-2010, 04:43 PM

Frank,
You're right! Seems to work much, much better after twisting the front e-dial back and forth for a couple minutes. I'll turn the camera off and let it rest a few minutes and see if the fix is still working.
Thanks,
Tom

Mike.P® · 12-31-2010, 05:28 PM

Originally posted by frank

There is a quick DIY fix for this problem: keep turning the dial left and right for 2-3min, the problem will go away. Try it and see if I'm right

Happy New Year!

It corrected mine for the time I was using it but went back to being flakey next day after a period of non use.

**TaiChiTom** · 12-31-2010, 05:36 PM

Frank,
Seems to be working fine right now after some "cool down" time. I'll try it again tomorrow.
Thanks, Frank.
Tom

frank · 01-01-2011, 04:56 AM

Originally posted by TaiChiTom

Frank,
Seems to be working fine right now after some "cool down" time. I'll try it again tomorrow.
Thanks, Frank.
Tom

No prob.

It's a tip I got from our local Pentax service guy

flyer · 01-03-2011, 08:41 AM

I've had that problem with my K-7. It was caused by a defective e-dial control board. The front e-dial would bring the shutter speed up to 1/8000 of a sec in two to three clicks, but wouldn't allow me to take it down below 1/4000 sec. If I switched the shutter control to the rear e-dial, everything worked fine. Using the front e-dial to control the diaphragm switched the problem to the diaphragm, so I knew it was an electronic problem, not a mechanical one.

Rupert · 01-03-2011, 10:43 AM

I have on occasion, experienced this problem on my K20D. It is frustrating when it happens, but is rare. Not being scientific, I can't nail down any particular set of circumstances where it happens , but it does happen infrequently.
Regards

krebsy75 · 01-03-2011, 10:47 AM

I see this happen from time to time when there isn't enough ambient light in P or one of the priority modes.

Originally posted by Rupert

I have on occasion, experienced this problem on my K20D. It is frustrating when it happens, but is rare. Not being scientific, I can't nail down any particular set of circumstances where it happens , but it does happen infrequently.
Regards

**TaiChiTom** · 01-03-2011, 12:19 PM

Frank's suggestion of rotating the e-dial back and forth for 2-3 minutes seems to have worked in my case. The e-dial is working perfectly now.
Tom

**TaiChiTom** · 03-17-2011, 06:10 PM

I am still experiencing problems with the front e-dial on my K5. In M mode which I shoot in 95% of the time it requires a lot of swearing and rolling back and forth of the front e-dial to get shutter speed where I need it. Are others having this problem? I am thinking of contacting Pentax Service to send it in but I'm reluctant to be without the camera for who-knows-how-many-weeks.

12-31-2010, 10:45 AM	#1
TaiChiTom Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 318	Front e-deal problem I think others have commented on this issue, but I cannot find the thread right now. I tend to be an early adopter and bought my K5 from B&H near the end of October. Very happy with the camera. No issues. No stains. No e-dial problems. Then this past week on a short trip the front e-dial started to behave very erratically. I generally shoot on a tripod with 2 sec delay in M mode, set a baseline exposure with the Green button, check exposure with Digital Preview and set the time and aperture that I want with the e-dials. The rear e-dial works fine to set aperture but the front e-dial is very weird. I can eventually get to the time value I want but it takes lots of rolling of the dial. I've tried slow turning, fast turning. Nothing is consistent. I guess it will have to go to Pentax for repair or replacement. Are there others with similar issues? Tom

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12-31-2010, 10:54 AM	#2
Mike.P® Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Milton, Hampshire, UK Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,154	One of them was my thread here Apparently it's user error but mine has gone back anyway due to sensor staining (which is probably my fault as well)

12-31-2010, 01:33 PM	#3
TaiChiTom Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 318 Original Poster	Mike, Thanks for the reply and the link. Doubt in my case if it's user error, since I've used the camera w/o problems for nearly 2 months. Tom

12-31-2010, 02:40 PM	#4
Mike.P® Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Milton, Hampshire, UK Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,154	Originally posted by TaiChiTom Mike, Thanks for the reply and the link. Doubt in my case if it's user error, since I've used the camera w/o problems for nearly 2 months. Tom It wasn't user error on my part either, the poster that suggested it just wasn't worth the effort of a reply if I'm honest.

12-31-2010, 04:30 PM	#5
frank Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,202	There is a quick DIY fix for this problem: keep turning the dial left and right for 2-3min, the problem will go away. Try it and see if I'm right Happy New Year!

12-31-2010, 04:35 PM	#6
TaiChiTom Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 318 Original Poster	I have been doing a little messing about in the living room trying to understand my K5's front e-dial dilemma. Seems that if I turn the wheel very slowly, i.e. one 1000, two 1000, three 1000 click, one 1000, two 1000, three 1000 click, I can get where I want to be in terms of time for exposure. This slows things down a lot which is not necessarily a bad thing if I'm shooting landscapes and similar. Anyone have an explanation? Or a similar problem? Tom

12-31-2010, 04:43 PM	#7
TaiChiTom Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 318 Original Poster	Frank, You're right! Seems to work much, much better after twisting the front e-dial back and forth for a couple minutes. I'll turn the camera off and let it rest a few minutes and see if the fix is still working. Thanks, Tom

12-31-2010, 05:28 PM	#8
Mike.P® Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Milton, Hampshire, UK Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,154	Originally posted by frank There is a quick DIY fix for this problem: keep turning the dial left and right for 2-3min, the problem will go away. Try it and see if I'm right Happy New Year! It corrected mine for the time I was using it but went back to being flakey next day after a period of non use.

12-31-2010, 05:36 PM	#9
TaiChiTom Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 318 Original Poster	Frank, Seems to be working fine right now after some "cool down" time. I'll try it again tomorrow. Thanks, Frank. Tom

01-01-2011, 04:56 AM	#10
frank Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Singapore Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,202	Originally posted by TaiChiTom Frank, Seems to be working fine right now after some "cool down" time. I'll try it again tomorrow. Thanks, Frank. Tom No prob. It's a tip I got from our local Pentax service guy

01-03-2011, 08:41 AM	#11
flyer Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ste-Anne des Plaines, Qc., Canada Posts: 2,013	I've had that problem with my K-7. It was caused by a defective e-dial control board. The front e-dial would bring the shutter speed up to 1/8000 of a sec in two to three clicks, but wouldn't allow me to take it down below 1/4000 sec. If I switched the shutter control to the rear e-dial, everything worked fine. Using the front e-dial to control the diaphragm switched the problem to the diaphragm, so I knew it was an electronic problem, not a mechanical one.

01-03-2011, 10:43 AM	#12
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123	I have on occasion, experienced this problem on my K20D. It is frustrating when it happens, but is rare. Not being scientific, I can't nail down any particular set of circumstances where it happens , but it does happen infrequently. Regards

01-03-2011, 10:47 AM	#13
krebsy75 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Chester County, Pa. Posts: 804	I see this happen from time to time when there isn't enough ambient light in P or one of the priority modes. Originally posted by Rupert I have on occasion, experienced this problem on my K20D. It is frustrating when it happens, but is rare. Not being scientific, I can't nail down any particular set of circumstances where it happens , but it does happen infrequently. Regards

01-03-2011, 12:19 PM	#14
TaiChiTom Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 318 Original Poster	Frank's suggestion of rotating the e-dial back and forth for 2-3 minutes seems to have worked in my case. The e-dial is working perfectly now. Tom

03-17-2011, 06:10 PM	#15
TaiChiTom Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 318 Original Poster	I am still experiencing problems with the front e-dial on my K5. In M mode which I shoot in 95% of the time it requires a lot of swearing and rolling back and forth of the front e-dial to get shutter speed where I need it. Are others having this problem? I am thinking of contacting Pentax Service to send it in but I'm reluctant to be without the camera for who-knows-how-many-weeks.

Front e-deal problem

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