[gaweidert]

Add me to the list of people with a new K5 with the level feature out of calibration. I was getting ready to return it for repair but after reading posts here about it going back out of whack after calibration I guess I will just leave it as it is. Sign me up for the list of people who would like to see a version of firmware that allows for user calibration of the leveling system.

I don't know about these new fangled cameras. I never had problems like this while shooting Daguerreotypes. Luckily I skipped over, Ambrotypes, tintypes and film as mere passing fads. Besides I liked the how vapors from the mercury made me feel.

[jmg257]

This Pentax/Ricoh patent is for a "Photographic Apparatus" that sounds alot like it is the level/horizon correction system. Inclinometer/accelorometer of some sort used to decide delta angles from level. Correction unit used to displace the sensor plane per the inclination angle.

Photographic apparatus

Not sure how one would go about 'zeroing out' an angle detection unit in the camera. Since the inclination detection unit measures against the force of gravity, when it is, or gets, out of wack, it seems like that would mean it was no longer square with the body? Or the device itself is just broken and not giving out good info? There certainly could be adjustment on the device itself? Programmable offsets would make a lot of sense! I would love to think Pentax properly adjusts all this before the camera leaves the factory (mine is fine so far)..so where/how do they gor wrong?

Maybe the actual unit has to be physically adjusted or replaced?

[mikeSF]

Maybe the actual unit has to be physically adjusted or replaced?

now we're getting somewhere. thanks. i am all up for a physical adjustment or trim pot tweak...who's gonna open theirs up first and have a look?

[Gimbal]

T
Not sure how one would go about 'zeroing out' an angle detection unit in the camera. Since the inclination detection unit measures against the force of gravity, when it is, or gets, out of wack, it seems like that would mean it was no longer square with the body?

I'm guessing now but it's probably a 3D accelerometer that when soldered to the mainboard moves a little out of angle, or the entire board can move inside the camera. (that might explain that some cameras can suddenly go from ok to out of angle)

Anyhow, a software calibration should be possible. First calculate the angle from the readings given by the (out of line) accelerometers as usual, and then simple add an offset.

[obscura]

sign me up too... brand new k-5, 2-3 bars off on the horizontal level...
this is sooo widespread, how can they not know about it ? i mean, the sensor stain issue got fixed, this might not be so important but it's a widespread issue as well...
do you advice me to return it? or stay with it and hope for a firmware update ?

i know its a pretty easy fix, every device with a function like this can be recalibrated via software, the question is, will they bother ?

[SpecialK]

do you advice me to return it?
?

Many cameras don't have this "function". I suggest just turning it off, forgetting about it, and learn where the level tool is in your editor.

[v5planet]

Many cameras don't have this "function". I suggest just turning it off, forgetting about it, and learn where the level tool is in your editor.

I honestly don't agree with this. While you can get away with it at normal or long focal lengths, when you're shooting wide, you will introduce distortions to the perspective when you angle the camera differently which cannot be corrected with a simple rotation of the frame post-exposure. This is especially noticeable if you have a lot of straight lines in your composition, so there have been plenty of times when I've relied on my K-7's digital level to help me compose with the DA15, for instance. Before I figured out the offset for my particular camera's digital level, this lead to a lot of uncorrectably distorted images.

[obscura]

Well i did turned it off from day1, and im trying to forget about it... The truth is, i've never used a function like this, ever, so i wont miss it, but it bugs me, its there, and its wrongly implemented...

[Northern Soul]

Well i did turned it off from day1, and im trying to forget about it... The truth is, i've never used a function like this, ever, so i wont miss it, but it bugs me, its there, and its wrongly implemented...

That's about where I am too, except that I'd forgotten the 'feature' was there until this thread popped up again. The battery lasts longer without it.

I suppose when I am doing product shots with a tripod I could use the level of the camera and batch rotate everything, but it's easier and quicker just to level it by eye before I start ...

[Northern Soul]

Just to add that I enabled this as an experiment and mine is about 1.5 degrees out now.

[kh1234567890]

On my K7 hitting the green button in the composition adjust mode seems to reset the level to perfectly horizontal again.

[mikeSF]

On my K7 hitting the green button in the composition adjust mode seems to reset the level to perfectly horizontal again.

you mean provided it was perfectly in calibration from the start, right?
That is not a solution to this issue and even if calib adjust had enough range to impose a tilt to counter the electronic level, once you do anything else after taking the picture, it exits the adjustment. that has been my understanding anyhow.

[cjb169]

Well, sign me up as well - my level is 2 bars off to the left in horizontal...just got my K5 - Feb '12 production date so it is a pretty recent one.

[Markbrumbaugh]

My auto level is reliably off by 1.8 degrees. I have put that correction into Lightroom. But it should be included in a firmware update to add a user adjustable offset.

[Soran]

Well, sign me up as well - my level is 2 bars off to the left in horizontal...just got my K5 - Feb '12 production date so it is a pretty recent one.

Mine is also Feb '12, and is also out by 2 bars to the left. Wonder if this is a common error on Feb '12 models?