[kenyee]

...I would imagine so. Curious that some people have said it appeared suddenly and/or gets worse over time. Maybe just oversight, or maybe that could happen even with the adhesive issue.

It appears suddenly because excess heat vaporizes the adhesive and it lands on the sensor. That's why some people said they saw it after shooting video or using live view (both heat up the sensor).
It's really a non-issue for new K-5s now...

[philbaum]

...it is like shooting at a moving target. The grease thing sounds unlikely but someone else said that it was an issue on an earlier model. Over-greasing does seem like the likely culprit with the K-R e-dial issue though.

I read somewhere else that Pentax service in the Phillipines(?) found that a resistor in the battery charger was faulty. I actually don't understand why people are getting readings of 8.4+ volts off a fully charged battery when I thought that a fully charged battery was supposed to be 7.2 volts.

I am interested in the mystery and plan to start disassembling my camera blind-folded starting at 2 am this morning. Then I will be traveling around the world for the next month before I start re-assembly.

Well, if a mystery makes you happy, far be it from me to spoil the fun

My 2 batteries, one Pentax and one Pearstone, both charge to 8.41 volts. I don't think 1.21 volts should make a difference to a circuit board, but i may be badly mistaken on this subject. In 5 months, my K5 has not resorted to mirror flopping because of the higher voltage. So i don't think its the voltage, just a defective electronic part.

If my K5 had the flopping problem, i'd be calling Pentax tomorrow and asking them when i can have my replacement top control board.

[lammie200]

If my K5 had the flopping problem, i'd be calling Pentax tomorrow and asking them when i can have my replacement top control board.

+1 to that.

I just strung 6 rechargeable AA's together and got 8.13 volts. Maybe 7.2 volts is the minimum necessary to make the camera fire at all? Also lithium AA's are 1.5 volts each, so you are probably right that the voltage regulator on the camera should be able to handle at least 8.4 total. Strange that the tests show the fault on fully charged batteries though.

[Jim Radcliffe]

Here is a video I stumbled upon that demonstrates the same problem in a Pentax K-r. It's worth watching in it's entirety... he makes a funny comment near the end.. good to find a little humor in all of this though I am sure he was not trying to be funny but rather making a simple statement.

http://www.youtube.com/v/zmp9vkVahjg&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3">

[Rin]

Here is a video I stumbled upon that demonstrates the same problem in a Pentax K-r. It's worth watching in it's entirety... he makes a funny comment near the end.. good to find a little humor in all of this though I am sure he was not trying to be funny but rather making a simple statement.

http://www.youtube.com/v/zmp9vkVahjg&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3">

when seeing this i am really suprised, it is such a strange problem, i have fairly good knowledge about electronics and its inner workings, but this is really a strange thing to happen with a camera, you would think it is a software problem, but why would it act up with freshly charged batteries.

[dave216]

when seeing this i am really suprised, it is such a strange problem, i have fairly good knowledge about electronics and its inner workings, but this is really a strange thing to happen with a camera, you would think it is a software problem, but why would it act up with freshly charged batteries.

Its not software problem imho, there are two ways of fixing one is full disassembling of camera and cleaning contacts in mirror assambly and the other way is more simple if you are familiar with electronics just put in some kind of diode in mirror drive motor wire to reduce voltage by approx. .2 volts to make it turn slower, thats all. Maybe max fps will be slightly reduced from 7 to 6 or 5 but you will get rid off that damn flopping. in fact the problem is in fast turning contacts as camera is not able to determine exact position of mirror.

[Francis]

don't forget the solution number one which is to send it back to Pentax and have them fix/replace it!

[Schraubstock]

don't forget the solution number one which is to send it back to Pentax and have them fix/replace it!

Hi
Not sure if I understand what you are trying to say, I thought that is what I has done.

Greetings

[Rin]

Its not software problem imho, there are two ways of fixing one is full disassembling of camera and cleaning contacts in mirror assambly and the other way is more simple if you are familiar with electronics just put in some kind of diode in mirror drive motor wire to reduce voltage by approx. .2 volts to make it turn slower, thats all. Maybe max fps will be slightly reduced from 7 to 6 or 5 but you will get rid off that damn flopping. in fact the problem is in fast turning contacts as camera is not able to determine exact position of mirror.

I think it is a softwware problem somewhere or at least a combination of since every button in the camera would make the mirror flop, while those buttons are not linked in anyway to the mirror assembly but with the CPU that regulates all its functions.

[Jim Radcliffe]

I have decided to send my K5 in for repair AFTER my trip to California. The sole purpose of that trip is to do photography in the Bay area and along Highway 1 south to Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur with the K5. I am too close to departure to chance sending it in for repair as I am sure it would not return before I departed for California.

I am hoping I can manage to use the camera during that trip.. if the issue escalates and the camera becomes useless I suppose I will just have to enjoy the scenery with the MK 1 Eyeball rather than the Pentax K5.

[dave216]

Sending back is always solution No1 while on warranty

when you press any button on camera it activates CPU that is in sleep mode and CPU starts checking all sensors as far as mirror position not determined it turns on mirror motor to reset it. I've played a lot with my k10 to simulate this.

[Ofer Hadas]

Just curious - is it anything to do with SW version? After all everything is controlled by the SW.
The camera had a voltage control system since the battery may change its voltage and current due to discharging status. Also batt voltage is changed due to temprature, so if I read here that this phenomena is happening in high temp or with "fresh" charged batt – can it all lead to the software? Has anyone encounter this with 1.03 or its happening with 1.10 ?

[Jim Radcliffe]

Just curious - is it anything to do with SW version? After all everything is controlled by the SW.
The camera had a voltage control system since the battery may change its voltage and current due to discharging status. Also batt voltage is changed due to temprature, so if I read here that this phenomena is happening in high temp or with "fresh" charged batt – can it all lead to the software? Has anyone encounter this with 1.03 or its happening with 1.10 ?

I doubt is has to do with SW/firmware as the issue should have made itself known from day one of the new firmware install.

My K5 has performed flawlessly for months and has just begun to exhibit this problem after some 6000 shutter actuations.

I still believe this is a voltage/component issue because the lower the battery charge the less the mirror flops occur (at least in my case).

[CEWren]

interesting thread... thanks for all the research!

[GregK8]

My K-5 has never experienced this problem, and it is really, really, really hot today, so I am going to charge up my batteries and work outside for a while to see what happens.