[Ex Finn.]

There seem to be a few condescending jerks here

I would not go as far as saying that. More likely just the translations coming across little skewed..

[SpecialK]

The manual is 400 pages.

That's why you read the parts that could be related to the problem - not the printing section :-)

[monochrome]

There seem to be a few condescending jerks here. If you don't want to help, don't tell the person to read the manual. Ive read it several times and get confused.
There I'm new but I said it. Just ignore folks who ask questions the. The manual is 400 pages.

Well I guess my English is bad. I never knew "I mean this in the kindest, gentlest way possible" translated as "condescending". Of course, the manuals for the cameras I own are, what, 40 pages? With pictures?

Then again when software such as C++ came on 30 or so diskettes with a BOX of books I read THOSE manuals cover to cover. Amazing stuff they have in those manuals. Really. Then I played with the menus and functions. And figured I didn't know what I was doing. Whatever - I guess I'm old-school. Or just old.

I'm happy his problem is solved and my sincerest apologies if my tone was off, but threads that are titled "My brand new K-5 has problems" that end in "Oops, my bad" really grind my gears. It will be here forever. Google spiders will index the headline. Doesn't help Pentax overcome Canikon prejudice.

(Admittedly, the focus indicator issue, while not an off-center focus point, is an annoyance that seems to have come up often recently).

[bossa]

I just tried turning off highlight correction...and, err oops! ISOs 80, 125, and 160 are back on my screen. D'oh! Feeling a bit silly now...

I'm fairly confident the focus point itself is not misaligned, just the inidcator point, but of course I'll need to check for sure tomorrow in good light. If there's nothing wrong with the focussing itself, I'll just take the camera to my local repair shop and have the focussing screen adjusted. Gives me a chance to buy all the spare lens/body/rear caps I'll no doubt lose throughout 2012.

Sorry folks!

Is the focus indicator still showing inside the center circle? If not you may have the focus mode switch set to SEL and have hit the 4-way controller so as to have selected the lower focus point.

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Last edited by bossa; 12-30-2011 at 12:04 AM.

[RonHendriks1966]

Here is the funny side to this problem:

You Tube

You Tube

Don't take offence off it, this crossed my mind reading this article the first time.

Enjoy taking pictures with your new camera.

[Billgscott]

I just tried turning off highlight correction...and, err oops! ISOs 80, 125, and 160 are back on my screen. D'oh! Feeling a bit silly now...

I'm fairly confident the focus point itself is not misaligned, just the inidcator point, but of course I'll need to check for sure tomorrow in good light. If there's nothing wrong with the focussing itself, I'll just take the camera to my local repair shop and have the focussing screen adjusted. Gives me a chance to buy all the spare lens/body/rear caps I'll no doubt lose throughout 2012.

Sorry folks!

I HAVE read the manual and didn't pick that one up.

I wouldn't go to a local shop for an adjustment as this may lose your 2yr warrenty. As the second year is with SRS, I would give them a call and send the camera back to them if needs be,

I haven't needed to use the warrenty with them myself so don't know how they are but I would go to them first.

Bill

[Ole]

On the focus point issue:
There are three independent components at play:
1 - the auto focus module located in the bottom of the mirror box. This is where the actively working AF points are located and these are not connected to tthe red focus points.

2 - the red autofocus points. These are projected onto the focusing screen. Should they be misalligned this will not affect what the camera will focus on. The red squares just tell approximately where the camera will focus and the squares are actually showing a smaller area than what the real AF points within the AF module will focus on.

3 - the focusing screen with edged markings of the general AF area. The focusing screen does't affect auto focus.

[creampuff]

Many seemingly problematic issues go away if one takes the time to read thru the camera's operating manual thoroughly. Obviously the excitement of having a new camera often causes new users to give the manual a cursory skim through and usually find it easier to be spoon fed on the forum. Quite normal nowadays because many people aren't so patient and expect instant answers. Then again some have no inclination to even bother to pick up the manual because they believe the new model operates the same way as the preceding model. Or some learn better by being guided by someone rather than by self-discovery. To RTFM and using the Search feature is the best way to learn imo; besides people are more inclined to answer and address a real problem rather than regurgitate ad nauseum pretty obvious and basic issues that are addressed clearly in the manual. It comes as no surprise that it can be very trying to continually have to spoonfeed newbies who can't be bothered to find out how their camera work on their own.

[Markbrumbaugh]

Peace. It wasn't just this thread, but in general on the forum.

I shouldn't have used the word jerk.

It helps me to put the manual on my computer in PDF form and then use the search function. I am STILL trying to understand how to use an external AF360 flash. Two manuals in front of me and going back and forth with jargon and seeming contradictions. Finally just slapped it on and prayed. Pictures turned out great and I don't know why.

[canajuneh]

I could wish that this thread didn't start with a claim about a faulty K5. Apart from that I got quite a bit of reassurance from it. It is GREAT to hear that other people accidently change a setting and then can't get things to work right - I've done it many times. Yes, I've read the manual - but much of it goes flying past my understanding until I have a problem and start reading again! As my grandkid said - that's a lot of buttons and a big menu!

[Mike.P®]

Maybe true. But on the other hand when someone asks for help, most of the time it is helpfull to be precise on what to do (DRon) and where (under the info button)to find it. Otherwise it isn't helpfull at all. RTFM or try one of the buttons isn't going to be usefull.

Well if you take into consideration that the user is from the UK and under our K-5 and manual menu it is called D-Range (NOT DRon) then I would suggest that it is your post that is unhelpful ?

[zapp]

Same AF problems here.
Center spot is off by about one square up and one square left - stil inside the spot measurement area. I am not sure how that can be adjusted as the red area superimposed on the screen is just a projection of what the camera predicts where the focus spot is. Beside that my K5 is generally off by 10 fine adjustment steps (at least). Incase I can not solve these problems with a single service, that it for me and Pentax.

[Stringmike]

The best products (cars, electronics, you name it) should be able to be used intuitively without reference to the operator's manual. Although you might expect advanced functions to require fuller knowledge (read the manual!), you should be able to do basic operations without first reading the manual. Also, nothing bad should happen if you don't!

There have been some wonderful examples of manufacturers who have failed to follow this principle and in an effort to put in many advanced features, they lose the user in a maze of non-intuitive menus.

Apple is perhaps the best in applying this - their products have been consistently user-friendly. Who ever read an operating manual for their iPad?

It's hard to make things quite so simple in something as complex as a DSLR, but dedicated buttons for important functions and an easy escape back if you mess things up are needed.

In my view, the Pentax K-5 falls in the middle of the pack in intuitive use and still has some complex menus and features that can be hard to find. The K-5 manual, while better than those of earlier models, is far from perfect and many of us would like a better organized guide.

So, please don't beat up on folks who don't read the manual - you shouldn't have to!

Mike

[NotSteve]

I am glad the OP got things sorted without too much muss and fuss.

Clearly people sometimes make mistakes or overlook something in the manual as our fellow Pentaxian did here. But to say people shouldn't have to read the manual is a "don't go there" proposition, barring dyslexia or something along those lines. There is a certain amount of due diligence required on the part of users to read the manual. The K-5 is considered a semi-pro camera after all.

I don't think a blanket unqualified statement can be made that the best products don't require reading a manual and the example of the iPad is spurious. The iPad is quite limited, but within those limitations is does things quite well. I don't think it bears comparison to the K-5, unless we are talking about green mode, in which case, the K-5 is perfectly intuitive, as is any DSLR in fully auto mode.

Let's say we accept that no one should have to read the manual. Then why don't we set up permanent forum for exactly this, something like "I didn't read the manual but I have a question." On such a forum, de facto, you can't chide someone for not reading the manual.

The best products (cars, electronics, you name it) should be able to be used intuitively without reference to the operator's manual. Although you might expect advanced functions to require fuller knowledge (read the manual!), you should be able to do basic operations without first reading the manual. Also, nothing bad should happen if you don't!

There have been some wonderful examples of manufacturers who have failed to follow this principle and in an effort to put in many advanced features, they lose the user in a maze of non-intuitive menus.

Apple is perhaps the best in applying this - their products have been consistently user-friendly. Who ever read an operating manual for their iPad?

It's hard to make things quite so simple in something as complex as a DSLR, but dedicated buttons for important functions and an easy escape back if you mess things up are needed.

In my view, the Pentax K-5 falls in the middle of the pack in intuitive use and still has some complex menus and features that can be hard to find. The K-5 manual, while better than those of earlier models, is far from perfect and many of us would like a better organized guide.

So, please don't beat up on folks who don't read the manual - you shouldn't have to!

Mike

[Opethian]

Come on guys, this is a FRIENDLY forum right?