[apexlunat]

hello mp29k pentax france does recognize the existence of a FF issue.The folowing is my mail and the response i got some time ago:


hello,i have the kr less than a month and i experience
heavy front focus problems in artificial light and lighter front focus problems in daylight.Many internet photographic forums declares that this is a common problem of the kr series and hopping a firmware update to
resolve the problem.I have adjusted my camera with the af adjustment
to -10 and use tugsten white balance but the problem in still present.Many co forumers from The Largest Pentax Camera & Photography Forum and Review Site - PentaxForums.com Home are awaiting a fix for this issue and we are at the point of returning the cameras back to the sellers and change them with other brands(canon -nikon).Is pentax know this
problem?confirm it and working on a firmware update to fix this issue?If yes whats the approximative time that the new (correction) firmware will be out?We really love the kr but this problem is very severe to deal with thank you in advance for your reponses.







Now the response:

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your enquiry.


We are aware of the issue of not being able to focus with tungsten light.

This sometimes occurs in situations that have little contrast.

Pentax is working on a firmware-update that will solve this issue.

Unfortunately I can not tell you when this firmware will be ready.

When it is it will first be published on our international support-website:

Software Downloads : Support & Service : PENTAX


I hope that your question has been answered to your satisfaction.
Should you have further questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact us again.

When replying, please make sure this email is included.

With kind regards,

(NAME OF THE SENDER)

Pentax Digital Camera Support Team

Technical Hotline: 0870 7368299


The mail i have sended was via pentax s site.

[jorgemarmo@K100D]

<<apexlunat>>
If it works for you great! enjoy it! but you can for example read reviews as the one on dpreview.... and you will see that the video mode is extensively criticized and it is where the K-r received the lowest grade. As far as I know pentax has never highlighted by their movie mode, however I never use it.... that's why I bought a Photo camera and not a video one.....

Again, the ff issue affect me.... affect my pics...... the video mode doesn't and if you feel comfortable recording videos with your K-r, just enjoy it!

[skoobie]

I was ready to buy the K-r but am waiting to see the efficacy of a firmware fix.

I am considering the K-x instead, but really want the extra features of the K-r (notably, the focus assist lamp, LCD, focus fine adjust, intervalometer). The price difference is low enough that saving money on the K-x still feels like a "loss." I'd rather have the missing features of the K-r, but I know that the FF issue (my whole house is tungsten light) would gnaw at me over time.

-s

[jorgemarmo@K100D]

yeah..... well...... about that "tungsten" thing.....
I made some test (following all recommendations) with focus charts under dim light and I got the FF issue.... however it was not exactly tungsten, it was a "warm" neon bulb (and my pc screen light), it's a white neon bulb but the light has his yellowish tint.
And as many others have reported, changing the WB to "tungsten" you get some improvement (not spot on, but noticeably closer to)

[Deimos]

a quick solution for anyone with the FF issue inside their homes. Go buy compact fluorescent bulbs to replace the old style bulbs, thereby getting rid of the Tungsten light. It will save electricity, save money on your bills and your camera will af properly on top of it

[Brydzo]

My response from Pentax France:

Pentax is aware of this problem, and it will be solved as soon as possible.
It is the same problem that occured in the K5, and at this point the new K5 firmware is availbla and the problem is now solved.

We do not know exactly when the new K-r firmware will be ready.

I don't think there is point in asking them when the FW will be released because Japan simply doesn't tell them.
I wouldn't hurry them, better if it took them more time so they will release a fix that solved the FF completely.

[apexlunat]

jorgemarmo@K100D ,as i wrote before i dont still own the kr( i have return it to get another model different brand).I fully understand the fact that kr has ff problems( which was the reason for me to return it) and you dont like it.I just asked why you are not happy with the kr s video mode.Which features is lacking in your opinion or is not good at?

[mp29k]

a quick solution for anyone with the FF issue inside their homes. Go buy compact fluorescent bulbs to replace the old style bulbs, thereby getting rid of the Tungsten light. It will save electricity, save money on your bills and your camera will af properly on top of it

Do really consider this an option? I hope you say this in jest. For 1, compact fluorescents put out horrible light quality, nothing like good even, warm tungsten light. Second, I shouldn't need to go out and buy a house full of new lightbulbs to make my new $850 camera work right within specs!

[Deimos]

Do really consider this an option? I hope you say this in jest. For 1, compact fluorescents put out horrible light quality, nothing like good even, warm tungsten light. Second, I shouldn't need to go out and buy a house full of new lightbulbs to make my new $850 camera work right within specs!

Um pretty much the whole country I live in has switched to compact flourescents simply for the power savings and enviro effect.

Having your camera AF properly is a nice fringe benefit to helping save the environment and reduce energy consumption/bills

You are welcome to keep your old inefficient bulbs if you wish. But at least when I sit in my house my K-r will autofocus, it doesnt solve THE problem, but it solves mine more than any other option at the moment

Even the K-5 1.03 firmware doesnt completely solve the FF issue (some say it makes it worse) so at the end of the day ppl are going to have to accept it on some level, pray that a fix works perfectly or switch camera/systems

[robroy]

I don't understand these comments that we should just be happy and take pictures without complaining about anything. Reliable focusing is the MOST important thing in a camera. Be Pentax fans, but still open your eyes.

And how can we be happy when a cheap point and shooter works better than this DSLR that costs multiple times more? Someone said that just use live view and you are good. Well, try to take pictures of something that is moving... Yes, it doesn't work, does it. Focusing with live view is slow as hell. Live view also eats up the battery in no time in this camera. If I wanted to use live view, I wouldn't have bought DSLR. I would have bought a cheap point and shooter.

I just sent my camera to repair centre today. Let's see, if they can fix it. I kind of doubt it though. For me this camera has been a total failure. Lately I haven't been even wanting to use it anymore, because my old Canon point and shooter really does better in many ways which is quite sad. Automatic white balance is much more often right with Canon. I have no focus problems with it. Focus is always spot on. Battery lasts much longer. K-r has much less noise with high iso values, but when quality of the auto focus is pure crap, it ruins pretty much everything.

I currently regret a lot of buying the K-r. If repair centre cannot fix the camera, it goes back, and I will get a camera from other manufacturer that I know I can trust. I really want to like this camera. Currently it's just too problematic and too big of a hassle. Let's see, if the repair trip can do wonders. I will inform here, how things go.

[Deimos]

I currently regret a lot of buying the K-r. If repair centre cannot fix the camera, it goes back, and I will get a camera from other manufacturer that I know I can trust. I really want to like this camera. Currently it's just too problematic and too big of a hassle. Let's see, if the repair trip can do wonders. I will inform here, how things go.

Nobody makes a perfect product. If you think Canon or Nikon do, you will likely be mistaken. The first Canon EOS I bought had a faulty shutter right out of the box.

My point with the workarounds is simply this: the FF problem is unlikely to be completely fixed so ppl can either sit around and complain about it (there are about 900 threads whining about on the forum) or they can walk outside and snap some photos and try to enjoy the camera rather than shooting test shots indoors in crappy bulb light.

The FF issue sucks, its disappointing and I am also sad about it. Unfortunately these things happen with all manufactured goods made by man, blenders cars and cameras, regardless of price or brand.

Because of the FF issue I have now learned how to manually focus and I enjoy doing so. Does it mean my K-r AF is now fixed, no but it means I have a smile on my face rather than a frown and a bunch of nice photos to look at, the K-r is still an excellent camera.

[Verglace]

Nobody makes a perfect product. If you think Canon or Nikon do, you will likely be mistaken. The first Canon EOS I bought had a faulty shutter right out of the box.

Manufacturing faults can be expected, the FF issue is not a manufacturing fault, it is a design fault, a design fault for a core and important feature. For example, the first EOS you bought, did all the cameras in the range have the faulty shutter, or just the one you bought? You would have taken it back to the shop and get it replaced with a proper working one. With the K-r you can get it replaced as many times as you like and you will still have the FF issue. It's like buying an automatic car and then finding out you have to shift gears manually and then finding out it can't be fixed. For many people when they bought the camera an Autofocus is expected to be done right and this is not the case. I think this issue should have a class action lawsuit if it is not fixed soon.

[mp29k]

Manufacturing faults can be expected, the FF issue is not a manufacturing fault, it is a design fault, a design fault for a core and important feature. For example, the first EOS you bought, did all the cameras in the range have the faulty shutter, or just the one you bought? You would have taken it back to the shop and get it replaced with a proper working one. With the K-r you can get it replaced as many times as you like and you will still have the FF issue. It's like buying an automatic car and then finding out you have to shift gears manually and then finding out it can't be fixed. For many people when they bought the camera an Autofocus is expected to be done right and this is not the case. I think this issue should have a class action lawsuit if it is not fixed soon.

Thanks for the very good analogy. I don't understand the folks who say just go out and shoot, I am doing that!!! I would also like to be able to confidently use my camera indoors, and right now, I can't. The out of focus images occur in about 85% of all my indoor shots that have ANY artificial light, not just tungsten... This occurs to about EV6... not low light afaic. Also, my wife should be able to pick up the new, "expensive" camera I had to convince her was going to be great, and get in focus images when using the "Auto Pict" setting... she can't, and that is a shame.

[mrjamesabels]

I'm still waiting for a fix. Previously sent to cris but didn't fuly solve ff issue. It seems to be a software issue. Hopefully fixed by firmware. Firmware I needed a week ago. My vacation shooting indoor pics is now over and could have been better. How can I manual focus moving children indoors. Its quite hard in lv or using vf. Goodbye Calgary, hello New Jersey. Have to see hbow many keepers Iv got.

[torpesco]

Count me among those waiting for a fix.