New K-r - Display Screen Problem?? Need help

redkr · 06-04-2011, 07:29 PM

Hi all. This is my first post here. I am new to Pentax and DSLRs in general, this is my first one. I am sorry my post got so long but I couldn't think of any other way to explain it.

I just got my K-r and have been experimenting with pics in auto mode for now. I am having an issue though and I've gone through the entire operating manual and can't find anything on this.

In live mode, playback mode, and video mode (anything using the screen) the colors seem completely off for me. For instance, black will be a neonish blue at times (almost like when you do a negative image), and some other colors are way off on the display as well. This even happens when I'm switching picture modes, the example pictures for things like portrait, macro, etc. are way off. I found this odd, especially since the images on the computer come out fine from my memory card, they look normal and the colors are accurate and everything is fine.

After trying everything I could think of and reading the manual, I began searching K-r reviews. In some of these reviews, I noticed pictures of the displays on their K-rs and mine don't look anything like this in the menus. For instance, like in these pictures:
Pentax K-r Review - Product Images | PhotographyBLOG

If you go down to the one with the info screen, just to make it easy, my info screen looks completely different. It has all the icons, but there are no blue boxes around them at all. They are black. In fact most of the screen is black except the icons. I also have a white rim around the outside of the screen that almost fades as it goes from the edges. Also my four way controller, inside the little "arrows" on the screen, it is not blue, it is black.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this or did I get a bad screen? I have tried everything I can think of. Otherwise I am happy with this camera's performance but with how difficult it makes trying to see things in playback (trying to see if I caught a smile or my child's eye's open, etc., which I cannot tell with this issue), this may be a deal breaker for me.

Thank you in advance for any help, and I am sorry this is so long!

(I just added pics in another post, waiting for mod approval!)

Last edited by redkr; 06-04-2011 at 07:58 PM. Reason: added pics

Philoslothical · 06-04-2011, 07:56 PM

I haven't got my K-r yet, but speaking generally, it really sounds like you just have a defective screen. If you bought it locally, I'd say try to exchange it, and otherwise contact the dealer you got it from and see what they say.

redkr · 06-04-2011, 07:57 PM

I wanted to add some photos of what I am talking about, hopefully that will help. I just took these with my P&S, all of them are really accurate and true to color and everything.

Info

Menu

Picture in playback mode. The floor should be brown and the beanbags & table black

These are some of the pic settings, you can also see the haze around the edge of the screen on these.

redkr · 06-05-2011, 06:11 AM

OK looks like the pictures are there now, I hope you can tell what I mean.

jdbosma · 06-05-2011, 08:16 PM

Hi,
I have a pretty new K-r (not quite 2 months old)
I can confirm that your screen pictures don't look like mine, and yours don't look right.

The screen on this camera is actually superb, the nicest I've ever seen on a compact device short of an iPhone 4, and it would be as good as that if it were the same size. It is sharp, bright, colorful, and has practically no color shift if you view it at an angle. My guess is that you have a bad screen and you need to send it back for another.

However, there is one more thing you can try: I think you also have the old firmware. The giveaway is that on the info screen the date appears as "Sat 6/4 10:46 PM"
In the 1.01 firmware, the order of the date and day are switched, i.e. "6/4 Sat 10:46 PM."

Try updating the firmware. You can check your firmware version by holding the "Menu" button while turning the power switch from Off to On; if you don't have 1.01, you should update it. That's quite simple; start at this page:
Digital Cameras and Accessories - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site
and follow the links until you get to the firmware download.

Also you might check the following settings:
- "wrench" tab, page 1, at the bottom: "Status Screen" -> 1 (selecting a different number changes some of the colors; 1 is the default and what you'll see in published screen shots)
- "wrench" tab, page 2, at the top: "Brightness Level" -> 0 (this controls the illumination level of the LCD backlight)
- also on that page, "LCD Color Tuning" - set the G-M and B-A offsets to zero (press the green button to quickly set zero)

Good luck. It's a nice camera and I've really been enjoying mine - in part because pictures look so good on the screen when you show them to people.

hnikesch · 06-07-2011, 01:36 PM

I agree with idbosma above, I tried all the settings including those listed in idbosma's post and could''t get my screen to look like yours, My images on the camera back look the same as on my computer, contrast and color
+1 on trying to update firmware

your screen looks like the contrast is to high but that is not an option in the menu

Hans

twitch · 06-07-2011, 04:02 PM

Yes that's way off, you got a dud screen....

redkr · 06-08-2011, 07:08 AM

Thank you all. I am trying to send the camera back now. Bummer is they are now out of the red so I can't get a replacement.

Clicker · 06-08-2011, 08:31 AM

Do you by chance have, "bright/dark" turned on ( i think it's off by default)...press your MENU button and goto "1" check it, turn off (uncheck the box) and see if that fixes it.

ywang · 06-08-2011, 03:29 PM

I got my new kr today and also found there are problems about the screen....

redkr · 06-10-2011, 06:09 PM

Well I got it sent back today. Only problem is that now they do not have any red K-r's left to do an exchange.

ywang · 06-10-2011, 10:22 PM

Originally posted by redkr

Well I got it sent back today. Only problem is that now they do not have any red K-r's left to do an exchange.

I replaced it and received my new one today. The shipment is fast.

redkr · 06-12-2011, 05:13 AM

Where did you buy from?

jdbosma · 06-12-2011, 07:07 AM

> ywang

Quote:

I replaced it and received my new one today. The shipment is fast.

...and? Problem fixed?
Did your screen look like it was the same problem as redkr's?

ywang · 06-12-2011, 10:13 PM

Originally posted by jdbosma

> ywang

...and? Problem fixed?
Did your screen look like it was the same problem as redkr's?

yes, similar problem, and fixed. i tested the new one this weekend,,,i like it,,,,

06-04-2011, 07:29 PM	#1
redkr New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 6	New K-r - Display Screen Problem?? Need help - added pics Hi all. This is my first post here. I am new to Pentax and DSLRs in general, this is my first one. I am sorry my post got so long but I couldn't think of any other way to explain it. I just got my K-r and have been experimenting with pics in auto mode for now. I am having an issue though and I've gone through the entire operating manual and can't find anything on this. In live mode, playback mode, and video mode (anything using the screen) the colors seem completely off for me. For instance, black will be a neonish blue at times (almost like when you do a negative image), and some other colors are way off on the display as well. This even happens when I'm switching picture modes, the example pictures for things like portrait, macro, etc. are way off. I found this odd, especially since the images on the computer come out fine from my memory card, they look normal and the colors are accurate and everything is fine. After trying everything I could think of and reading the manual, I began searching K-r reviews. In some of these reviews, I noticed pictures of the displays on their K-rs and mine don't look anything like this in the menus. For instance, like in these pictures: Pentax K-r Review - Product Images \| PhotographyBLOG If you go down to the one with the info screen, just to make it easy, my info screen looks completely different. It has all the icons, but there are no blue boxes around them at all. They are black. In fact most of the screen is black except the icons. I also have a white rim around the outside of the screen that almost fades as it goes from the edges. Also my four way controller, inside the little "arrows" on the screen, it is not blue, it is black. Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this or did I get a bad screen? I have tried everything I can think of. Otherwise I am happy with this camera's performance but with how difficult it makes trying to see things in playback (trying to see if I caught a smile or my child's eye's open, etc., which I cannot tell with this issue), this may be a deal breaker for me. Thank you in advance for any help, and I am sorry this is so long! (I just added pics in another post, waiting for mod approval!) Last edited by redkr; 06-04-2011 at 07:58 PM. Reason: added pics

06-04-2011, 07:57 PM	#3
redkr New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 6 Original Poster	I wanted to add some photos of what I am talking about, hopefully that will help. I just took these with my P&S, all of them are really accurate and true to color and everything. Info Menu Picture in playback mode. The floor should be brown and the beanbags & table black These are some of the pic settings, you can also see the haze around the edge of the screen on these. Last edited by redkr; 06-05-2011 at 06:10 AM.

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06-04-2011, 07:56 PM	#2
Philoslothical Veteran Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 1,889	I haven't got my K-r yet, but speaking generally, it really sounds like you just have a defective screen. If you bought it locally, I'd say try to exchange it, and otherwise contact the dealer you got it from and see what they say.

06-05-2011, 06:11 AM	#4
redkr New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 6 Original Poster	OK looks like the pictures are there now, I hope you can tell what I mean.

06-05-2011, 08:16 PM	#5
jdbosma New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Boston Photos: Gallery Posts: 17	Hi, I have a pretty new K-r (not quite 2 months old) I can confirm that your screen pictures don't look like mine, and yours don't look right. The screen on this camera is actually superb, the nicest I've ever seen on a compact device short of an iPhone 4, and it would be as good as that if it were the same size. It is sharp, bright, colorful, and has practically no color shift if you view it at an angle. My guess is that you have a bad screen and you need to send it back for another. However, there is one more thing you can try: I think you also have the old firmware. The giveaway is that on the info screen the date appears as "Sat 6/4 10:46 PM" In the 1.01 firmware, the order of the date and day are switched, i.e. "6/4 Sat 10:46 PM." Try updating the firmware. You can check your firmware version by holding the "Menu" button while turning the power switch from Off to On; if you don't have 1.01, you should update it. That's quite simple; start at this page: Digital Cameras and Accessories - Official PENTAX Imaging Web Site and follow the links until you get to the firmware download. Also you might check the following settings: - "wrench" tab, page 1, at the bottom: "Status Screen" -> 1 (selecting a different number changes some of the colors; 1 is the default and what you'll see in published screen shots) - "wrench" tab, page 2, at the top: "Brightness Level" -> 0 (this controls the illumination level of the LCD backlight) - also on that page, "LCD Color Tuning" - set the G-M and B-A offsets to zero (press the green button to quickly set zero) Good luck. It's a nice camera and I've really been enjoying mine - in part because pictures look so good on the screen when you show them to people.

06-07-2011, 01:36 PM	#6
hnikesch Veteran Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,316	I agree with idbosma above, I tried all the settings including those listed in idbosma's post and could''t get my screen to look like yours, My images on the camera back look the same as on my computer, contrast and color +1 on trying to update firmware your screen looks like the contrast is to high but that is not an option in the menu Hans

06-07-2011, 04:02 PM	#7
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	Yes that's way off, you got a dud screen....

06-08-2011, 07:08 AM	#8
redkr New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 6 Original Poster	Thank you all. I am trying to send the camera back now. Bummer is they are now out of the red so I can't get a replacement.

06-08-2011, 08:31 AM	#9
Clicker Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,241	Do you by chance have, "bright/dark" turned on ( i think it's off by default)...press your MENU button and goto "1" check it, turn off (uncheck the box) and see if that fixes it.

06-08-2011, 03:29 PM	#10
ywang New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 6	I got my new kr today and also found there are problems about the screen....

06-10-2011, 06:09 PM	#11
redkr New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 6 Original Poster	Well I got it sent back today. Only problem is that now they do not have any red K-r's left to do an exchange.

06-10-2011, 10:22 PM	#12
ywang New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 6	Originally posted by redkr Well I got it sent back today. Only problem is that now they do not have any red K-r's left to do an exchange. I replaced it and received my new one today. The shipment is fast.

06-12-2011, 05:13 AM	#13
redkr New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 6 Original Poster	Where did you buy from?

06-12-2011, 07:07 AM	#14
jdbosma New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Boston Photos: Gallery Posts: 17	> ywang Quote: I replaced it and received my new one today. The shipment is fast. ...and? Problem fixed? Did your screen look like it was the same problem as redkr's?

06-12-2011, 10:13 PM	#15
ywang New Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 6	Originally posted by jdbosma > ywang ...and? Problem fixed? Did your screen look like it was the same problem as redkr's? yes, similar problem, and fixed. i tested the new one this weekend,,,i like it,,,,