Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
10-28-2011, 03:17 PM   #1
Veteran Member




Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Florida
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 353
K-r double flip mirror issue kinda fixed

I got my camera back from Pentax repair after nearly 3 months.
I had the now famous double mirror flip issue on my K-r (seems it's even more on the K5) and after all this time being repaired, I am sad to say it is not fixed, well at least not if I'm using my original lithium-ion Pentax battery.. I know, weird!
I've read the hundreds of post on the matter for the K5 and everyone seems to agree the problem might be due to the voltage of those black batteries.
The one advantage we have over K5 in that case is the K-r can take regular AA rechargeable batteries.
So I tried using just rechargeables and so far, and by that I mean today, the problem has disappeared.
Here's a video I uploaded testing the camera with rechargeables and the stock battery, one after the other, the video speaks for itself.


I would like to hear from other forum members with the same problem, and if this "fix" will work for them.

10-28-2011, 11:29 PM   #2
wax
Forum Member




Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Santiago
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 53
A month and a half ago I posted the next on K-5 forum on a thread about K-5īs mirror flops:

My opinion is there is a compatibility problem between some lenses and camera electronics. Mirror flops happens to my K-r on these casses:
Pentax 50mm f1.4: never
Pentax 18-55mm kit lens: never
Pentax 35mm f2.4: never
Pentax 135mm f2.5: never
Sigma 18-200mm f3.5-6.3: never
Vivitar 70-210mm f2.8-4.0: usually
Samyang 18-28mm f4-4.5: sometimes
Carl Zeiss 50mm f1.7 contax mount converted to PK: allways
Rikenon Ricoh XR 28mm f2.8:
usually (never at the begining)

Later for accident, my son dropped some yoghurt over my charger making me buy a battery holder(generic), meanwhile I take it for repair and also buy a new charger(generic too). Then I bought 4 Sp ike AA 2700mha batteries. Big was my surpries discovering how good the camera works with great performance and no mirror floping with any of my ex-problematic lenses.

So this what I sopuos itīs the problem:
Becouse the K-r itīs came from the K-x, it electronics was designed initially for AAīs. In addition there could be some kind of bug that when the camera read a minimal difference of internal focal optics plus Ion Lithium battery voltage produce the strange behavior on mirror

Now I can use my converted Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm with no problem at all. So battery holder itīs an excellent accesorie.



10-28-2011, 11:32 PM   #3
wax
Forum Member




Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Santiago
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 53
Also
Try to put the camera down when it has no lens to avoid dust
10-28-2011, 11:48 PM   #4
Veteran Member
altopiet's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Gem of the Karoo, South Africa
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 2,307
QuoteOriginally posted by wax Quote
Also Try to put the camera down when it has no lens to avoid dust
? He is showing the mirror, for people to see what happens when using the different batteries. I'm sure he made sure of a clean environment before doing it, or knows how to get rid of a bit of dust

10-29-2011, 02:47 AM   #5
Veteran Member




Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Florida
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 353
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by altopiet Quote
? He is showing the mirror, for people to see what happens when using the different batteries. I'm sure he made sure of a clean environment before doing it, or knows how to get rid of a bit of dust
yes, getting rid of dust was the least of my problems!



QuoteOriginally posted by wax Quote
A month and a half ago I posted the next on K-5 forum on a thread about K-5īs mirror flops:

My opinion is there is a compatibility problem between some lenses and camera electronics. Mirror flops happens to my K-r on these casses:
Pentax 50mm f1.4: never
Pentax 18-55mm kit lens: never
Pentax 35mm f2.4: never
Pentax 135mm f2.5: never
Sigma 18-200mm f3.5-6.3: never
Vivitar 70-210mm f2.8-4.0: usually
Samyang 18-28mm f4-4.5: sometimes
Carl Zeiss 50mm f1.7 contax mount converted to PK: allways
Rikenon Ricoh XR 28mm f2.8:
usually (never at the begining)

Later for accident, my son dropped some yoghurt over my charger making me buy a battery holder(generic), meanwhile I take it for repair and also buy a new charger(generic too). Then I bought 4 Sp ike AA 2700mha batteries. Big was my surpries discovering how good the camera works with great performance and no mirror floping with any of my ex-problematic lenses.

So this what I sopuos itīs the problem:
Becouse the K-r itīs came from the K-x, it electronics was designed initially for AAīs. In addition there could be some kind of bug that when the camera read a minimal difference of internal focal optics plus Ion Lithium battery voltage produce the strange behavior on mirror

Now I can use my converted Carl Zeiss Planar 50mm with no problem at all. So battery holder itīs an excellent accesorie.



Nice to hear that it works for you too wax! That battery holder is a very good investment after all.
10-30-2011, 04:15 AM   #6
wax
Forum Member




Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Santiago
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 53
Happy for you too
10-30-2011, 05:51 AM   #7
Pentaxian
Class A's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Wellington, New Zealand
Posts: 11,250
Glad you found a workaround but surely it isn't a "fix". I'd complain about the failure to repair the camera, in particular regarding the long time it has been in repair. While the workaround may be a solution, I would challenge Pentax to provide me a defect-free camera.

10-30-2011, 10:28 AM   #8
wax
Forum Member




Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Santiago
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 53
Mirror flop could be yet a non resolved issue but for me the K-r is still above all other cameras of the same level. I only have mirror flops with a few non Pentax lens, and on also as the possibility to use AAs. No other camera has it, so itīs a plus . As you say I also spect Pentax to resolve this issue, but I still preffer Pentax. Obvioussly if this remains in the future I will change my prefferences.
10-30-2011, 11:20 AM   #9
Pentaxian




Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Albuquerque, NM
Posts: 6,027
So I've been reading the threads about the mirror flopping and full charged batteries and one issue seems to be glossed over -- what is the proper voltage supposed to be? It says 7.2v on the battery, right? (It does on my K-7 battery, and the K-5 takes the same battery.) But several people were measuring their voltages at 8.4ish but then going ahead anyway looking for the problem still. But isn't that the problem? If your 7.2v battery is measuring 8.4v, isn't that really wrong? (i.e. shouldn't you NOT use that battery or charger) Or is that normal and 7.2v is merely "average" voltage or 1v should be no big deal? (I notice the Pearstone generic from B&H actually is rated 7.4v.)
10-30-2011, 07:21 PM   #10
Veteran Member




Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Florida
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 353
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by vonBaloney Quote
So I've been reading the threads about the mirror flopping and full charged batteries and one issue seems to be glossed over -- what is the proper voltage supposed to be? It says 7.2v on the battery, right? (It does on my K-7 battery, and the K-5 takes the same battery.) But several people were measuring their voltages at 8.4ish but then going ahead anyway looking for the problem still. But isn't that the problem? If your 7.2v battery is measuring 8.4v, isn't that really wrong? (i.e. shouldn't you NOT use that battery or charger) Or is that normal and 7.2v is merely "average" voltage or 1v should be no big deal? (I notice the Pearstone generic from B&H actually is rated 7.4v.)
I'm with you, I was wondering the same thing while reading about it... I don't know enough about electronics to know if that "1 volt" is really a big deal for the camera's circuits, I'm guessing it is though...
I wish Pentax would come clean and make an official statement about their defective batteries and/or chargers.
An official recall program would be a pain but it will still be better than just ignore the users.. just saying..
10-31-2011, 09:39 AM   #11
Senior Member




Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 206
Nearly any battery will come off a charger > the listed nominal voltage. This is true with car batteries (12v = 13.x vDC in reality), AAs, and other specialty batteries. My specialty 3.2v batteries come off the charger around 3.6-4.2vDC. They soon with some use settle down closer to the closer voltage, but this is pretty common with virtually any battery at all. Any device that this is an issue for should have a regulator (and possibly booster circuit if needed) circuit to handle this. now, it's possible that the Pentax charger may be overcharging, or that the battery circuitry is allowing the over-charge before saying it's 'full' (most batteries have a small pcb inside them..).

I'm a little rusty on my battery internals, as I haven't cared in some time, but it's not at all unexpected that a ~7.2vDC battery would come off the charger at ~8vDC or so. The fact that most people's 'flopping' seems to stop after the battery drains a bit would point at either defective batteries that are charging 'out of upper bounds' for some reason, or faulty voltage regulation...
12-12-2011, 08:11 PM   #12
Forum Member
Khoff2's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Dallas, TX
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 84
same issue here

OK, my K-R has developed this same problem yesterday. I found that both my Pentax kit lenses, 18-55mm, and 50-200mm are the culprit. When I remove those lenses, the problem goes away as it does with my Tamron 70-300mm. Anybody have luck getting replacements lenses that work?
12-12-2011, 11:38 PM   #13
Veteran Member




Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 1,889
Khoff2, clean the contacts on the lenses and body very very well, and see if that helps. It seems there is more than one cause of mirror flops, and if it's just with particular lenses on yours, the contacts are probably the problem.
01-19-2012, 08:35 AM   #14
Forum Member
Khoff2's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Dallas, TX
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 84
Well, I'm happy to report that my K-R is fixed (at least for now). Sent it in for repair (Chandler, AZ) and they received it last Wed, 1-11-12. I received it back yesterday on 1-18-12. Only one week. I'm impressed. They replaced the aparature control unit, checked my lenses, and upgraded the firmware. So far, it works great! Other than the $25 to ship it back to them (had to buy insurance), I'm impressed with the turn around time.
09-26-2012, 05:47 PM   #15
New Member




Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 4
what kind of batteries did you use?
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
batteries, camera, issue, k-r, k5, kr, mirror, pentax, pentax k-r, rechargeables, video
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Kinda Sticky Mirror Syndrome Simian Summit Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 7 09-06-2011 02:44 AM
Double mirror flip problem K-r with M42 lens au22ru Pentax DSLR Discussion 11 07-22-2011 04:17 AM
K-x double-image blur issue solved! Edwin13 Pentax DSLR Discussion 4 02-19-2011 11:19 PM
Viewfinder Mirror issue AbsoluteZedo Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 27 10-20-2010 07:45 AM
K2 Stuck Mirror Issue winstonthorne Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 5 02-04-2010 10:35 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:54 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top