Battery Issue?

ScooterMaxi Jim · 04-16-2012, 11:32 AM

If it has been less than a month, I would think you should be able to exchange the unit with no questions asked.

Pentax/Ricoh needs to get better press with this unit than what we have heard so far.

JNR

LimitedFan · 04-16-2012, 02:30 PM

Hi, I have the same or a similar issue once in a while. I purchased my K-01 about three weeks ago (from an official Pentax dealer in Germany). After a few days, the described effect occurred the first time: I pressed the shutter release, the shutter went down, and the camera died.

Now the puzzeling thing about the battery, which was almost fully charged: Removing and returning the battery did not do any help, the camera remained dead. In fact, the battery seemed to be dead too. I put it into a K-5, switched the camera on, and nothing happend. Then I put another battery into the K-01 and the camera came back to life. I put the dead battery into the charger, removed it after a few seconds(!), and the battery was working again, almost fully charged, in both cameras.

On that day, the whole thing happened three or four times, with different batteries! Since then, the problem occured only once again. (I took almost 1700 shots meanwhile.) After the first incident, I called the German Pentax hotline. Three days later, I was advised by email to reset my K-01 to factory settings. Well ... there might be more to say about that issue.

By the way, otherwise I really like the K-01.

aardvarkgeo · 04-16-2012, 09:35 PM

Interesting - I never even thought about resetting it back to factory settings... I may have to try that when I am back in Singapore. I did ring the official Pentax distributor in Singapore, and they were more than happy for me to bring it in, to see what the problem may be. I would probably ask them for replacement - anyway, will let you know what they say.

ScooterMaxi Jim · 04-17-2012, 08:28 AM

Given the direction to essentially reset the camera, I suspect this involves some kind fail-safe mechanism designed into the circuitry to avoid overload and frying the board. The battery likely has some kind of trigger mechanism to provide a circuit breaker. Resetting the camera only treats the symptom. So, is this a general problem or isolated? You almost hope it is general so that Pentax must address the issue sooner.

JNR

aardvarkgeo · 04-18-2012, 12:51 AM - **1 Like**

So, I took the camera in today and the people there were very helpful. It seems the problem may be the battery or the charger. We went and tried a different battery and the camera turned on and was working fine. Took a few shots, everything worked.. They said the issue could be the battery - but they never or very rarely see this fail, or the charger - which could possibly be "damaging" the battery. So, they wanted to check both components to see what would need to be replaced... fair enough, except that I didn't bring my charger along.

Instead, I thought I would take back the battery and go and buy a new battery (it's good to have a spare anyway) and put it into the charger to see if I have the same symptoms. If I do, then I know it's the charger, if not, then it's probably the battery. Anyway, when I get back, the new battery goes straight into the charger and we'll see what happens.

If you are interested, they did mention that they haven't seen any issues with the K-01 (been in the market for about 1.5 months), and that they were selling out of them and not getting enough in stock - sounds like good news for Pentax fans!

RonHendriks1966 · 04-18-2012, 01:42 AM

Originally posted by aardvarkgeo

If you are interested, they did mention that they haven't seen any issues with the K-01 (been in the market for about 1.5 months), and that they were selling out of them and not getting enough in stock - sounds like good news for Pentax fans!

Good to hear.

Well among all those battery's for K-5/K-01/645D there will be always one that is foul. Maybe just yours.

LimitedFan · 04-18-2012, 05:40 AM

Thanks for the update! Good to hear that your camera is working again.

In my case, I hesitate to attribute the issue to the battery or to the charger since, first, I use the charger that came with the K-5 and worked fine all the time and, second, I had the problems with two different batteries.

Last edited by LimitedFan; 04-18-2012 at 06:19 AM.

aardvarkgeo · 04-18-2012, 08:52 AM

So after charging the new battery, everything seems to be working fine. I guess I need to take it out again and start shooting. The new battery happens to be a generic battery and not an original though. Would it cause me any other issues?

ScooterMaxi Jim · 04-18-2012, 09:42 AM

I would be a bit concerned based on my earlier observations. The German Pentax repair advised resetting the camera to default. This essentially sent a signal to the battery that operation is again normal (at least until the high amp or overheat circuit trigger shuts down the battery again). If the generic battery has no circuit breaker mechanism it might well be the same as creating a potential short circuit. On the other hand, given that you are located in a warm climate, this might just be an issue of abnormally high internal temperatures triggering a shutdown. Keep us advised!

JNR

aardvarkgeo · 04-22-2012, 08:52 AM

Well, it seems there may be more to this story now... I have just spent the weekend out and about with this new battery, the original hasn't been replaced yet, and I just noticed that when changing lens, the shutter is always open... ie. I can see the sensor even in the off position, where before, I am sure there was a shutter protecting the sensor when changing lens.... Can anyone verify this, or am I just loony! The camera works perfectly though.... But if this shutter is not working then the camera is going in for a replacement/repair!

LimitedFan · 04-22-2012, 11:45 AM

The same thing with my camera. The shutter is always open when I change the lens. But I remember having seen it closed some days after I bought the camera, presumably before the first camera/battery lock-up happened (which occurred again since my last post). Did you ever try the "Sensor Cleaning" option? According to the manual, the shutter is supposed to close after turning off the camera, but it doesn't.

aardvarkgeo · 04-22-2012, 10:57 PM

So, the distributor agrees with me that the shutter should come down, and after playing with it for a while, has decided that it needs to be checked by Pentax Japan. Now my camera is on the way to Pentax Japan, and hopefully fixed/replaced and returned within 2 weeks! No K-01 for 2 weeks! what am I going to do...

RonHendriks1966 · 04-23-2012, 08:19 AM

Originally posted by aardvarkgeo

No K-01 for 2 weeks! what am I going to do...

Spend your time on photoshop or reading about photography. That will also make you a better scilled photographer. Sorry to read it has to go back. I handled the K-01 for a few day's and it is a nice camera.

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04-16-2012, 11:32 AM	#16
ScooterMaxi Jim Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,520	If it has been less than a month, I would think you should be able to exchange the unit with no questions asked. Pentax/Ricoh needs to get better press with this unit than what we have heard so far. JNR

04-16-2012, 02:30 PM	#17
LimitedFan Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: NRW, Germany Posts: 22	Hi, I have the same or a similar issue once in a while. I purchased my K-01 about three weeks ago (from an official Pentax dealer in Germany). After a few days, the described effect occurred the first time: I pressed the shutter release, the shutter went down, and the camera died. Now the puzzeling thing about the battery, which was almost fully charged: Removing and returning the battery did not do any help, the camera remained dead. In fact, the battery seemed to be dead too. I put it into a K-5, switched the camera on, and nothing happend. Then I put another battery into the K-01 and the camera came back to life. I put the dead battery into the charger, removed it after a few seconds(!), and the battery was working again, almost fully charged, in both cameras. On that day, the whole thing happened three or four times, with different batteries! Since then, the problem occured only once again. (I took almost 1700 shots meanwhile.) After the first incident, I called the German Pentax hotline. Three days later, I was advised by email to reset my K-01 to factory settings. Well ... there might be more to say about that issue. By the way, otherwise I really like the K-01.

04-16-2012, 09:35 PM	#18
aardvarkgeo Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Singapore Posts: 35 Original Poster	Interesting - I never even thought about resetting it back to factory settings... I may have to try that when I am back in Singapore. I did ring the official Pentax distributor in Singapore, and they were more than happy for me to bring it in, to see what the problem may be. I would probably ask them for replacement - anyway, will let you know what they say.

04-17-2012, 08:28 AM	#19
ScooterMaxi Jim Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,520	Given the direction to essentially reset the camera, I suspect this involves some kind fail-safe mechanism designed into the circuitry to avoid overload and frying the board. The battery likely has some kind of trigger mechanism to provide a circuit breaker. Resetting the camera only treats the symptom. So, is this a general problem or isolated? You almost hope it is general so that Pentax must address the issue sooner. JNR

04-18-2012, 12:51 AM - 1 Like	#20
aardvarkgeo Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Singapore Posts: 35 Original Poster	So, I took the camera in today and the people there were very helpful. It seems the problem may be the battery or the charger. We went and tried a different battery and the camera turned on and was working fine. Took a few shots, everything worked.. They said the issue could be the battery - but they never or very rarely see this fail, or the charger - which could possibly be "damaging" the battery. So, they wanted to check both components to see what would need to be replaced... fair enough, except that I didn't bring my charger along. Instead, I thought I would take back the battery and go and buy a new battery (it's good to have a spare anyway) and put it into the charger to see if I have the same symptoms. If I do, then I know it's the charger, if not, then it's probably the battery. Anyway, when I get back, the new battery goes straight into the charger and we'll see what happens. If you are interested, they did mention that they haven't seen any issues with the K-01 (been in the market for about 1.5 months), and that they were selling out of them and not getting enough in stock - sounds like good news for Pentax fans!

04-18-2012, 01:42 AM	#21
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	Originally posted by aardvarkgeo If you are interested, they did mention that they haven't seen any issues with the K-01 (been in the market for about 1.5 months), and that they were selling out of them and not getting enough in stock - sounds like good news for Pentax fans! Good to hear. Well among all those battery's for K-5/K-01/645D there will be always one that is foul. Maybe just yours.

04-18-2012, 05:40 AM	#22
LimitedFan Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: NRW, Germany Posts: 22	Thanks for the update! Good to hear that your camera is working again. In my case, I hesitate to attribute the issue to the battery or to the charger since, first, I use the charger that came with the K-5 and worked fine all the time and, second, I had the problems with two different batteries. Last edited by LimitedFan; 04-18-2012 at 06:19 AM.

04-18-2012, 08:52 AM	#23
aardvarkgeo Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Singapore Posts: 35 Original Poster	So after charging the new battery, everything seems to be working fine. I guess I need to take it out again and start shooting. The new battery happens to be a generic battery and not an original though. Would it cause me any other issues?

04-18-2012, 09:42 AM	#24
ScooterMaxi Jim Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,520	I would be a bit concerned based on my earlier observations. The German Pentax repair advised resetting the camera to default. This essentially sent a signal to the battery that operation is again normal (at least until the high amp or overheat circuit trigger shuts down the battery again). If the generic battery has no circuit breaker mechanism it might well be the same as creating a potential short circuit. On the other hand, given that you are located in a warm climate, this might just be an issue of abnormally high internal temperatures triggering a shutdown. Keep us advised! JNR

04-22-2012, 08:52 AM	#25
aardvarkgeo Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Singapore Posts: 35 Original Poster	Well, it seems there may be more to this story now... I have just spent the weekend out and about with this new battery, the original hasn't been replaced yet, and I just noticed that when changing lens, the shutter is always open... ie. I can see the sensor even in the off position, where before, I am sure there was a shutter protecting the sensor when changing lens.... Can anyone verify this, or am I just loony! The camera works perfectly though.... But if this shutter is not working then the camera is going in for a replacement/repair!

04-22-2012, 11:45 AM	#26
LimitedFan Inactive Account Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: NRW, Germany Posts: 22	The same thing with my camera. The shutter is always open when I change the lens. But I remember having seen it closed some days after I bought the camera, presumably before the first camera/battery lock-up happened (which occurred again since my last post). Did you ever try the "Sensor Cleaning" option? According to the manual, the shutter is supposed to close after turning off the camera, but it doesn't.

04-22-2012, 10:57 PM	#27
aardvarkgeo Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Singapore Posts: 35 Original Poster	So, the distributor agrees with me that the shutter should come down, and after playing with it for a while, has decided that it needs to be checked by Pentax Japan. Now my camera is on the way to Pentax Japan, and hopefully fixed/replaced and returned within 2 weeks! No K-01 for 2 weeks! what am I going to do...

04-23-2012, 08:19 AM	#28
RonHendriks1966 Banned Join Date: Jan 2009 Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,675	Originally posted by aardvarkgeo No K-01 for 2 weeks! what am I going to do... Spend your time on photoshop or reading about photography. That will also make you a better scilled photographer. Sorry to read it has to go back. I handled the K-01 for a few day's and it is a nice camera.