[john1963]

I have noticed the display in the viewfinder constantly flashes when in low light, is this normal?

[Adam]

(In live view) there's an option called something like "show bright/dark areas", and when it's enabled, the flashing behavior is normal. Yellow areas are underexposed while red areas are overexposed.

[AussieTrev]

I have noticed the display in the viewfinder constantly flashes when in low light, is this normal?

Depending on what mode your in some elements within the view finder display will flash because the camera cannot set the EV because the light is too low. For example if you have TV mode and you select a shutter speed that would cause an aperture value wider than the lens fitted the aperture value will flash to warn you that the photo will not be exposed correctly as considered by the camera. If you have the mode set to manual the camera doesn't care what settings you use as it is letting you do all the work.

Hope this helps.

[john1963]

I need to explain a bit more.
No matter which mode I am in, auto Tv, Av, and even manual with the exposure meter showing correct exposure, while shooting a night scene, all the exposure settings shown in the viewfinder, ie, shutter speed, aperture, ISO and even focus lock, all flash constantly. Also in live view all the exposure settings are flashing red. However the photos taken are correctly focused & exposed. Has anyone else noticed this and is this normal. I don't have "show bright/dark areas" enabled, camera is basically set to defaults.

[stevedh]

flashing usually means that it cant expose correctly based on your settings... but you say the exposure is correct.. so odd...

[john1963]

That's right, very odd, also I don't think it was doing it when I got 2 months ago but can't be 100% sure, probably too excited about the new gear, but it just doesn't seem right. I went back to the store that I bought it from and they rang the Pentax rep who said it was simply a low light warning, but I don't 100% believe him, all the flashing makes it hard to work out if the exposure will be correct.

[rawr]

My K-x and K-5 do the same. Shoot normally in daylight, no blinking. Stick your hand over the lens, blinking.

It's normal - just the AE system warning you that you are in an exposure danger zone.

[stevedh]

Ahh... I've just checked (on a k5).. its normal, in low light even with correct exposure it flashes away.. I never really noticed before.
I think it its way of saying you should use flash, even if you don't want to, and I can't find any way of disabling it..
oh well..

[john1963]

Thanks for letting me know that it must be normal, puts my mind at ease.

Cheers,
John