Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
03-13-2013, 06:14 AM   #1
New Member
SmilingDog's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 8
"Frozen" shutter episode

After successfully taking several photos this morning in Auto mode with the camera on a tripod, I zoomed in a little and pressed the shutter release partway. It focused, but when I tried to take the picture - nothing. The shutter seemed frozen. Only after I cycled power on the camera, was it able to completely take the photo.

Any thoughts?

03-13-2013, 06:56 AM   #2
Administrator
Site Webmaster
Adam's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Arizona
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 51,558
Happens sometimes, more often it seems when your batteries are low.

Adam
PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide | Site Help | My Photography)



PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:
03-13-2013, 08:33 AM   #3
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
jatrax's Avatar

Join Date: May 2010
Location: Washington Cascades
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 12,991
Or cold, which I guess may lead back to the batteries as they don't work as well in the cold.
03-13-2013, 08:42 AM   #4
New Member
SmilingDog's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 8
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by jatrax Quote
Or cold, which I guess may lead back to the batteries as they don't work as well in the cold.
The battery should be fine, the temp was about 45 degrees F.

03-13-2013, 10:14 AM   #5
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
jatrax's Avatar

Join Date: May 2010
Location: Washington Cascades
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 12,991
Well, like Adam says "it happens sometimes". If it happens consistently or at least on a regular basis I'd say you have an issue and it needs to go in for repair. But one occurrence, fixed by a power cycle? Not something I would worry about.

My k-5 did something similar last month, and after power cycle, pulling the battery and everything else I could think of, nothing, totally jammed. On power on it would seem to work but as soon as the shutter button was pressed the battery indicator would go red and the camera shut off. Out of frustration I gave it a good sharp smack on the grip. Problem fixed, and it has not reoccurred. (yet) Research here indicates the shutter motor was stuck, thus causing the overload condition on the battery. Seems to happen on the k-5 occasionally. Probably not what you had on the k-30 but might be similar.

Anyway I would not worry about it unless it happens again.
03-13-2013, 11:36 AM   #6
Veteran Member




Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: U.K.
Posts: 685
One thing I have noticed on my K-30, which may or may not be relevant to the OP, is that the 'no buttons pressed for a while' standby can be a bit of a nuisance because briefly half pressing the shutter doesn't always bring it back to life, a longer press of about 1 second or so is required before it wakes up.
03-13-2013, 12:03 PM   #7
New Member
SmilingDog's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 8
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by SteveB Quote
One thing I have noticed on my K-30, which may or may not be relevant to the OP, is that the 'no buttons pressed for a while' standby can be a bit of a nuisance because briefly half pressing the shutter doesn't always bring it back to life, a longer press of about 1 second or so is required before it wakes up.
Thanks for this, and I'll keep the other posts in mind too - I'll watch for the batter indicator going red.

03-13-2013, 04:08 PM   #8
Senior Member




Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 249
QuoteOriginally posted by SteveB Quote
One thing I have noticed on my K-30, which may or may not be relevant to the OP, is that the 'no buttons pressed for a while' standby can be a bit of a nuisance because briefly half pressing the shutter doesn't always bring it back to life, a longer press of about 1 second or so is required before it wakes up.
The K-30 wakes up a lot less slower than the DS and K-r that I owned. Really irritating. I'd rather turn it off because it turns on faster than waking up. I hope this info can be relayed to Pentax.

About the OP's issue. I experience the frozen shutter ONLY after updating to f/w 1.02. Much less but still happens on 1.03. This is using PDAF. I hope this info can also be relayed to Pentax.
03-15-2013, 04:09 AM   #9
Veteran Member
crossmr's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Liverpool, UK
Posts: 318
I've had this happen once or twice on me..
people were just as quick to dismiss it.
Both times I was shooting in somewhat cold weather.
battery was fine.
03-15-2013, 04:49 AM   #10
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 GrinMode Quote
I'd rather turn it off because it turns on faster than waking up
I agree, it happens with a fine battery, temperature anything from 20 to 40C.....a bit annoying if you are waiting for an action shot and miss it...
03-15-2013, 10:30 AM   #11
Forum Member




Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 60
this has happened to me once, it was cold though and it hasn't happened since
03-15-2013, 10:08 PM   #12
Senior Member




Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 249
Tropical country :-). And I experienced it after updating the firmware.

If I remember correctly, v1.03 was to fix an issue where some lenses do not focus in live view. Well it also happens in PDAF.
03-25-2013, 03:15 AM   #13
Veteran Member
altopiet's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: The Gem of the Karoo, South Africa
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 2,307
Happened again this past weekend, at the moment my son was throwing the javelin in our national championships, it doesn't even help to keep the k-x backup handy, as the throw happens so fast you won't be able to use it anyway. Batteries were fully loaded, the temperature about 28C. I had to remove and replace the battery to fix the problem. From that moment I switched off the camera till just before his throw, taking a photo every few seconds just to make sure it did'n't freeze on me again. during all this on and off switching it at one stage froze in the on position with all the info displayed on the LV screen, no matter how many times I tried to switch it on or off, only a battery pull fixed it.
This is a very annoying problem, especially if you have to do action photography, where you don't have time to switch to a back up camera, or do a battery pull.
I really like the camera otherwise, especially focus peaking, but if this continues during the coming rugby season, or after the next firmware upgrade, I'll have to consider replacing it with the new K-5II
03-25-2013, 10:52 AM   #14
Veteran Member




Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 733
I know for sure that it can happen when the contacts on the lens do not make good contact with the camera. I had this happen to me a few times but noticed that it was always with the same lens (a Tamron 18-250). It would do other sorts of strange behaviour as well occasionally, such as displaying '--' for the f-number or not focusing.

I cleaned the contacts on both the lens and the camera and it hasn't happened again. Actually that was on my K-r rather than the K-30, but I would assume that the same may apply for the K-30.
03-25-2013, 04:48 PM   #15
Veteran Member
crossmr's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Liverpool, UK
Posts: 318
I've had the -- twice in the last 3 months, both times while using a tamron lens.
Never had any trouble with my K-M
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!
camera, k-30, k-50, pentax k30, pentax k50, shutter
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Don't say Pentax "Q" in French ... "Q" = "cul" = "A--" Jean Poitiers Pentax Q 52 11-10-2013 06:25 AM
K5 "frozen" problem. jv.pentax Pentax K-5 & K-5 II 74 08-16-2012 07:25 PM
K-5 Shutter Button "tap" Crosshair Pentax K-5 & K-5 II 15 04-12-2012 07:32 AM
K-x "aperture priority" records as "automatic" in meta data charlestm Pentax DSLR Discussion 3 12-05-2011 12:12 PM
no shutter movement and flashing "F-----" Sharon Harter Visitors' Center 2 08-14-2011 03:37 PM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 08:18 PM. | 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