Top LCD screen is illuminated but no info - is something wrong?

**carlb** · 07-15-2020, 11:54 PM

I'm looking at a K3 and one of the pictures shows the top LCD screen illuminated but there's no data. If the top screen of a K3 is illuminated but there's no info showing (battery level, aperture etc) does that indicate that there's something wrong with the screen? There's another picture that shows the back screen illuminated and showing all the usual info but there's nothing showing both screens lit up at the same time.

maw · 07-16-2020, 01:13 AM

Hi carlb,

You should look at the K3 manual on page 17 Memo and page 26, you can set two lighting levels of your choice in the menu or off.
In addition, when you press the shutter release button, the two displays turn off temporarily until you take the picture.
Let us know if this is what you wanted to say.

Greetings, Mario

**carlb** · 07-16-2020, 01:37 AM

Originally posted by maw

Hi carlb,

You should look at the K3 manual on page 17 Memo and page 26, you can set two lighting levels of your choice in the menu or off.
In addition, when you press the shutter release button, the two displays turn off temporarily until you take the picture.
Let us know if this is what you wanted to say.

Greetings, Mario

Thanks Mario but that doesn't appear to be what I'm referring to. The picture that the seller has posted shows the top screen illuminated and the various lines between the different areas of the screen but it doesn't show any figures for aperture, speed etc or even the remaining power in the battery. So it looks like the camera is switched on but there's no information being displayed. I would have thought that if the camera is switched on then at least the battery power level would be displayed there. That's why I'm wondering if there might be something wrong with the display........or is what I see in the photo perfectly normal.

maw · 07-16-2020, 03:13 AM

Originally posted by carlb

The picture that the seller has posted shows the top screen illuminated and the various lines between the different areas of the screen but it doesn't show any figures for aperture, speed etc or even the remaining power in the battery. So it looks like the camera is switched on but there's no information being displayed. I would have thought that if the camera is switched on then at least the battery power level would be displayed there. That's why I'm wondering if there might be something wrong with the display........or is what I see in the photo perfectly normal.

Hi,

But I don't know where you saw it, I own the K3II and I know that you can see the same data on the upper display as on the rear display except for the 4-way selector.
The top display can be activated from menu C3 in three modes, Off and On in Two modes (from menu C3). for more completeness I enclose links to show you the two displays.
This is what I understood. This is what is displayed by the K3 or K3II.

Review of K3

Upper Display

Mario

Last edited by maw; 07-16-2020 at 03:19 AM. Reason: added link

slartibartfast01 · 07-16-2020, 03:21 AM

Originally posted by carlb

Thanks Mario but that doesn't appear to be what I'm referring to. The picture that the seller has posted shows the top screen illuminated and the various lines between the different areas of the screen but it doesn't show any figures for aperture, speed etc or even the remaining power in the battery. So it looks like the camera is switched on but there's no information being displayed. I would have thought that if the camera is switched on then at least the battery power level would be displayed there. That's why I'm wondering if there might be something wrong with the display........or is what I see in the photo perfectly normal.

If you post a copy of the photo we can all see what you see.

**carlb** · 07-16-2020, 06:32 AM

Originally posted by maw

Hi,

But I don't know where you saw it, I own the K3II and I know that you can see the same data on the upper display as on the rear display except for the 4-way selector.
The top display can be activated from menu C3 in three modes, Off and On in Two modes (from menu C3). for more completeness I enclose links to show you the two displays.
This is what I understood. This is what is displayed by the K3 or K3II.

Review of K3

Upper Display

Mario

The picture looks like the picture of the display you posted but without any figures or symbols displayed.

**carlb** · 07-16-2020, 03:39 PM

Originally posted by AfterPentax

What you describe is what you see when the camera is off. The light that you assume is the backlight of the LCD is just light from above the camera (to make the picture?). I just tried it myself and under the right circumstances it looks like the camera is on showing the backlight but in reality it is off. If the camera was on and turned to pause mode you would see the battery indicator. If it shows only the lines in the lcd it means that the camera is off but that there is a battery in the camera. If you remove the battery those lines disappear as well.

Thank you

07-15-2020, 11:54 PM	#1
carlb Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 1,162	Top LCD screen is illuminated but no info - is something wrong? I'm looking at a K3 and one of the pictures shows the top LCD screen illuminated but there's no data. If the top screen of a K3 is illuminated but there's no info showing (battery level, aperture etc) does that indicate that there's something wrong with the screen? There's another picture that shows the back screen illuminated and showing all the usual info but there's nothing showing both screens lit up at the same time.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Photo counter on the top LCD screen - changing card slots	Coven	Pentax K-3 & K-3 II	5	12-10-2019 03:00 PM
Top LCD screen size	tvrrproto48	Pentax DSLR Discussion	3	03-27-2019 03:17 PM
Nature Wrong Lens, Wrong time, Wrong………….	lukulele	Post Your Photos!	4	05-08-2014 03:11 AM
Something new, something old, something awesome!	RaduA	Pentax DSLR Discussion	18	03-06-2008 11:27 AM
My first photograph posted, but something is wrong?	Linn Currie	Post Your Photos!	18	11-27-2006 01:37 PM

07-16-2020, 01:13 AM	#2
maw Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Sassari (Italy) Posts: 1,118	Hi carlb, You should look at the K3 manual on page 17 Memo and page 26, you can set two lighting levels of your choice in the menu or off. In addition, when you press the shutter release button, the two displays turn off temporarily until you take the picture. Let us know if this is what you wanted to say. Greetings, Mario

07-16-2020, 01:37 AM	#3
carlb Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 1,162 Original Poster	Originally posted by maw Hi carlb, You should look at the K3 manual on page 17 Memo and page 26, you can set two lighting levels of your choice in the menu or off. In addition, when you press the shutter release button, the two displays turn off temporarily until you take the picture. Let us know if this is what you wanted to say. Greetings, Mario Thanks Mario but that doesn't appear to be what I'm referring to. The picture that the seller has posted shows the top screen illuminated and the various lines between the different areas of the screen but it doesn't show any figures for aperture, speed etc or even the remaining power in the battery. So it looks like the camera is switched on but there's no information being displayed. I would have thought that if the camera is switched on then at least the battery power level would be displayed there. That's why I'm wondering if there might be something wrong with the display........or is what I see in the photo perfectly normal.

07-16-2020, 03:13 AM	#4
maw Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Sassari (Italy) Posts: 1,118	Originally posted by carlb The picture that the seller has posted shows the top screen illuminated and the various lines between the different areas of the screen but it doesn't show any figures for aperture, speed etc or even the remaining power in the battery. So it looks like the camera is switched on but there's no information being displayed. I would have thought that if the camera is switched on then at least the battery power level would be displayed there. That's why I'm wondering if there might be something wrong with the display........or is what I see in the photo perfectly normal. Hi, But I don't know where you saw it, I own the K3II and I know that you can see the same data on the upper display as on the rear display except for the 4-way selector. The top display can be activated from menu C3 in three modes, Off and On in Two modes (from menu C3). for more completeness I enclose links to show you the two displays. This is what I understood. This is what is displayed by the K3 or K3II. Review of K3 Upper Display Mario Last edited by maw; 07-16-2020 at 03:19 AM. Reason: added link

07-16-2020, 03:21 AM	#5
slartibartfast01 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,931	Originally posted by carlb Thanks Mario but that doesn't appear to be what I'm referring to. The picture that the seller has posted shows the top screen illuminated and the various lines between the different areas of the screen but it doesn't show any figures for aperture, speed etc or even the remaining power in the battery. So it looks like the camera is switched on but there's no information being displayed. I would have thought that if the camera is switched on then at least the battery power level would be displayed there. That's why I'm wondering if there might be something wrong with the display........or is what I see in the photo perfectly normal. If you post a copy of the photo we can all see what you see.

07-16-2020, 06:32 AM	#6
carlb Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 1,162 Original Poster	Originally posted by maw Hi, But I don't know where you saw it, I own the K3II and I know that you can see the same data on the upper display as on the rear display except for the 4-way selector. The top display can be activated from menu C3 in three modes, Off and On in Two modes (from menu C3). for more completeness I enclose links to show you the two displays. This is what I understood. This is what is displayed by the K3 or K3II. Review of K3 Upper Display Mario The picture looks like the picture of the display you posted but without any figures or symbols displayed.

07-16-2020, 03:39 PM	#7
carlb Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 1,162 Original Poster	Originally posted by AfterPentax What you describe is what you see when the camera is off. The light that you assume is the backlight of the LCD is just light from above the camera (to make the picture?). I just tried it myself and under the right circumstances it looks like the camera is on showing the backlight but in reality it is off. If the camera was on and turned to pause mode you would see the battery indicator. If it shows only the lines in the lcd it means that the camera is off but that there is a battery in the camera. If you remove the battery those lines disappear as well. Thank you