[dualie]

Has this lockup or machine gun shutter happen to anyone not using a grip?
Asking because my local dealer told me it's due to the usage of the grip and ask me to not use grip and monitor.

[fcrespo]

It happened to me, with disastrous consequence, the camera does not power on anymore. I am returning the it back for warranty repair.
I confirm I do not have the grip, and never mounted one on my K3.

Despite this bad experience, I can't wait to get the K3 back. I love the camera.
I am now on my old K5, and it feels like a big regression. Slower, smaller screen and less robust construction. Probablly I am being unloyal to the K5, after 2 years of heavy duty use, but the K3 feels so much solid.

[PALADIN85020]

Has this lockup or machine gun shutter happen to anyone not using a grip?
Asking because my local dealer told me it's due to the usage of the grip and ask me to not use grip and monitor.

Yes. I had one instance of mirror flutter early on after I got my K-3 in November; I did not use the battery grip. I've had no further occurrences since then. Your dealer is off base with his comment.

John.

[Rite]

It happened to me, with disastrous consequence, the camera does not power on anymore. I am returning the it back for warranty repair.
I confirm I do not have the grip, and never mounted one on my K3.

Despite this bad experience, I can't wait to get the K3 back. I love the camera.
I am now on my old K5, and it feels like a big regression. Slower, smaller screen and less robust construction. Probablly I am being unloyal to the K5, after 2 years of heavy duty use, but the K3 feels so much solid.

----------------------------------------

That would indicate it is not the grip that is causing the flutter.

Please let us know how it goes. Curious to see what Pentax Tech gave as the solution as well.

PM me if you would please.

Tnx.

Rite ..

[Rite]

Please post any issues you are having with the K-3 mirror/shutter fluttering, with the camera locking up immediately afterwards.

Also, this is related: K3 Locking Up (while shooting time-lapse)

Thanks,

Rite ..

[Rite]

More reported incidences today ..

K3 died on me

K-3 failure - couldn't stop the mirror flapping up and down

Hi
Today I was taking pictures outdoors. When pressing the shutter the mirror went bananas. It sounded and felt like the camera took 100 shots, cause the mirror kept flapping up and down. Turning off the camera didn't stop the camera.
I began trying to get the battery out, but before I managed, the camera stoped. Afterwards I checked to see all the images - but none were recorded!

I certaily hope this will never happen again - it could be a big problem, if shooting something, that could not be done all over again!

Have anyone had similar experiences?

Regards
Jens

Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/172-pentax-k-3/253707-k-3-failure-couldnt...#ixzz2v21Sjuaq

[stevebrot]

he inference was that Pentax is aware of the shutter/mirror/low power/battery grip issue(s) and is working on a firmware fix.

Assuming, of course, that it is a firmware problem. It may be mechanical or an assembly issue. There are limits to what you can do with configuration.


Steve

[jbinpg]

One hopes that Ricoh did not just dip into the remainder bin of those returned K-5 mirror motors for the K-3...

[Rite]

K3 Crazy Mirror Sickness (Mirror Flapping Lockup) - Report Yours Here!


Let's start a list so we can get a sense of how many people are having the problem, and details that might be helpful.

Here's the rules:

Answer this thread only ONCE... just to report in.
Discussion is happening about the issue in plenty of other threads already. Let's keep this just a list of victims.

Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/172-pentax-k-3/254464-k3-crazy-mirror-sic...#ixzz2vrnc3AUE

[Cyril_K5]

I replicated this twice now.

Was using the BG-5 Battery Grip loaded with 'AA' batteries. The K-30 battery was OUT of the camera. The ONLY power source were the 'AA' batteries in the BG-5.

Used the battery charge level all the way to near zero.

A sudden 'Shutter Flutter' panic occurred as the 'AA' batteries were at near depletion.

e.g., I hit the shutter, which was followed by UNCONTROLLED shutter response at MAXIMUM shutter rate.

The K-3 was fresh, OOTB, with Firmware 1.0. Just flashed it to 1.2

Any ideas? I'm thinking it was related to the BG-5 using near-depleted 'AA' batteries.

Tnx ...

Rite

I had a similar problem. At first I realised that I didn't put back the rubber protection from the grip contacts and thought I touched these with my fingers but then I realised when it happened a second time that it was due to the batteries I was using. They were "non Pentax" unknown third party batteries that I have discarded since then. I now only use Pentax and Polaroid batteries and never had any problem since. I did try a timelapse with 400 exposure, the batteries almost went to depletion but worked perfectly fine.

I had issues using the battery grip with AA batteries also. I have given up on these as well

[bvanes]

I had it once now with similar circumstances as described already.
Non-original battery depleted in the battery grip BG-5.
Switching off the camera had no effect.
Removing the battery from the remote did the trick.

So add me to the "me too" list.

[Lokusart]

that's very bad about the K-3, I thought it was an excellent camera and I even considered getting one. How haven't they solved this problem yet? I just don't buy the low battery excuse

[Rite]

that's very bad about the K-3, I thought it was an excellent camera and I even considered getting one. How haven't they solved this problem yet? I just don't buy the low battery excuse

---------------------------------------

The K10D was a revolutionary camera when it was released in 2006, and I have enjoyed mine since early 2007 (along with the K-x and K-30).

I fully anticipated the K-3 to be every bit as precedent-setting as the K10D was seven years ago now, which is why I chose to forego the K7 and K5 series.

Much to my personal surprise, and disappointment, the sample sent to me is unreliable in the areas of shutter failure as manifested in the uncontrollable shutter malfunction. Plus, I'm just as happy with the sharpness output of the older Pentax digital cameras as what the K-3 sample I got was able to produce, which really disappoints in a very regrettable way.

The sample that came to me is going back tomorrow due to the uncertainty that Ricoh will be able to correct and repair the malfunctions described above.

For those who got good samples (and they are in the majority I hope), you really did get an excellent photographic tool and a classic that should perform for years to come.

I will revisit the K-3 later in the fall and in the event this cloud of uncertainty is lifted through (confirmed) firmware updates and will try another one, hopefully.

Best to all of you K-3 users out there

Rite ..

[Lokusart]

---------------------------------------

The K10D was a revolutionary camera when it was released in 2006, and I have enjoyed mine since early 2007 (along with the K-x and K-30).

I fully anticipated the K-3 to be every bit as precedent-setting as the K10D was seven years ago now, which is why I chose to forego the K7 and K5 series.

Much to my personal surprise, and disappointment, the sample sent to me is unreliable in the areas of shutter failure as manifested in the uncontrollable shutter malfunction. Plus, I'm just as happy with the sharpness output of the older Pentax digital cameras as what the K-3 sample I got was able to produce, which really disappoints in a very regrettable way.

The sample that came to me is going back tomorrow due to the uncertainty that Ricoh will be able to correct and repair the malfunctions described above.

For those who got good samples (and they are in the majority I hope), you really did get an excellent photographic tool and a classic that should perform for years to come.

I will revisit the K-3 later in the fall and in the event this cloud of uncertainty is lifted through (confirmed) firmware updates and will try another one, hopefully.

Best to all of you K-3 users out there

Rite ..

A good sample of the K-3 must be really great camera indeed, but after hearing so much complaints kind of feels like playing the lottery, I hope Pentax/Ricoh manage to sort that out, I think it is one of those few things for the brand to really succeed

[DRabbit]

I had a similar problem. At first I realised that I didn't put back the rubber protection from the grip contacts and thought I touched these with my fingers but then I realised when it happened a second time that it was due to the batteries I was using. They were "non Pentax" unknown third party batteries that I have discarded since then. I now only use Pentax and Polaroid batteries and never had any problem since. I did try a timelapse with 400 exposure, the batteries almost went to depletion but worked perfectly fine

I had issues using the battery grip with AA batteries also. I have given up on these as well

It's not caused by third-party batteries. I've used nothing but genuine Pentax batteries and I suffer through the mirror-gone-crazy problem regularly. I shoot time-lapse professionally, so I run into it a lot, but it's not the time-lapse itself that causes it. It just appears to be a crap-shoot when it happens, no way to predict it, and the only way, so far, to replicate it consistently, is to run your camera in time-lapse mode for a while, not just 400 exposures. Since people have the problem when not shooting time-lapse, my theory is that the only reason it shows up more for me is purely the law of averages because of how much use my K3 is getting.

It's not the grip either. I don't even own the battery grip.

It doesn't appear to be temperature or battery voltage spikes/surges. At least if it's either of those, it's not being reported accurately in the EXIF data. I saw no real anomalies in EXIF data of the photos leading up to mirror-flap. The last photo before the issue shows no unusual temperatures or unexpected battery voltage changes. Could be it's not being recorded accurately, depending on where the temperature sensor is, or if the voltage spike/surge is happening in the split of a second after the last photo is taken... but as of now, evidence doesn't seem to support it being temperature or voltage.

If you don't shoot time-lapse or weddings/events professionally, journalism or even birds/animals/nature, it's probably not an issue to worry too much about... at least in the sense that it will cause you wide-spread problems. I shoot architecture professionally, and if I weren't doing time-lapse, I'd probably keep the K3 and not worry too much about it. However, if you have to depend on it to get specific shots that you cannot "do over", and if the camera is getting heavy use, then I'd rethink relying on the K3 until this issue is fixed.