[danny09]

Savoche, indeed we yet have to hear about or experience the sickness since 1.11...

I find this piece very interesting. Wonder how long will the "Silence of the lambs last"

[Arjay Bee]

Prestige release was pushed to 29 Aug, Today is 8 Sept. Will have mine priority post here in remote Qld in the next couple of days and will be pushing it strongly - relatively large incidence of reports in first battery charge so will let you know one way or another... Will try with grip and external flash and interval shooting etc...

[phatio]

Has anyone reported an occurrence in the Prestige Edition?

What is a prestige edition?

---------- Post added 09-08-14 at 08:48 AM ----------

Phatio has one in the range 394xxxx (Prestige Edition?)

I can confirm my unit is not a prestige edition

[totsmuyco]

What is a prestige edition?

---------- Post added 09-08-14 at 08:48 AM ----------


I can confirm my unit is not a prestige edition

A special version of the K-3 featuring with a gray gunmetal finish, black logo lettering, and an accompanying grip.

Read more at: Pentax K-3 Prestige Edition Announced - Pentax Announcements | PentaxForums.com

[phatio]

It's very strange that the Serial Database does not register manufacturing date, which is provided by Exif. It would make a lot of sense to try to cross-check serials mirth manufacturing date. Purchase date is not that interesting....

---------- Post added 09-08-14 at 09:31 AM ----------

A special version of the K-3 featuring with a gray gunmetal finish, black logo lettering, and an accompanying grip.

Read more at: Pentax K-3 Prestige Edition Announced - Pentax Announcements | PentaxForums.com

Thanks, immediately after posting I tried to check and found the right description. Mi unit is not prestige so that serial range must have another meaning...

[kh1234567890]

Savoche, indeed we yet have to hear about or experience the sickness since 1.11...

Reported K-3 mirror flap issues

[phatio]

Reported K-3 mirror flap issues

Not really sure he really has 1.11 rather than 1.10

[BarryE]

I wonder how a previous mirror flapping event might now exhibit itself if V1.11 has now 'fixed' the problem...

I had a strange blank frame in a set I took at the weekend - I'd previously had one mirror event previously on version 1.03, but none since then. The wording in the V1.11 release states "Added automatic reset function when detecting rarely occur abnormal motion of the sequence". Maybe this exhibits itselfas a blank frame ?Anyway, this great camera is working well now (as it was apart from one mirror flap and two lock-ups over 8 months)...

[stevebrot]

Not really sure he really has 1.11 rather than 1.10

Yves is a member here (can't remember his username), perhaps he will post on this thread as well.


Steve

---------- Post added 09-08-14 at 07:39 AM ----------

I wonder how a previous mirror flapping event might now exhibit itself if V1.11 has now 'fixed' the problem...

I had a strange blank frame in a set I took at the weekend - I'd previously had one mirror event previously on version 1.03, but none since then. The wording in the V1.11 release states "Added automatic reset function when detecting rarely occur abnormal motion of the sequence". Maybe this exhibits itselfas a blank frame ?Anyway, this great camera is working well now (as it was apart from one mirror flap and two lock-ups over 8 months)...

That is a good question. If I were getting blank frames, I would would give Ricoh/Pentax a call.


Steve

[gzub]

I sent mine k-3 to service in Poland regarding the issue with crazy mirror flapping. They sent me back the camera after two weeks with the info that they haven't experienced any problem. I spoke with them on the phone and they did not even know that this issue is often happening with k-3. Its official Pentax Ricoh service.

[colescuttle]

My first backpacking camera was a film Pentax. It was so long ago that I don't remember the model, but it firmly cemented a long-term interest in (way far) outdoor photography. I used it to document hundreds of weekend and week-long hikes in various parts of the US and Canada, a section hike of the AT, and a through-hike of the the West Highland Way in Scotland, and if I'd been more careful when packing to move I'd have more of the thousands of photos I took than what remain. So, when I retired and decided to document through-hikes of the AT, Continental Divide and Pacific Crest trails I looked to Pentax for a suitable camera, and the K-30 was the only DSLR available that was both weather-sealed and could use AA batteries (there are not a lot of AC outlets out there). However, I lust after a K-3 and have convinced myself that since the AT is a series of three to ten day hikes between trail towns I can get away with using one on this hike. But then I read Amy Medina's mirror flap post on Steve Huff's blog and have been waiting to buy a K-3 until Ricoh corrects the requisite hardware and/or firmware issue.

It would be very helpful if K-3 owners who have reported mirror problems could post again when their issue is "solved" by a hardware fix or a new version of firmware. Please? Anyone who does is welcome to accompany me on a section of the AT (the whole hike takes five to six months and only 20% of those who start will walk the whole 2,200 miles), but if you've got the time and the inclination and the freedom let me know. I won't be going this year or perhaps even the next, so concerned friends and family will have lots to time to talk you out of it.

George

[danny09]

Hello George
What a theme for the first post on PF! Welcome aboard Post 1.11 we all have been eagerly awaiting 'that' someone who encounters the mirror flop. In my case though it has never happened ever. I guess mine is one of those "flop-free" K3s.But Fingers crossed

[mamethot]

Since the issue seems to reoccur in a more predictable manner (for me, 2/3 occurences) with the movie time lapse mode, I will try to shoot something tonight and let you know if I encounter the problem again.

[colescuttle]

I appreciate the feedback. It would be nice to hear about the non-reoccurrences, but it's just struck me that there is a logical inconsistency with that kind of request. Kind of like waiting for the Sun not to come up. And, who's going to remember to post three years from now, anyway? In the case of people like myself who are waiting to purchase, no news is the best news we're likely to get, and if there's no more bad news by the time I've sold enough blood to afford one, I'll buy one. And, given the number of K-3s that have been sold to date, even a 1% failure rate would not be significant, and a 1% chance of getting a bad one is better odds than getting shot by a WalMart shopper these days.

Well, that was easy. What a great site!

Seriously, thanks for responding.

George

[stevebrot]

I spoke with them on the phone and they did not even know that this issue is often happening with k-3. Its official Pentax Ricoh service.

Hmmmm...that could mean a number of things.


Steve

---------- Post added 09-11-14 at 04:02 PM ----------

It would be very helpful if K-3 owners who have reported mirror problems could post again when their issue is "solved" by a hardware fix or a new version of firmware.

it's just struck me that there is a logical inconsistency with that kind of request. Kind of like waiting for the Sun not to come up.

Yes, I do believe you are correct. This much you do know:

• Ricoh has offered a warranty service fix that apparently works
• The rate of reporting has essentially dropped to zero

Waiting for a zero-issue camera model is sort of a futile exercise.

In regards to the runaway/crazy mirror problem being tracked here, Amy's posts both here and and on Steve Huff's blog (where she is a regular contributor) have done much to create the appearance of a pervasive flaw. While there is no doubt regarding Amy's experience and that there are K-3 bodies with this problem out there, it is my impression that the incidence is far less than the K-5 mirror flop and sensor stain issues that characterized that model's first couple years of service and that the K-3 is one of the more dependable cameras out there. Of the dozen or so K-3 owners that I know well from this forum, none of us has experienced this problem. I would have expected that at least one of the bunch would have been unlucky if the incidence was even 10%. I know that it is not a valid sampling (in much the same way as this thread), but the serial number data base for the K-3 might be a good indication of incidence of trouble-free K-3 bodies:

Pentax K-3 Serial Numbers - Pentax Serial Number Database - PentaxForums.com



Steve