Reasons for a camera ignoring the shutter button

peterh337 · 03-29-2014, 09:01 AM

As far as I understand, the reasons are

1 - not in focus (and configured to not shoot unless in focus, which is the default)
2 - ISO out of range (image too dark or too bright)
3 - RAM memory full after shooting loads of pics in rapid succession (more time needed to flush contents to SD card(s) - this can take ages if recording to RAW)
4 - battery flat

Are there any others?

1 2 and 4 are obvious on the little LCD display. 3 is fairly apparent from the orange SD card LED being illuminated more or less continuously.

But often my K3 just simply refuses.

I used to have it configured for spot focus. Changing it to use one of the pattern options seems to help but that isn't always what I want. Normally I want a specific thing in focus.

I'd appreciate any ideas...

The K5, K200, K100 just took the pic, every time...

**jatrax** · 03-29-2014, 09:23 AM

Too close to subject, (within the MFD.) Though that might be included in #1 as the problem is the lens cannot focus that close

Julie · 03-29-2014, 09:43 AM

Technical issue; the button just not connecting and sending the signal to the camera?

Is it under warranty?

kdre · 03-29-2014, 10:14 AM

I have from time to time the very same issue with three K-3 and couldn't reproduce it. It happened with all firmwares.
I focus, push the shutter button and sometime the reaction is delayed a few ms. It is like the flash delay issue where nothing happens for a few ms when the shutter is pushed.

John4287 · 03-29-2014, 11:08 AM

I seem to have the exact opposite problem - I have Focus Priority set for all selections as week as having the shutter set to not focus and my K3 (1.03 update installed) will take a picture regardless if it's in focus or not. It didn't use to so I wonder if the latest update 1.03 changed something.

**jbinpg** · 03-29-2014, 11:18 AM

Make sure Menu Item C4/25 Catch-in Focus is set to 1. Only turn on CIF if you need it.

Jack

John4287 · 03-29-2014, 11:35 AM

Yes C4/25 is set to 1

peterh337 · 03-29-2014, 12:51 PM

The camera is 2 months old. It's very difficult for a K3 to be out of warranty

The button is being noticed by the software. I can see that much in the viewfinder - the 6-sided symbol is blinking.

It have tried it with C4/25 in both settings and get the same thing. I have now reverted to spot focus and still see the same issue but, subjectively, perhaps less often. Certainly I can easily reproduce a situation where I am holding the button down for many seconds, the symbol is blinking, it is in focus, but the shutter won't fire.

drugal · 03-29-2014, 12:59 PM

C4 - 27 (Aperature ring) set to false would also cause the shutter not to fire. If the contacts are dirty that might cause the problem, but I don't think that's your problem.

cfraz · 03-29-2014, 01:14 PM

Originally posted by peterh337

The camera is 2 months old. It's very difficult for a K3 to be out of warranty

The button is being noticed by the software. I can see that much in the viewfinder - the 6-sided symbol is blinking.

It have tried it with C4/25 in both settings and get the same thing. I have now reverted to spot focus and still see the same issue but, subjectively, perhaps less often. Certainly I can easily reproduce a situation where I am holding the button down for many seconds, the symbol is blinking, it is in focus, but the shutter won't fire.

On the K-5, when focus lock is achieved, the green hexagon turns on, and stays on. If it can't lock focus, the green hexagon blinks. I suspect the K-3 has the same behavior.

**jatrax** · 03-29-2014, 08:17 PM

Originally posted by peterh337

the symbol is blinking, it is in focus, but the shutter won't fire.

Nope, if it is blinking that means it failed to achieve focus. Could be because there was nothing contrasty enough to focus on, or you were too close to the subject.

peterh337 · 03-30-2014, 12:14 AM

Yes - it looks like that. But e.g. yesterday I was taking a pic of a green (grass) field in the distance. You would think a camera should be capable of focusing on that!

Could it be a faulty or worn out lens? The lens is the 17-70 SDM and it has in the past exhibited an inability to move. I still have an extended warranty on it so will send it in...

rawr · 03-30-2014, 02:03 AM

Originally posted by peterh337

But e.g. yesterday I was taking a pic of a green (grass) field in the distance. You would think a camera should be capable of focusing on that!

Not necessarily. Have a look at the last entry in the image below, from the Nikon D4 manual.

peterh337 · 03-30-2014, 02:20 AM

OK - that all makes sense. I just don't recall the K5 doing this, ever.

**jatrax** · 03-30-2014, 09:20 AM

Do some tests with contrasty subjects that have enough variation to be easy to focus on. If those shots work then I think it is just that a particular shot did not provide what the lens needed to focus on. AF is not magic, in many cases I still find manual focus faster and more accurate.

If however, you find it not locking focus on things that should be easy then it is possible you have a problem with the SDM motor. If you are having any problems you think are related to the SDM and you are still under warranty I would send it in before the warranty expires. The 17-70 does have a history of SDM problems at least in the past.

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03-29-2014, 09:01 AM	#1
peterh337 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London Posts: 573	Reasons for a camera ignoring the shutter button As far as I understand, the reasons are 1 - not in focus (and configured to not shoot unless in focus, which is the default) 2 - ISO out of range (image too dark or too bright) 3 - RAM memory full after shooting loads of pics in rapid succession (more time needed to flush contents to SD card(s) - this can take ages if recording to RAW) 4 - battery flat Are there any others? 1 2 and 4 are obvious on the little LCD display. 3 is fairly apparent from the orange SD card LED being illuminated more or less continuously. But often my K3 just simply refuses. I used to have it configured for spot focus. Changing it to use one of the pattern options seems to help but that isn't always what I want. Normally I want a specific thing in focus. I'd appreciate any ideas... The K5, K200, K100 just took the pic, every time...

03-29-2014, 09:23 AM	#2
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Too close to subject, (within the MFD.) Though that might be included in #1 as the problem is the lens cannot focus that close

03-29-2014, 09:43 AM	#3
Julie Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Illinois Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,069	Technical issue; the button just not connecting and sending the signal to the camera? Is it under warranty?

03-29-2014, 10:14 AM	#4
kdre Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 112	I have from time to time the very same issue with three K-3 and couldn't reproduce it. It happened with all firmwares. I focus, push the shutter button and sometime the reaction is delayed a few ms. It is like the flash delay issue where nothing happens for a few ms when the shutter is pushed.

03-29-2014, 11:08 AM	#5
John4287 New Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 22	I seem to have the exact opposite problem - I have Focus Priority set for all selections as week as having the shutter set to not focus and my K3 (1.03 update installed) will take a picture regardless if it's in focus or not. It didn't use to so I wonder if the latest update 1.03 changed something.

03-29-2014, 11:18 AM	#6
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	Make sure Menu Item C4/25 Catch-in Focus is set to 1. Only turn on CIF if you need it. Jack

03-29-2014, 11:35 AM	#7
John4287 New Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Posts: 22	Yes C4/25 is set to 1

03-29-2014, 12:51 PM	#8
peterh337 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London Posts: 573 Original Poster	The camera is 2 months old. It's very difficult for a K3 to be out of warranty The button is being noticed by the software. I can see that much in the viewfinder - the 6-sided symbol is blinking. It have tried it with C4/25 in both settings and get the same thing. I have now reverted to spot focus and still see the same issue but, subjectively, perhaps less often. Certainly I can easily reproduce a situation where I am holding the button down for many seconds, the symbol is blinking, it is in focus, but the shutter won't fire.

03-29-2014, 12:59 PM	#9
drugal Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Detroit suburbs Photos: Gallery Posts: 259	C4 - 27 (Aperature ring) set to false would also cause the shutter not to fire. If the contacts are dirty that might cause the problem, but I don't think that's your problem.

03-29-2014, 01:14 PM	#10
cfraz Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Oregon, USA Posts: 521	Originally posted by peterh337 The camera is 2 months old. It's very difficult for a K3 to be out of warranty The button is being noticed by the software. I can see that much in the viewfinder - the 6-sided symbol is blinking. It have tried it with C4/25 in both settings and get the same thing. I have now reverted to spot focus and still see the same issue but, subjectively, perhaps less often. Certainly I can easily reproduce a situation where I am holding the button down for many seconds, the symbol is blinking, it is in focus, but the shutter won't fire. On the K-5, when focus lock is achieved, the green hexagon turns on, and stays on. If it can't lock focus, the green hexagon blinks. I suspect the K-3 has the same behavior.

03-29-2014, 08:17 PM	#11
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Originally posted by peterh337 the symbol is blinking, it is in focus, but the shutter won't fire. Nope, if it is blinking that means it failed to achieve focus. Could be because there was nothing contrasty enough to focus on, or you were too close to the subject.

03-30-2014, 12:14 AM	#12
peterh337 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London Posts: 573 Original Poster	Yes - it looks like that. But e.g. yesterday I was taking a pic of a green (grass) field in the distance. You would think a camera should be capable of focusing on that! Could it be a faulty or worn out lens? The lens is the 17-70 SDM and it has in the past exhibited an inability to move. I still have an extended warranty on it so will send it in...

03-30-2014, 02:03 AM	#13
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	Originally posted by peterh337 But e.g. yesterday I was taking a pic of a green (grass) field in the distance. You would think a camera should be capable of focusing on that! Not necessarily. Have a look at the last entry in the image below, from the Nikon D4 manual.

03-30-2014, 02:20 AM	#14
peterh337 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London Posts: 573 Original Poster	OK - that all makes sense. I just don't recall the K5 doing this, ever.

03-30-2014, 09:20 AM	#15
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	Do some tests with contrasty subjects that have enough variation to be easy to focus on. If those shots work then I think it is just that a particular shot did not provide what the lens needed to focus on. AF is not magic, in many cases I still find manual focus faster and more accurate. If however, you find it not locking focus on things that should be easy then it is possible you have a problem with the SDM motor. If you are having any problems you think are related to the SDM and you are still under warranty I would send it in before the warranty expires. The 17-70 does have a history of SDM problems at least in the past.