[Tom777]

see article below


This article was writen by Biz-engineer member at Pentax Forum
Firmware update is somehow a workaround to the mirror flop. The real issue can't be fixed by firmware for the simple reason that the shutter mechanism is having deterministic timing constraints, hence operated by synchronous logic with more than one clock domain (can still be triggered by firmware ;-), then clocked by hardware). These problems are known but still happen at random if overlooked by designers and not detected during the tests of the prototypes. I personally had the experience of one chip having this behavior with probability of 1/2000 (= you have to run the chip a number of time and if you are luck, the bug happens) on 3% of the chips and at temperature below -25 degC (very cold indeed). It can happen at hot as well.

Back to Pentax: in order to save money avoiding a recall of all cameras that needed a hardware fix on the shutter driver, Pentax did a software workaround a limit damages and most likely added a test to screen out modules having this issue in order to eliminate the mirror flop issue on new cameras manufactured onward.
So, if you buy a K-3 new , mirror flop should not be there.
　
Writen by Tom G
The 1.11 FW Does not fix the problem what it does is shut the camera down and resets it as far as I have read on internet.
but if the problem persists you have to get onto Pentax and send it in so they can do an internal FW update which alters the clock cycle within the camera and can only be done with Pentax engineer

[stevebrot]

Is there any way of knowing the manufacturing dates of these cameras? I'm also interested in getting one but this problem is holding me off. Not that I don't trust Pentax, if I didn't I wouldn't be here. It's just that we have poor service here and I don't want to go berserk in case I get one with that problem.

It is in the exif, IIRC. I know, not helpful


Steve

[Bagga_Txips]

Is there a way we can use serial numbers to reassure ourselves that we have a late-model body? I say this because my local Pentax seller hates us actuating the shutter before buying the camera, he prefers to sell 'zero' bodies - so we can't check exif or anything.

[stevebrot]

There is a serial number database on this site. Ricoh/Pentax serial numbers are sort of interesting in that they are not strictly sequential. There are huge holes and some cameras with lower numbers appear to have been made after some with higher. Special series cameras (silver and gunmetal) have their own serial number groups. According to Amy's K-3 Crazy Mirror thread (https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/172-pentax-k-3/254464-k3-crazy-mirror-sic...ours-here.html), serial number ranges for affected cameras as of November 2014 were:

482XXXX to 493XXXX (black bodies)
and
2573XXX to 2578XXX (silver bodies)

Be aware that even within those ranges, the incidence was far from universal.


Steve

[Bagga_Txips]

Thank you Steve. 482 to 493, I shall remember that - because even though I am trying to be brave and save money, I am pretty sure a K3 purchase is imminent! So far I have missed super bargain prices on the K-01, the K30, the K50, and I recently cracked and bought a K-S1 a matter of days before its price dropped by 120 dollars, and it drives me crazy!!

[snpsht]

My K3 did it the other day for the first time and its serial number begins with 497....

I was using a 12-24 in hot conditions.

[stevebrot]

My K3 did it the other day for the first time and its serial number begins with 497....

I was using a 12-24 in hot conditions.

Thanks! Do you know your date of manufacture?


Steve

[jhmos]

see article below


This article was writen by Biz-engineer member at Pentax Forum
Firmware update is somehow a workaround to the mirror flop. The real issue can't be fixed by firmware for the simple reason that the shutter mechanism is having deterministic timing constraints, hence operated by synchronous logic with more than one clock domain (can still be triggered by firmware ;-), then clocked by hardware). These problems are known but still happen at random if overlooked by designers and not detected during the tests of the prototypes. I personally had the experience of one chip having this behavior with probability of 1/2000 (= you have to run the chip a number of time and if you are luck, the bug happens) on 3% of the chips and at temperature below -25 degC (very cold indeed). It can happen at hot as well.

Back to Pentax: in order to save money avoiding a recall of all cameras that needed a hardware fix on the shutter driver, Pentax did a software workaround a limit damages and most likely added a test to screen out modules having this issue in order to eliminate the mirror flop issue on new cameras manufactured onward.
So, if you buy a K-3 new , mirror flop should not be there.
　
Writen by Tom G
The 1.11 FW Does not fix the problem what it does is shut the camera down and resets it as far as I have read on internet.
but if the problem persists you have to get onto Pentax and send it in so they can do an internal FW update which alters the clock cycle within the camera and can only be done with Pentax engineer

Writen by Tom G The 1.11 FW Does not fix the problem what it does is shut the camera down and resets it as far as I have read on internet. but if the problem persists you have to get onto Pentax and send it in so they can do an internal FW update which alters the clock cycle within the camera and can only be done with Pentax engineer

Well, I tried sending my K-3 to C.R.Kennedy in Australia at the end of last year before my warranty ran out and they insisted that the only fix available was version 1.11. I was rather disapointed.

John

[snpsht]

Thanks! Do you know your date of manufacture?


Steve

Serial number begins 49707....it was purchased August 2014.

I will be reporting it to Kennedy while it is still in warranty, and was hoping that they were giving reasonable service.

[AquaDome]

I bought my K-3 in January of 2014 and have never had a problem.

[CNunez]

I bought mine in December 2014 manufactured in November 2014.

Has happened once.

[monochrome]

482XXXX to 493XXXX

I received mine in December, 2013 with a September Manufacture date. Serial is 484xxxx, so I'm in the range of identified cameras but I've never had even a hint of the mirror flap.

[Sandy Hancock]

Mine (Premium Silver Edition, serial number 2573xxx) did it once, over a year ago. I must have taken 20,000 images since.

[Zafar Iqbal]

Just happened to me on my only few days old K-3 II. I was just shooting here at home when all of the sudden it started to shoot like in burst mode, but louder and faster - though it didn't save a single photo.

Camera was in single shot mode and I changed it afterwards to investigate if it was indeed louder and faster.

It only lasted for as long as I held down the shutter release button down.

I used the camera few days ago at a wedding where I did something like 1500 shot using this body alone, and didn't encounter this during the 12h I was covering the event.

[slip]

Are the prestige gun metal units late models?

Thanks

Randy