K-3 II refusing to shut down?

JimC1101 · 06-17-2015, 01:47 AM

This is unfortunate. It seems that Pentax wanted to get a mk2 version out as soon as possible but now it looks like they should have stepped back and make sure to produce it right rather than produce it fast.

I am curious if the K-3II will be a big seller or a dud. I know there are a lot here in the PF forum and there is interest of course because this is a forum that is all things Pentax, but in looking at other forums, namely DPR, there seems not much interest from many others.

Adam · 06-17-2015, 01:48 AM

The top LCD does (partially), not the rear LCD. Here's a video of the issue, showing how auto-off eventually gets the camera to fully shut itself off. Tested it with multiple shooting modes prior to startup, camera happened to be in self-timer here:

Youtu.be

Also, once LV is activated, the shutter will no longer fire with the switch set to "off", but otherwise it will.

GPS menu total lockup bug:

Youtu.be

Originally posted by jawsy

... or you happen to be one of the worst possible people Ricoh could have wished a production line lemon onto. Forget you're a guru for a second and do what we all tell the newbies - send it back!

This is the second lemon within the past year and the second lemon overall, the first being a K-S1 with a faulty shutter (broke after ~50 actuations). I've gotten a few defective lenses too (dead SDM, loose barrel elements, decentering), but overall the track record for cameras had been pretty good up until now. Will definitely be requesting a second (or third) body to see what's what...

Adam · 06-17-2015, 01:52 AM

Originally posted by JimC1101

I am curious if the K-3II will be a big seller or a dud. I know there are a lot here in the PF forum and there is interest of course because this is a forum that is all things Pentax, but in looking at other forums, namely DPR, there seems not much interest from many others.

I don't think it will be a massive seller, but it will probably pay off for Ricoh. A small respin of an existing body, so it's mostly profit.

The pixel shifting is actually really great, but most people don't realize that any camera can do super resolution- you just need to take several snaps of the same scene and combine them yourself.

tomtor · 06-17-2015, 03:13 AM - **2 Likes**

Got my camera slightly less than 2 hours ago and played a little with it. Battery is on the charger now.

First and only issue till now:

My wife looked in the shipping box and shouted: "Hey, they sent you the wrong camera, it's a Ricoh!?"

**Bruce Clark** · 06-17-2015, 03:54 AM

Originally posted by LaurenOE

When Adam is having problems...this is not good.

It seems like Pentax/Ricoh have scored an own goal. Their response will be critical. Although not in the market just yet, I will watch the outcome with interest.

rawr · 06-17-2015, 05:54 AM

It's funny to see these sort of bugs creeping into a pretty established design like the K-3.

Makes me wonder how a very new design like the Pentax FF is going to fare.

**Mikesul** · 06-17-2015, 06:27 AM

Adam,

I remember the other thread and I am pretty sure there was a fix. I do not remember what it was.

naldopr · 06-17-2015, 07:35 AM

Interesting

Rickster · 06-17-2015, 07:57 AM

Originally posted by Adam

The top LCD does (partially), not the rear LCD. Here's a video of the issue, showing how auto-off eventually gets the camera to fully shut itself off. Tested it with multiple shooting modes prior to startup, camera happened to be in self-timer here:

http://youtu.be/d609L3eWZME

Also, once LV is activated, the shutter will no longer fire with the switch set to "off", but otherwise it will.

GPS menu total lockup bug:

http://youtu.be/FCOs1TxkMJA

This is the second lemon within the past year and the second lemon overall, the first being a K-S1 with a faulty shutter (broke after ~50 actuations). I've gotten a few defective lenses too (dead SDM, loose barrel elements, decentering), but overall the track record for cameras had been pretty good up until now. Will definitely be requesting a second (or third) body to see what's what...

Adam,

What is the firmware version on your K3 II ?

**OvidiuRoSb** · 06-17-2015, 07:57 AM

Adam, my opinion is that your K-3 II has a hardware problem with the power switch button. The OFF position doesn't send the signal which will trigger the shut-down sequence. The software switch OFF timer is modifying the corresponding register, and that explained the entire issue. I have checked this on my K-3 II and the power switch it's working fine.
Also the GPS issue is not present in my case, but maybe this is a software problem which can appear based on other "right settings".

disconnekt · 06-17-2015, 08:05 AM

Like with every new camera, there's always gonna be bugs that never showed during testing that end up popping up when it's released.

IchabodCrane · 06-17-2015, 08:41 AM

Originally posted by disconnekt

Like with every new camera, there's always gonna be bugs that never showed during testing that end up popping up when it's released.

New camera? Adam described it as a "small respin" which is something that should have minimal chances for a major bug like this one.

biz-engineer · 06-17-2015, 01:36 PM

It becomes a habit that new Pentax camera models have issues within the first year of their release to market. Better wait and see what happens.

Adam · 06-17-2015, 02:46 PM

Originally posted by OvidiuRoSb

Adam, my opinion is that your K-3 II has a hardware problem with the power switch button. The OFF position doesn't send the signal which will trigger the shut-down sequence. The software switch OFF timer is modifying the corresponding register, and that explained the entire issue. I have checked this on my K-3 II and the power switch it's working fine.
Also the GPS issue is not present in my case, but maybe this is a software problem which can appear based on other "right settings".

The power switch works fine, I believe. Notice how most of the text on the top LCD goes away as soon as I set the camera to off. The same goes for the text in the viewfinder. Also, after the camera does shut itself down with the timer, it can't be brought back to life unless the power switch is set to on.

Originally posted by Rickster

What is the firmware version on your K3 II ?

1.00

Originally posted by OvidiuRoSb

Also the GPS issue is not present in my case, but maybe this is a software problem which can appear based on other "right settings".

The first thing I do when I get a new camera for testing is take product photos and menu screenshots. Thus, no settings were changed when I initially accessed the menu, and the issue persists after a reset.

It looks like my camera also freezes (partially) as soon as the GPS unit is powered on. The menus lock up, but you can still take a photo. Once the photo is taken, instant review freezes. Makes me suspect broken wiring/interfacing as a possible culprit. The camera might be waiting for a hardware component to respond, etc. In any case, something is seriously wrong with it. Let's hope the replacement is healthier.

**OvidiuRoSb** · 06-17-2015, 03:16 PM

Originally posted by Adam

The power switch works fine, I believe. Notice how most of the text on the top LCD goes away as soon as I set the camera to off. The same goes for the text in the viewfinder.

I didn't noticed this. This makes the bug more strange.
I think it's a hardware problem, because it's way to serious to be only software and not be noticed by others, including in my case.

Hope that you will receive another camera.

06-17-2015, 01:52 AM	#18
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,595 Original Poster	Originally posted by JimC1101 I am curious if the K-3II will be a big seller or a dud. I know there are a lot here in the PF forum and there is interest of course because this is a forum that is all things Pentax, but in looking at other forums, namely DPR, there seems not much interest from many others. I don't think it will be a massive seller, but it will probably pay off for Ricoh. A small respin of an existing body, so it's mostly profit. The pixel shifting is actually really great, but most people don't realize that any camera can do super resolution- you just need to take several snaps of the same scene and combine them yourself. Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

06-17-2015, 07:57 AM	#25
OvidiuRoSb Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Sibiu Posts: 175	Adam, my opinion is that your K-3 II has a hardware problem with the power switch button. The OFF position doesn't send the signal which will trigger the shut-down sequence. The software switch OFF timer is modifying the corresponding register, and that explained the entire issue. I have checked this on my K-3 II and the power switch it's working fine. Also the GPS issue is not present in my case, but maybe this is a software problem which can appear based on other "right settings". Last edited by OvidiuRoSb; 06-17-2015 at 08:46 AM.

06-17-2015, 02:46 PM	#29
Adam Administrator Site Webmaster Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 51,595 Original Poster	Originally posted by OvidiuRoSb Adam, my opinion is that your K-3 II has a hardware problem with the power switch button. The OFF position doesn't send the signal which will trigger the shut-down sequence. The software switch OFF timer is modifying the corresponding register, and that explained the entire issue. I have checked this on my K-3 II and the power switch it's working fine. Also the GPS issue is not present in my case, but maybe this is a software problem which can appear based on other "right settings". The power switch works fine, I believe. Notice how most of the text on the top LCD goes away as soon as I set the camera to off. The same goes for the text in the viewfinder. Also, after the camera does shut itself down with the timer, it can't be brought back to life unless the power switch is set to on. Originally posted by Rickster What is the firmware version on your K3 II ? 1.00 Originally posted by OvidiuRoSb Also the GPS issue is not present in my case, but maybe this is a software problem which can appear based on other "right settings". The first thing I do when I get a new camera for testing is take product photos and menu screenshots. Thus, no settings were changed when I initially accessed the menu, and the issue persists after a reset. It looks like my camera also freezes (partially) as soon as the GPS unit is powered on. The menus lock up, but you can still take a photo. Once the photo is taken, instant review freezes. Makes me suspect broken wiring/interfacing as a possible culprit. The camera might be waiting for a hardware component to respond, etc. In any case, something is seriously wrong with it. Let's hope the replacement is healthier. Adam PentaxForums.com Webmaster (Site Usage Guide \| Site Help \| My Photography) PentaxForums.com server and development costs are user-supported. You can help cover these costs by donating or purchasing one of our Pentax eBooks. Or, buy your photo gear from our affiliates, Adorama, B&H Photo, KEH, or Topaz Labs, and get FREE Marketplace access - click here to see how! Trusted Pentax retailers:

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06-17-2015, 01:47 AM	#16
JimC1101 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Fremont, Ca Photos: Albums Posts: 395	This is unfortunate. It seems that Pentax wanted to get a mk2 version out as soon as possible but now it looks like they should have stepped back and make sure to produce it right rather than produce it fast. I am curious if the K-3II will be a big seller or a dud. I know there are a lot here in the PF forum and there is interest of course because this is a forum that is all things Pentax, but in looking at other forums, namely DPR, there seems not much interest from many others.

06-17-2015, 03:13 AM - 2 Likes	#19
tomtor Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Netherlands Posts: 382	Got my camera slightly less than 2 hours ago and played a little with it. Battery is on the charger now. First and only issue till now: My wife looked in the shipping box and shouted: "Hey, they sent you the wrong camera, it's a Ricoh!?"

06-17-2015, 03:54 AM	#20
Bruce Clark Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ocean Grove, Victoria Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,458	Originally posted by LaurenOE When Adam is having problems...this is not good. It seems like Pentax/Ricoh have scored an own goal. Their response will be critical. Although not in the market just yet, I will watch the outcome with interest.

06-17-2015, 05:54 AM	#21
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	It's funny to see these sort of bugs creeping into a pretty established design like the K-3. Makes me wonder how a very new design like the Pentax FF is going to fare.

06-17-2015, 06:27 AM	#22
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	Adam, I remember the other thread and I am pretty sure there was a fix. I do not remember what it was.

06-17-2015, 07:35 AM	#23
naldopr Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Posts: 163	Interesting

06-17-2015, 07:57 AM	#24
Rickster Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: SE Idaho - Rocky Mtns Photos: Gallery Posts: 580	Originally posted by Adam The top LCD does (partially), not the rear LCD. Here's a video of the issue, showing how auto-off eventually gets the camera to fully shut itself off. Tested it with multiple shooting modes prior to startup, camera happened to be in self-timer here: http://youtu.be/d609L3eWZME Also, once LV is activated, the shutter will no longer fire with the switch set to "off", but otherwise it will. GPS menu total lockup bug: http://youtu.be/FCOs1TxkMJA This is the second lemon within the past year and the second lemon overall, the first being a K-S1 with a faulty shutter (broke after ~50 actuations). I've gotten a few defective lenses too (dead SDM, loose barrel elements, decentering), but overall the track record for cameras had been pretty good up until now. Will definitely be requesting a second (or third) body to see what's what... Adam, What is the firmware version on your K3 II ?

06-17-2015, 08:05 AM	#26
disconnekt Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: SoCal/I.E. Photos: Albums Posts: 1,699	Like with every new camera, there's always gonna be bugs that never showed during testing that end up popping up when it's released.

06-17-2015, 08:41 AM	#27
IchabodCrane Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,728	Originally posted by disconnekt Like with every new camera, there's always gonna be bugs that never showed during testing that end up popping up when it's released. New camera? Adam described it as a "small respin" which is something that should have minimal chances for a major bug like this one.

06-17-2015, 01:36 PM	#28
biz-engineer Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 12,232	It becomes a habit that new Pentax camera models have issues within the first year of their release to market. Better wait and see what happens.

06-17-2015, 03:16 PM	#30
OvidiuRoSb Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Sibiu Posts: 175	Originally posted by Adam The power switch works fine, I believe. Notice how most of the text on the top LCD goes away as soon as I set the camera to off. The same goes for the text in the viewfinder. I didn't noticed this. This makes the bug more strange. I think it's a hardware problem, because it's way to serious to be only software and not be noticed by others, including in my case. Hope that you will receive another camera.