My K3 II is possessed. Does anyone else have this experience?

BONSTA · 07-26-2016, 10:39 AM

I took my camera on a trip to the alpine above Lake Ohara in Yoho NP last week and the second I entered the park my K3 II wouldn't take a photo. I pressed the shutter release and it sounded like it fired 20 shots in under a second but nothing actually happened. When I pressed play to view the image it said "image can not be displayed". I tried again and again, same result - mirror flipping up and down like crazy but no image recorded. I tried putting it in live view and the same result only sometimes I could see that the mirror was in the way (3/4 dark screen in live view). Also, the battery indicator was all over the shop despite being a freshly and fully charged battery inside. Sometimes it would say totally empty, then I'd turn it off, take battery out, put back in and it would say full or half full - no rhyme or reason to it's indication. In 3 days I managed to get 3 images to record. When I returned home it seemed to act normal at first (I thought maybe it doesn't like operating at altitudes between 1200-3000 m, though that seems odd) but the exposure was all over the place. Then I realized that it was magically changing the ISO, shutter speed and aperture on its own any time I pressed the shutter release despite being set to M (I did not accidentally press the green button). This happens repeatedly; I put in the settings I want and it changes to what it wants when I release the shutter (and it sometimes flips the mirror up and down a million times without taking a picture as well).

Does anyone else have a possessed camera or am I just lucky and in need of a warranty repair/replacement?

Rupert · 07-26-2016, 10:50 AM

Does not sound good.

Similar to how my K5IIs acted after it fell off a shelf and the Bigma mounted on it tore out the lens mount.

Maybe it will turn out to be something simple? I hope so!

Regards!

stevebrot · 07-26-2016, 11:57 AM

Originally posted by BONSTA

Does anyone else have a possessed camera or am I just lucky and in need of a warranty repair/replacement?

Regardless of whether anyone has reported similar problems, it is extremely likely that your camera requires service. Time to contact Ricoh Canada's service center.

Steve

**jbinpg** · 07-26-2016, 12:51 PM

If you are using AF lenses, proper functioning requires 2-way electrical contact between the camera and lens. This is done via 2 gold-plated contacts on the camera body and matching contacts on the lens. Before sending the camera for service, you may wish to give both sets of contacts a good cleaning to see if electrical discontinuity is the root cause of your problems.

leekil · 07-27-2016, 12:25 AM

That had been reported in some cases for the K-3, I think?

I assume it is not related to this at all, unless anyone else has information on it.

Pentax K-3 II Service Advisory - Pentax Announcements | PentaxForums.com

**tduell** · 07-27-2016, 12:41 AM

I had one similar experience with my K-3 II, what sounded like about 5-10 shots in rapid succession but nothing saved.
Switched off, I don't think I had to pull the battery, then switched on again and all was well.
Many shots since and not another occurrence, so reckon for me it was an isolated incident...not sure if it is any real help to you.

Cheers,
Terry

keithw · 07-27-2016, 05:39 AM

Ah, I'm not alone!

I had a similar experience a week or so ago with my K3. I was out and about for the day and when I lifted the camera to my eyes to focus - the camera would focus properly. It said it had locked on but even through the viewfinder it was obvious that nothing was really in focus. Both Sigmas (17-50 & 70-200) exhibited the same problem, and it didn't matter whether the grip was on or off. And then, when I thought I'd see what would happen if I actually took a photo, I also had the machine-gun flapping of the mirror - just like old times :-)
So by now I was not the happiest person at the castle and was ready to throw the K3 against a wall. But I didn't.

My problem appeared to be a dodgy battery in the body. I had put it on charge over night and the charger suggested that it was charged. So whether it is a faulty battery or whether it just didn't take a charge properly I don't know. However, once I replaced the battery, the camera was a s good as gold. Just a pity I didn't think of that until I got back to the holiday apartment :-(

**Apet-Sure** · 07-27-2016, 05:54 AM

When I read about the symptoms, my first thought was that maybe the battery terminals needed to be cleaned. That, along with the lens terminals that jbinpg mentioned, might be all you need. The terminals might not look dirty, but it only takes a thin film of contaminants to make things wonky. Use q-tip swabs and some rubbing alcohol on the lens terminals, camera lens mount, battery, and camera battery terminals. Give the alcohol plenty of time to dry-it's conductive.

Blacknight659 · 07-27-2016, 10:52 AM

This sounds like the Mirror Flapp issue, however yours doesn't seem to go away with removal of the battery.

Question: Is this a after market battery? I know the QC on after market batteries isn't always great, this could cause some issues for you. Try the Pentax battery that came with your camera. If this is the standard battery, try a new one. Maybe you have a bad power cell.

If this still happens with a different battery, you are certainly needing service.

Good luck!

BONSTA · 07-28-2016, 12:08 PM

Thank you all for your replies! I wish I had received all the most recent ones about the battery before sending it in for a warranty. It was a Pentax battery, not after market. I did try taking it out and putting it in again but I don't believe I tried switching to a different battery. Bugger.

07-26-2016, 10:39 AM	#1
BONSTA New Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 9	My K3 II is possessed. Does anyone else have this experience? I took my camera on a trip to the alpine above Lake Ohara in Yoho NP last week and the second I entered the park my K3 II wouldn't take a photo. I pressed the shutter release and it sounded like it fired 20 shots in under a second but nothing actually happened. When I pressed play to view the image it said "image can not be displayed". I tried again and again, same result - mirror flipping up and down like crazy but no image recorded. I tried putting it in live view and the same result only sometimes I could see that the mirror was in the way (3/4 dark screen in live view). Also, the battery indicator was all over the shop despite being a freshly and fully charged battery inside. Sometimes it would say totally empty, then I'd turn it off, take battery out, put back in and it would say full or half full - no rhyme or reason to it's indication. In 3 days I managed to get 3 images to record. When I returned home it seemed to act normal at first (I thought maybe it doesn't like operating at altitudes between 1200-3000 m, though that seems odd) but the exposure was all over the place. Then I realized that it was magically changing the ISO, shutter speed and aperture on its own any time I pressed the shutter release despite being set to M (I did not accidentally press the green button). This happens repeatedly; I put in the settings I want and it changes to what it wants when I release the shutter (and it sometimes flips the mirror up and down a million times without taking a picture as well). Does anyone else have a possessed camera or am I just lucky and in need of a warranty repair/replacement?

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07-26-2016, 10:50 AM	#2
Rupert Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 25,123	Does not sound good. Similar to how my K5IIs acted after it fell off a shelf and the Bigma mounted on it tore out the lens mount. Maybe it will turn out to be something simple? I hope so! Regards!

07-26-2016, 11:57 AM	#3
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by BONSTA Does anyone else have a possessed camera or am I just lucky and in need of a warranty repair/replacement? Regardless of whether anyone has reported similar problems, it is extremely likely that your camera requires service. Time to contact Ricoh Canada's service center. Steve

07-26-2016, 12:51 PM	#4
jbinpg Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Prince George, BC Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,546	If you are using AF lenses, proper functioning requires 2-way electrical contact between the camera and lens. This is done via 2 gold-plated contacts on the camera body and matching contacts on the lens. Before sending the camera for service, you may wish to give both sets of contacts a good cleaning to see if electrical discontinuity is the root cause of your problems.

07-27-2016, 12:25 AM	#5
leekil Pentaxian Join Date: May 2016 Photos: Albums Posts: 2,003	That had been reported in some cases for the K-3, I think? I assume it is not related to this at all, unless anyone else has information on it. Pentax K-3 II Service Advisory - Pentax Announcements \| PentaxForums.com

07-27-2016, 12:41 AM	#6
tduell Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2015 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,514	I had one similar experience with my K-3 II, what sounded like about 5-10 shots in rapid succession but nothing saved. Switched off, I don't think I had to pull the battery, then switched on again and all was well. Many shots since and not another occurrence, so reckon for me it was an isolated incident...not sure if it is any real help to you. Cheers, Terry

07-27-2016, 05:39 AM	#7
keithw Forum Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Oxfordshire, UK Posts: 72	Ah, I'm not alone! I had a similar experience a week or so ago with my K3. I was out and about for the day and when I lifted the camera to my eyes to focus - the camera would focus properly. It said it had locked on but even through the viewfinder it was obvious that nothing was really in focus. Both Sigmas (17-50 & 70-200) exhibited the same problem, and it didn't matter whether the grip was on or off. And then, when I thought I'd see what would happen if I actually took a photo, I also had the machine-gun flapping of the mirror - just like old times :-) So by now I was not the happiest person at the castle and was ready to throw the K3 against a wall. But I didn't. My problem appeared to be a dodgy battery in the body. I had put it on charge over night and the charger suggested that it was charged. So whether it is a faulty battery or whether it just didn't take a charge properly I don't know. However, once I replaced the battery, the camera was a s good as gold. Just a pity I didn't think of that until I got back to the holiday apartment :-(

07-27-2016, 05:54 AM	#8
Apet-Sure Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Goldsboro North Carolina Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,861	When I read about the symptoms, my first thought was that maybe the battery terminals needed to be cleaned. That, along with the lens terminals that jbinpg mentioned, might be all you need. The terminals might not look dirty, but it only takes a thin film of contaminants to make things wonky. Use q-tip swabs and some rubbing alcohol on the lens terminals, camera lens mount, battery, and camera battery terminals. Give the alcohol plenty of time to dry-it's conductive.

07-27-2016, 10:52 AM	#9
Blacknight659 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 731	This sounds like the Mirror Flapp issue, however yours doesn't seem to go away with removal of the battery. Question: Is this a after market battery? I know the QC on after market batteries isn't always great, this could cause some issues for you. Try the Pentax battery that came with your camera. If this is the standard battery, try a new one. Maybe you have a bad power cell. If this still happens with a different battery, you are certainly needing service. Good luck!

07-28-2016, 12:08 PM	#10
BONSTA New Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ontario Photos: Gallery Posts: 9 Original Poster	Thank you all for your replies! I wish I had received all the most recent ones about the battery before sending it in for a warranty. It was a Pentax battery, not after market. I did try taking it out and putting it in again but I don't believe I tried switching to a different battery. Bugger.