One way to test a shutter or battery

**Bruce Clark** · 06-20-2015, 09:33 PM

I was out yesterday and had some spare time before an appointment so I naturally enough went for a walk along the beach with the K5 IIs with battery grip. After a short while my business contact rang with the not entirely welcome news that he had a cancellation and could fit me in earlier. Oh well nothing for it but to pack up and head off to meet him. Placed the camera carefully back in the bag on the back seat of the car and headed off.

This morning I picked up the camera to review yesterdays work and strange, the camera will not turn on. Flat battery possibly, flat battery by 2 unlikely but..... whip off the battery grip and try both batteries separately in camera. Nothing doing with either battery. Mild concern at this stage. OK grab spare battery and relief, the camera comes to life. Strange that both batteries were dead flat but anyway put them on charge and think no more of it.

Until, I go to load yesterdays work into lightroom. Apart from my 15 or so shots from yesterday there are precisely 2,624 completely black frames, 2,624 all glorious PEF's shot at ISO 400, 1/160th at f22.Beautiful

The camera was set to shoot Hi-speed multiple frames, manual exposure and manual focus. Obviously I had placed the camera back in the bag still turned on. Somewhere along the journey a jolt must had triggered the shutter release and held it on until 2624 shots later, both batteries gave out.

Oh well, now I have a more than respectable shutter count, some dark frames so I can look for hot pixels and use for noise cancellation in long exposures. I do have a few spares, 2,623 to be precise, if anyone wants one.

**jatrax** · 06-20-2015, 09:52 PM

You also know how many shots you can get with those batteries

sterretje · 06-20-2015, 11:38 PM

I never understand why people don't switch off the camera when they put it in the bag

Did you simply forget?

But glad it was a simple user error

**Bruce Clark** · 06-21-2015, 12:41 AM

Originally posted by sterretje

I never understand why people don't switch off the camera when they put it in the bag

Did you simply forget?

But glad it was a simple user error

Well, lets call it a senior moment

Originally posted by jatrax

You also know how many shots you can get with those batteries

True, except when I am relying on them.

06-20-2015, 09:33 PM	#1
Bruce Clark Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ocean Grove, Victoria Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,458	One way to test a shutter or battery I was out yesterday and had some spare time before an appointment so I naturally enough went for a walk along the beach with the K5 IIs with battery grip. After a short while my business contact rang with the not entirely welcome news that he had a cancellation and could fit me in earlier. Oh well nothing for it but to pack up and head off to meet him. Placed the camera carefully back in the bag on the back seat of the car and headed off. This morning I picked up the camera to review yesterdays work and strange, the camera will not turn on. Flat battery possibly, flat battery by 2 unlikely but..... whip off the battery grip and try both batteries separately in camera. Nothing doing with either battery. Mild concern at this stage. OK grab spare battery and relief, the camera comes to life. Strange that both batteries were dead flat but anyway put them on charge and think no more of it. Until, I go to load yesterdays work into lightroom. Apart from my 15 or so shots from yesterday there are precisely 2,624 completely black frames, 2,624 all glorious PEF's shot at ISO 400, 1/160th at f22.Beautiful The camera was set to shoot Hi-speed multiple frames, manual exposure and manual focus. Obviously I had placed the camera back in the bag still turned on. Somewhere along the journey a jolt must had triggered the shutter release and held it on until 2624 shots later, both batteries gave out. Oh well, now I have a more than respectable shutter count, some dark frames so I can look for hot pixels and use for noise cancellation in long exposures. I do have a few spares, 2,623 to be precise, if anyone wants one.

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06-20-2015, 09:52 PM	#2
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	You also know how many shots you can get with those batteries

06-20-2015, 11:38 PM	#3
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	I never understand why people don't switch off the camera when they put it in the bag Did you simply forget? But glad it was a simple user error

06-21-2015, 12:41 AM	#4
Bruce Clark Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Ocean Grove, Victoria Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,458 Original Poster	Originally posted by sterretje I never understand why people don't switch off the camera when they put it in the bag Did you simply forget? But glad it was a simple user error Well, lets call it a senior moment Originally posted by jatrax You also know how many shots you can get with those batteries True, except when I am relying on them.