A bug in K-S2 firmware, perhaps?

**arkansawyer** · 07-21-2020, 03:52 PM

Today, I took a long series of interval shots. I had setup to do 1000 photos at 30 second intervals. I wanted to see the clouds change over the hours. Mid-afternoon, I went out and interrupted the process, and swapped out batteries. The interruption only lasted seconds. Later in the evening when it started to look like rain, I stopped it again.

The first shot of the day and the first shot with a new battery have the same names. I have hundreds of duplicated filenames, in the following format.

ARKY7115 and ARKY7115-1 (import software prompted me, asking if I wanted to rename or overwrite). I renamed. But the originals were the same.

I haven't done a tool check to see if this affects the camera's internal recorded shutter count or not, but I just thought it odd.

In the end I probably won't often do this - I just wanted to experiment with some interval shooting. Next time I will probably be using the interval in video mode so I wouldn't later have to stitch them together to make a movie. Just thought it odd, and wondered if anyone else had ever noticed this on K-S2 or other Pentax DSLR models?

Not a deal-breaker. Just odd.

stevebrot · 07-21-2020, 05:32 PM

Originally posted by arkansawyer

Mid-afternoon, I went out and interrupted the process, and swapped out batteries.

Are you saying you attempted a "hot" swap in the middle of an interval series? I have never tried it, but suspect that the interval series was "dumped" and restarted in a new folder using the same start point.

FWIW, use of an external power source is strongly recommended for extended interval work. Even the larger battery on the K-3/K-3II is not able to do more than about 700 exposures.

Steve

**arkansawyer** · 07-21-2020, 05:44 PM

Originally posted by stevebrot

Are you saying you attempted a "hot" swap in the middle of an interval series? I have never tried it, but suspect that the interval series was "dumped" and restarted in a new folder using the same start point.

FWIW, use of an external power source is strongly recommended for extended interval work. Even the larger battery on the K-3/K-3II is not able to do more than about 700 exposures.

Steve

Thanks for the answer.

I pressed the info button after the shutter completed a shot to look at status, and it gave me the option to cancel, so I cancelled the interval "session". At first that was an accident, I thought it would remove the info screen, but it told me something like the "Interval Completed" or something, and then I could see the battery symbol was red, so I went ahead and put in a fresh battery and started over again. At the end of it I dumped the images to my laptop, and that's when I noticed the file naming was duplicated (yes, must have been a new folder).

I haven't tried to experiment with external power on the K-S2 but if I go out west again and do nighttime shots, or videos, or the like, I may want to do it. There's no factory option is there? (I am sure Google or the forum would tell me).

stevebrot · 07-21-2020, 05:55 PM

Originally posted by arkansawyer

I haven't tried to experiment with external power on the K-S2 but if I go out west again and do nighttime shots, or videos, or the like, I may want to do it. There's no factory option is there? (I am sure Google or the forum would tell me).

It is done with the optional AC Adapter Kit K-AC128 or third-party equivalent. The adapter is a dummy battery with a pigtail connector that attaches to a AC power brick. It is also possible to craft a battery solution using available bits and pieces.

Steve

Steve

07-21-2020, 03:52 PM	#1
arkansawyer Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Halifax, PA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 53	A bug in K-S2 firmware, perhaps? Today, I took a long series of interval shots. I had setup to do 1000 photos at 30 second intervals. I wanted to see the clouds change over the hours. Mid-afternoon, I went out and interrupted the process, and swapped out batteries. The interruption only lasted seconds. Later in the evening when it started to look like rain, I stopped it again. The first shot of the day and the first shot with a new battery have the same names. I have hundreds of duplicated filenames, in the following format. ARKY7115 and ARKY7115-1 (import software prompted me, asking if I wanted to rename or overwrite). I renamed. But the originals were the same. I haven't done a tool check to see if this affects the camera's internal recorded shutter count or not, but I just thought it odd. In the end I probably won't often do this - I just wanted to experiment with some interval shooting. Next time I will probably be using the interval in video mode so I wouldn't later have to stitch them together to make a movie. Just thought it odd, and wondered if anyone else had ever noticed this on K-S2 or other Pentax DSLR models? Not a deal-breaker. Just odd.

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07-21-2020, 05:32 PM	#2
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by arkansawyer Mid-afternoon, I went out and interrupted the process, and swapped out batteries. Are you saying you attempted a "hot" swap in the middle of an interval series? I have never tried it, but suspect that the interval series was "dumped" and restarted in a new folder using the same start point. FWIW, use of an external power source is strongly recommended for extended interval work. Even the larger battery on the K-3/K-3II is not able to do more than about 700 exposures. Steve

07-21-2020, 05:44 PM	#3
arkansawyer Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2019 Location: Halifax, PA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 53 Original Poster	Originally posted by stevebrot Are you saying you attempted a "hot" swap in the middle of an interval series? I have never tried it, but suspect that the interval series was "dumped" and restarted in a new folder using the same start point. FWIW, use of an external power source is strongly recommended for extended interval work. Even the larger battery on the K-3/K-3II is not able to do more than about 700 exposures. Steve Thanks for the answer. I pressed the info button after the shutter completed a shot to look at status, and it gave me the option to cancel, so I cancelled the interval "session". At first that was an accident, I thought it would remove the info screen, but it told me something like the "Interval Completed" or something, and then I could see the battery symbol was red, so I went ahead and put in a fresh battery and started over again. At the end of it I dumped the images to my laptop, and that's when I noticed the file naming was duplicated (yes, must have been a new folder). I haven't tried to experiment with external power on the K-S2 but if I go out west again and do nighttime shots, or videos, or the like, I may want to do it. There's no factory option is there? (I am sure Google or the forum would tell me).

07-21-2020, 05:55 PM	#4
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by arkansawyer I haven't tried to experiment with external power on the K-S2 but if I go out west again and do nighttime shots, or videos, or the like, I may want to do it. There's no factory option is there? (I am sure Google or the forum would tell me). It is done with the optional AC Adapter Kit K-AC128 or third-party equivalent. The adapter is a dummy battery with a pigtail connector that attaches to a AC power brick. It is also possible to craft a battery solution using available bits and pieces. Steve Steve