[gedasst]

Hello.

Year ago I buy used K-3. It's my 6th digital Penax after K100D, K-x, K-5Limited, K-7, K-01.

First impression was ok.
In daylight it's work as should - from 30s to 1/8000s.

But later i found some issues, and can't resolve them in any way

DO NOT WORK correctly:
IR BULB, (in bulb mode shot is only 1/25s. Always. In any settings, with Pentax O-RC1, or even finger)
Flash. I have two METZ 58AF-2. With any other Pentax cameras works fine. With this K-3 do not sync in any settings - on camera, wired remote, wireless remote - Flash is releasing, but picture is dark.

Resseting do not help, firmware update and even downgrade do not help.

MAYBE camera was edited in DEBUG mode and anybody knows way hot to check and how to restore manufacturing settings ?

Or..
MAYBE its some gray market (even not a Pentax made) FAKE ?

Serial number is 4867824

ANY IDEAS ?
HELP.

[aslyfox]

. . . how to restore manufacturing settings ? . . .

here are the links to the manuals:

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/man-pdf/k-3.pdf

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/digital/pdf/k3_vup_en_110.pdf

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/digital/pdf/k3_vup_en.pdf

has it been updated to the latest software ? ver. 1.40

other than that I can't help out

[Adam]

Can you post screenshots for your status screen and control panel so we can see the settings currently selected?

[derekkite]

Bulb more can work two ways. Button down to open shutter, button up to close. Our press button to initiate then press again to end. It is in the settings.

For your flash, set the dial to X mode. It will set shutter speed to 1/180. Set aperture and iso, and flash to manual. You can start there.

[gedasst]

Bulb more can work two ways. Button down to open shutter, button up to close. Our press button to initiate then press again to end. It is in the settings.

For your flash, set the dial to X mode. It will set shutter speed to 1/180. Set aperture and iso, and flash to manual. You can start there.

I know. Didn't work.

---------- Post added 3rd Jul 2019 at 04:00 ----------

here are the links to the manuals:

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/man-pdf/k-3.pdf

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/digital/pdf/k3_vup_en_110.pdf

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/digital/pdf/k3_vup_en.pdf

has it been updated to the latest software ? ver. 1.40

other than that I can't help out

updated, downgraded to v1,30 and again updated. do not help

[stevebrot]

Resseting do not help, firmware update and even downgrade do not help.

Upgrading firmware to at least v1.11 is a good idea in general for a your camera's vintage.* Updating to higher versions is a good idea to enable features. Don't expect a fix for your issue from any firmware version nor a problem similar to yours caused by any version (no previous reports).

MAYBE camera was edited in DEBUG mode and anybody knows way hot to check and how to restore manufacturing settings ?

Highly unlikely. If a bios reflash is desired, a service visit would be advisable.

MAYBE its some gray market (even not a Pentax made) FAKE ?

Extremely unlikely.

Serial number is 4867824

My K-3 is within a few hundred units of yours and was made in late 2013. I am running firmware v1.30 and have had no problems such as what you described.

ANY IDEAS ?

Given your symptoms: hot shoe sync fails even for manual flash in X-mode, I can imaging the following possible causes:

• Hot shoe sync is damaged due to failure of the electronics due to water incursion, overly high flash trigger voltage (vintage flash), or similar
• Flash is misconfigured...try other than dedicated flash?
• Possible damage to mirror/shutter sequence controllers

Questions?

• Do non-flash features work as expected in all modes with proper exposure and expected performanc?
• Does the built-in flash work? All modes?
• Does the camera detect the dedicated flash by automatically switching to 180s or slower? If so, does flash ready light in the viewfinder?
• Are you able to test the PC sync port?
• What lens are you using? (probably not an issue)
• Have you ever experienced a "missing" shot in a sequence or a "failed" shutter release (no picture taken)?

It is probably not much of a comfort, but I don't remember other reports similar to yours, not even one.


Steve

* Includes protective feature to abort exposure if "runaway mirror syndrome" is detected. Your camera is in the serial number range where this may be a problem.

[stevebrot]

You have reported previous issues with this camera.

K-3 BULB MODE issues on Firmware V1.11 V1.20 V1.40 - PentaxForums.com

Was this problem ever resolved? It appears you have long-standing problems with shutter timing. I suspect a hardware issue.


Steve

---

Last edited by stevebrot; 07-02-2019 at 07:51 PM.

[gedasst]

Was this problem ever resolved? It appears you have long-standing problems with shutter timing. I suspect a hardware issue.


Steve

No it wasn't resolved. And I found more issues:

Not even external METZ 58 AF2 do not work correctly (mounted on camera, or true sync-cable, or wireless) , but now i found, to even integrated flash do not work as should - both flashes (internal and METZ) make light, but the picture stays dark.

[stevebrot]

No it wasn't resolved. And I found more issues:

Not even external METZ 58 AF2 do not work correctly (mounted on camera, or true sync-cable, or wireless) , but now i found, to even integrated flash do not work as should - both flashes (internal and METZ) make light, but the picture stays dark.

I suspect the board that controls flash sync is dead. You might have luck with the PC sync, but it sounds like P-TTL and hot shoe flash are out of the question.

The issues with bulb indicate problems with shutter control. Maybe it is time to find a replacement?


Steve

[gedasst]

Upgrading firmware to at least v1.11 is a good idea in general for a your camera's vintage.* Updating to higher versions is a good idea to enable features. Don't expect a fix for your issue from any firmware version nor a problem similar to yours caused by any version (no previous reports).



Highly unlikely. If a bios reflash is desired, a service visit would be advisable.



Extremely unlikely.



My K-3 is within a few hundred units of yours and was made in late 2013. I am running firmware v1.30 and have had no problems such as what you described.



Given your symptoms: hot shoe sync fails even for manual flash in X-mode, I can imaging the following possible causes:

• Hot shoe sync is damaged due to failure of the electronics due to water incursion, overly high flash trigger voltage (vintage flash), or similar
• Flash is misconfigured...try other than dedicated flash?
• Possible damage to mirror/shutter sequence controllers

Questions?

• Do non-flash features work as expected in all modes with proper exposure and expected performanc?
• Does the built-in flash work? All modes?
• Does the camera detect the dedicated flash by automatically switching to 180s or slower? If so, does flash ready light in the viewfinder?
• Are you able to test the PC sync port?
• What lens are you using? (probably not an issue)
• Have you ever experienced a "missing" shot in a sequence or a "failed" shutter release (no picture taken)?

It is probably not much of a comfort, but I don't remember other reports similar to yours, not even one.


Steve

* Includes protective feature to abort exposure if "runaway mirror syndrome" is detected. Your camera is in the serial number range where this may be a problem.

@Steve
External Flash (Metz 58AF 2) in all ways (mounted, wired and wireless) is working in all normal speeds till 1/160s in M, and 1/180s Av and TAv. (mean - flash giving light), but picture stay dark.

Internal flash working same - giving light, but picture stay dark.

Now i've tested one more thing:

When Shutter speed is 1/5s to 1/50s - picture is enlighted by flash CORRECT!
Picture in 1/60s is partial enlighted (~ 1/5th top part of picture is bright).
Speed between 1/60s and 1/180s stay dark.

BUT ... METZ has a HiSpeed TTL - P-TTL-HSS.
In PTTL-HSS mode all pictures is CORRECT exposured with flash, when speed is 1/200s to 1/8000s !!!

So, some problems is with shutter, between 1/60s and 1/180s...

In Wireless and wired mode i CAN'T use speed more than 1/180, and mostly, i need flash remoted, for macro works.
1/50th is to slow for me.

[MarkJerling]

Which flash mode are you using? (See page 41 of your camera manual)

What about flash output compensation?

[gedasst]

I tested all flash modes.
All menu modes - same problem.
If it's only shutter sync problem - why BUB MODE in any mode works only on 1/25s ?

[stevebrot]

If it's only shutter sync problem - why BUB MODE in any mode works only on 1/25s ?

I suspect that if the camera were to be opened, there would be evidence of either water incursion or a fried board due to other causes. This is not a firmware problem. Your camera may be repairable, but the cost would likely be high.

This is just my opinion, but based on the described problems both on this thread and on earlier discussions regarding your K-3, there are few other conclusions.


Steve

[gedasst]

if the camera were to be opened, there would be evidence of either water incursion or a fried board due to other causes.
Steve

Just hour ago I opened bottom cover - do not looks, like someone did it before me. Inside i didn't find any incursion of water... (I didn't resemble whole camera - just bottom cover.).
BUT!
I found few very small round pieces (like a dust) of metal. Looks like a small drops of lead. If its really lead - this could be a reason of short circuit.
But I'm just guessing. Maybe I'm wrong.

I still do not know, how to understand reason of problem, and how to resolve it.

I have K-01, and its work well with flash. So, I cal live with K-3 without a flash and BULB.

[Not a Number]

I found few very small round pieces (like a dust) of metal. Looks like a small drops of lead. If its really lead - this could be a reason of short circuit.
But I'm just guessing. Maybe I'm wrong.

Sounds like somebody with bad soldering skills had done some "work" on the camera.