[88lukas88]

Hello,

I have a big problem on my road trip across the USA from Canada. Yesterday I was taking photos all day without a problem but at the end we wanted like usual to take a selfie at one nice spot. I put the camera on the tripod with DFA 24-70 set live view cuz it was little bit low level, focus, set self timer with continuous shooting in low speed and 10 photos. Everything was ok and then I wanted to try a different angle with my samyang fish eye 8mm. Again the same thing, live view, composition, set aps-c mode, self timer 10 photos low speed. everything was ok, but I realized after that when I was sitting I cut off my legs, so again the same thing but a better composition and THEN just a weird sound and nothing. I checked the camera and black photos, in live mode just black screen. ... changed the lens, turned off the camera and removed the battery....and again just a black screen in live mode and it makes a weird sound when the camera is turning on/off or when switching to live mode..... then I set the mirror lock up for cleaning sensor..... the shutter was stuck in closed position ... OH MY GOD .... we stopped our hike and went back to the car....brought my laptop and tried changing firmware x-times. nothing = still stuck. I left the camera without the battery for couple hrs and overnight....nothing. I tried to reset everything and nothing. even though I didn't want to much but I did...slighty shake and hit the camera, cuz I though it is a mechanical problem and a little bit vibration could help release the shutter... NOTHING.... I tried everything that I could and nothing helped....x-times removed and changed battery, changed modes firmwares and nothing. camera can focus, everything looks like it works fine, only the weird sound when I press the shutter button, black photos with any setting and any mode. video mode doesnt work too. Tried many different lenses as DFA 100,DA*300, rokinon 20mm, with flash and still same bad result.

basically the shutter is dead I think. and i am really upset. i wanted to smash the camera with a hammer. we planned our photo trip for month and half and this ruined everything. We drove just 2.500km and we are on the way, just after the 1st week. So I am thinking that it is time to go home witha big disappointing mood.

I don't know if this is possible fix on our way cuz I already tried everything I guess but If someone will know something.... I will really appreciate it. We will be for a while around Mcdonalds for internet so I hope someone will write something soon. But I guess this is problem for service

I have had my K1 for about 1 year+couple months, I bough it as new. shutter count has 112,471 photos, manufacture date 2016:03:29. And this happend after nothing....I used the camera until now without a problem. Camera didn't fall. It was just after nothing, all day photoshooting without a problem. and never had problem with apsc lenses in apsc mode.

So i really don't know what happened. But it is sucks and it ruined all our summer holiday.

Thank you for answers and I hope this won't happen to anyone, especially when you are on a long trip far away from home.

---

Last edited by Unregistered User 8; 05-12-2021 at 12:23 AM. Reason: remove profanity

[Adam]

112k is some pretty heavy mileage for a DSLR, even if the shutter is rated for more. Sorry to hear this happened at such an unfortunate time! It definitely sounds like mechanical failure and I would send the camera for repair when you get back.

[BigMackCam]

112k is some pretty heavy mileage for a DSLR, even if the shutter is rated for more. Sorry to hear this happened at such an unfortunate time! It definitely sounds like mechanical failure and I would send the camera for repair when you get back.

I'd have to agree... firstly, with the sympathies for it happening at such an inopportune time, but secondly, with the shutter count. I think we tend to expect that a shutter rated at 'X' actuations might exceed or at least reach that level before failing, but those are indications rather than iron-clad guarantees, and shutters will fail both well before and well after the estimated life.

With an important photography-oriented trip like this - and especially with a camera that sees heavy use - I'd consider a backup body to be an essential piece of equipment (I know that doesn't help in the current scenario, and I don't mean to rub salt into the wound). Whenever my photography is of prime importance, I carry a backup of some sort - just in case. If all goes well, it can be pressed into service with a different lens so that it's not merely dead weight. Obviously the K-1 is an expensive bit of kit and not everyone can afford two of them, but even an older APS-C body will keep you shooting (and the smaller size and weight makes carrying a backup more palatable).

I completely understand your frustration and, again, I'm sorry it has spoiled your trip. I hope you get the camera serviced and continue to enjoy it. This could have happened with any brand and model, given the level of use.

[geedee]

Sorry to hear about your camera failing you. The german Ricoh website says that "shutter life expectancy was tested for at least 300.000 actuations". Not sure if that implies a warranty if it fails earlier...

[ffking]

I'm not an expert, but is it possible that the shutter is being mechanically jammed by something that got in when changing lenses getting stuck between the leaves?

[88lukas88]

Hello,
I just want to let you know what happened to my K1, what happened before you read my first post in the thread. When we came back to Vancouver, I went to Kerrisdale camera where I bought the K1 body. They sent it to Ontario to Suncamera, and it took longer than a month and no answer from any shops. Later one pin of my SDM contact broke. So I contacted Suncamera if they could sell me 2 and if they could put it with my K1 when they will sent it back. They said that it was already shipped back. I was surprised and as for the result, they said that the main problem was a corrosion and it is not possible to fix it, and another that there was some impact (yep I hit the body with my palm a couple times, cuz I thought there was something stuck. We were in middle of nowhere, and I wanted to try to fix it somehow). So I got really upset because I thought they would fix it. I called to Kerrisdale shop, and they said yes is it here; nobody bothered to contact me to let me know that the camera arrived. I expected some paper explaining what was wrong with the camera and nothing; he just told me that is how it works. I thought that is normal that you will get some report. So If I didn’t contact them, I wouldn’t even have known what is wrong with my K1.

So I am really disappointed, upset and everything else, just not happy about it. I would like to know how this could happened. How the corrosion get there. True, I used the camera in wet conditions as snowing and raining sometimes but I have K5 over 6 years I think, and I have been using it in the same conditions maybe even worst, as -35°C. After shooting I did with K1 the same thing like with K5 and even I started use Silica gel and sometimes when K1 was dry, temperature was balanced I put the body and lens to closed box and left it there overnight or longer. So from my side, I think I didn’t do anything bad. My K5 is still working perfectly and it has little bit over 100K. I was satisfied with K5 but true is that after a couple years I thought I will switch to another brand, but then K1 was born. I decided to buy it and didn’t switch, one of the main reasons why was that K5 survived all the bad weather conditions. I didn’t even think about that the weather sealed K1 would be worst sealed than K5 or that the way I am using my camera will affect some corrosion inside the body. How I said I have been using K5 in same maybe even worst condition with WR and sometimes non WR lenses and K5 is still working perfectly. I don’t get it. When I am thinking about when the K1 was in bad weather condition last time, I think I was shooting in snowing in the beginning of March 2017, after this no bad weather condition and until July 25th I was shooting without any problem, that for no reason the camera stopped shooting.

So I would like to know what do you think I should do ? Do you think should I try to send it somewhere else and hope that they could fix it ? I don’t even know what part is damaged from corrosion. Another question - is really K1 well sealed like older bodies ? Or maybe there could be a problem just with a couple first bodies or just with mine. On the trip we decided to continue on with our trip and we drove an extra 600km to LA to purchase a new K1 body. They did not have many bodies, and I had to take the display one. I was hoping they will have more but not, and the serial number for this one is very close to my broken one, and I really hope it will not happened again. And now I kinda do not trust the weather sealed feature much, so I started using some plastic bag cover.

What do you think guys ? The other thing I tried is to write directly to the pentax but It is hard to find some emails. I wrote somewhere but they did not even write me back. Do you know some contacts directly to pentax or other service shop ? Thank you, and I hope nobody else will have similar experience.

[BigMackCam]

Hi Lukas...

Sorry again to hear of the problems you've had with your K-1.

Firstly, the customer service aspects. I think Suncamera and/or the Kerrisdale shop should have told you the camera had been received back, and I do think you should have received a written report explaining the service centre's findings.

Regarding WR and the corrosion... this subject comes up every now and again on these forums, and those of every other brand that advertise weather resistance as a feature in their cameras. One of the more recent threads on PentaxForums can be read HERE.

The thing about WR is that it's weather resistance, and not weather / water proofing to some recognised ISO, IP or other rating. I realise you had no such problem with your K-5, but it's a different camera used on different dates in slightly (or very) different conditions. I don't believe the K-5 is better than the K-1 for weather resistance - I think you've either been lucky with your K-5, or unlucky with your K-1. Even your K-5 may have suffered some water ingress that hasn't yet caused a problem.

Personally, I treat every camera I own as if it isn't water resistant, and I consider the WR protection to be a bonus. I never take my gear out in heavy rain... perhaps in very, very light, non-continuous rain, yes; and certainly sometimes to the coast where it may get a bit of sea-spray on it... but I never let the water stand on the camera. I carry a microfibre towel and wipe the camera and lens down frequently.

I think the K-1 is as well-protected as any camera currently available, and way better than most. No DSLR or mirrorless model, to my knowledge, is completely immune to water ingress problems. From a manufacturer or service centre's perspective, they have no way of knowing what the owner actually did with their camera to result in water damage - there are so many situations where it can happen. As a result, no manufacturer I know of actually covers water damage under warranty.

As for getting your K-1 repaired... well, as Adam pointed out earlier in the thread, it's a high-mileage camera now (even if shutter life is rated at 300,000 shots), and I think you need to consider its value. Even if it can be repaired, my guess is that would cost several hundred dollars. You may be better off putting that money towards a new K-1 (or other camera) and selling (or keeping) your existing K-1 for spares.

Going forward, I think you're wise to use a rain cover if you're going to shoot in inclement weather, so please continue to do that, whatever decision you make.

Good luck

---

Last edited by BigMackCam; 01-06-2018 at 01:18 AM.

[BigMackCam]

Further to the above, I remembered that @stevebrot posted a very helpful and informative WR summary HERE. It doesn't help with your existing K-1, but it's well worth reading for future reference and is relevant for every weather resistant camera, regardless of brand...

[Medex]

I experienced the same problem. Here is the info you maybe can try if your shutter is still not repaired.

„Sometimes a power interruption can jog the shutter open if its stuck, so what you will do is:
1. Set your camera to manual
2. Turn off any features that might drain the battery (image stabilization, flash, LCD view ...etc)
3. Set your shutter to the slowest speed possible (15-30 seconds)
4. Take a picture
5. Open the battery door during the exposure and then close it right up (I removed battery and pushed it inside again). The momentarily power interruption during exposure time might be able to jog your shutter open.
6. Repeat until your shutter un-jams.
I tried this trick and it helped from the first attempt. Yahoo!!!