Forgot Password
Pentax Camera Forums Home
 

Reply
Show Printable Version Search this Thread
01-30-2020, 07:42 AM   #1
New Member




Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Richmond, VA
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 21
How bad of a thing is mirror flap?

Morning all,
I did some new self portraits the other day and experienced mirror flap for the first time...at least I'm calling it mirror flap (mirror actuated *loudly* but shutter didn't close and no image was captured).

Turns out the battery was just about dead and things went back to normal after I put in a fresh battery.

The question though, as I've run batteries completely down before with no issue, is this indicative of a different bigger problem?

I shoot with a K-1 mark 1 somewhere around 3.5 years old running on the most recent firmware.

01-30-2020, 07:50 AM   #2
Custom User Title
Loyal Site Supporter
FozzFoster's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Alberta
Photos: Albums
Posts: 6,803
I thought that mirror flap was an issue at low shutter speeds; mirror flaps and shakes the camera causing a blur in the image... not low batts - but idk really
01-30-2020, 08:16 AM - 3 Likes   #3
Pentaxian
photoptimist's Avatar

Join Date: Jul 2016
Photos: Albums
Posts: 5,113
It's an indication that the battery is nearing its end of life (probably from running the battery down completely too many times).

The deeper you discharge a LiIon battery, the shorter its total life span.
01-30-2020, 08:53 AM   #4
Pentaxian
Thagomizer's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: London Ontario
Posts: 2,068
QuoteOriginally posted by photoptimist Quote
It's an indication that the battery is nearing its end of life (probably from running the battery down completely too many times).

The deeper you discharge a LiIon battery, the shorter its total life span.
I didn't know that! That's good information to have, thanks!

01-30-2020, 10:18 AM   #5
New Member




Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Richmond, VA
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 21
Original Poster
QuoteOriginally posted by photoptimist Quote
It's an indication that the battery is nearing its end of life (probably from running the battery down completely too many times).

The deeper you discharge a LiIon battery, the shorter its total life span.
So then you're saying there's likely nothing to worry about with the body, just time to buy a new battery or two? That's a load off my mind if that's what you're saying.
01-30-2020, 11:42 AM   #6
cpk
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
cpk's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Montreal
Posts: 638
From a Samsung site on charging their phone batteries (but also applicable to other lithium-ion batteries):

"To get the most out of your smartphone's battery, you'll need to charge it properly.

"Most Smartphones have a lithium-ion battery that lives longer when charged regularly. Unlike the nickel batteries used in older phones, lithium-ion batteries do best when kept above a 50 percent charge. Repeatedly allowing the battery to drain fully may shorten its life and decrease its overall capacity.

"If this happens, you'll need to charge the battery more frequently and it may last only a few hours before needing a charge, for example.

"Leaving the phone connected to the charger (when the phone is completely charged) while you are using it may lower battery life if you do it repeatedly."
01-30-2020, 12:07 PM   #7
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
bobbotron's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Ottawa, ON
Photos: Gallery
Posts: 3,347
QuoteOriginally posted by CoreyC Quote
Morning all,
I did some new self portraits the other day and experienced mirror flap for the first time...at least I'm calling it mirror flap (mirror actuated *loudly* but shutter didn't close and no image was captured).

Turns out the battery was just about dead and things went back to normal after I put in a fresh battery.

The question though, as I've run batteries completely down before with no issue, is this indicative of a different bigger problem?

I shoot with a K-1 mark 1 somewhere around 3.5 years old running on the most recent firmware.
It's not bad, the camera just starts acting poorly because it's almost out of juice. I'd try to keep more charge in your batteries if possible.

01-30-2020, 12:26 PM - 2 Likes   #8
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
JensE's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Leipzig
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 1,942
It's likely that the impedance of the battery is rising, affecting its ability to supply bursts oh high current to operate the motors, dropping the voltage below the required level. This happens before voltage drops too far at low drain currents - when you typically check you battery indicator.

So get fresh ones, and charge them once the first bar is off. There have been some recent post on discharge and thresholds, like this one on the German pentaxians forum, and the elaborate article by c.a.m. here, both indicating that the first bar covers about 50% of the capacity - for original Pentax batteries.
01-30-2020, 01:17 PM - 1 Like   #9
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Prince George, BC
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 3,543
Fozz - You are getting mirror slap and mirror flap confused. Mirror slap is what you described. Mirror flap is a rapid cycling of the mirror caused by low battery voltage, most commonly seen in unpatched K-3s..
01-30-2020, 01:21 PM   #10
Custom User Title
Loyal Site Supporter
FozzFoster's Avatar

Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Alberta
Photos: Albums
Posts: 6,803
QuoteOriginally posted by jbinpg Quote
Fozz - You are getting mirror slap and mirror flap confused.
Thx for the clarification..
01-30-2020, 03:06 PM   #11
Site Supporter
Site Supporter




Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Goldsboro North Carolina
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 2,860
Besides mirror slap and mirror flap, there's also mirror flop! From a thread - 'Some K-5s exhibit 'mirror flop', where pushing a button or inserting a battery causes the mirror to cycle.' (My K-5IIs has never done this, thankfully.)

Life can be so confusing!
01-31-2020, 08:20 AM   #12
Pentaxian
dsmithhfx's Avatar

Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Toronto
Posts: 5,123
QuoteOriginally posted by cpk Quote
From a Samsung site on charging their phone batteries (but also applicable to other lithium-ion batteries):

"To get the most out of your smartphone's battery, you'll need to charge it properly.

"Most Smartphones have a lithium-ion battery that lives longer when charged regularly. Unlike the nickel batteries used in older phones, lithium-ion batteries do best when kept above a 50 percent charge. Repeatedly allowing the battery to drain fully may shorten its life and decrease its overall capacity.

"If this happens, you'll need to charge the battery more frequently and it may last only a few hours before needing a charge, for example.

"Leaving the phone connected to the charger (when the phone is completely charged) while you are using it may lower battery life if you do it repeatedly."
I've been doing it wrong all these years!!!
01-31-2020, 07:45 PM   #13
cpk
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
cpk's Avatar

Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Montreal
Posts: 638
QuoteOriginally posted by dsmithhfx Quote
I've been doing it wrong all these years!!!
Me too through several cell phones and my Pentax batteries, until I read that Samsung website after getting my latest cell phone over a year ago.

Correction: Only in respect to my cell phone. This thread is making me realize that I should be thinking of my Pentax batteries as well. One positive aspect to this is that if you change batteries at half power, there is less risk of going dry when you need the power. It has happened to me, especially in the cold weather.

Last edited by cpk; 01-31-2020 at 08:22 PM.
02-01-2020, 05:19 PM   #14
Site Supporter
Site Supporter
JensE's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Leipzig
Photos: Gallery | Albums
Posts: 1,942
Happened to me the first time out with the KP, and I can only hope my phone turns off early enough to at least avoid rapid damage ...
Reply

Bookmarks
  • Submit Thread to Facebook Facebook
  • Submit Thread to Twitter Twitter
  • Submit Thread to Digg Digg
Tags - Make this thread easier to find by adding keywords to it!
battery, dslr, flap, full frame, full-frame, k-1, k1, mirror, pentax k-1
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Any reports of mirror flap on the K3 II? Fat Albert Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 30 10-02-2017 03:07 PM
K3II Mirror Flap clickclick Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 15 07-02-2017 07:44 AM
K-3 Mirror Flap - Was It Ever Cured? Biro Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 30 06-30-2015 04:45 PM
K3 Firmware 1.03 and mirror flap Little Ray Pentax K-3 & K-3 II 38 05-20-2014 01:34 AM



All times are GMT -7. The time now is 01:17 AM. | See also: NikonForums.com, CanonForums.com part of our network of photo forums!
  • Red (Default)
  • Green
  • Gray
  • Dark
  • Dark Yellow
  • Dark Blue
  • Old Red
  • Old Green
  • Old Gray
  • Dial-Up Style
Hello! It's great to see you back on the forum! Have you considered joining the community?
register
Creating a FREE ACCOUNT takes under a minute, removes ads, and lets you post! [Dismiss]
Top