[5r82]

I have not upgraded the K-1 firmware from ver 1.0 since I bought the camera.

I am a bit trepidatious about updating as the instructions on the Ricoh site say to make certain a full battery is in place before starting (no problem) and that if the "camera turns off due to lack of battery power, the camera will become inoperable. If this happens, a charge will be made for repairs even if within the warranty period (problem)".

If I use a full battery, should I be concerned; in other words, has anyone had a battery fail during upgrade?

Thank you.

If you still have any concerns regarding firmware update you should definitely have someone more experienced to that for you, either a friend or send it to service center. There are improvements with new firmwares, such as square crop mode and night vision LCD colors and other hidden improvements...

[cpoteet]

If you still have any concerns regarding firmware update you should definitely have someone more experienced to that for you, either a friend or send it to service center. There are improvements with new firmwares, such as square crop mode and night vision LCD colors and other hidden improvements...

According to the instructions on the Ricoh website for upgrading firmware to the K-1, I should insert the memory card with the downloaded file into the camera while off. Done.

I then should hold down the "Menu" button and turn on the camera. I should see "Update the camera firmware on the camera monitor". No. I see the regular standby screen.

My workflow: formatted a new 32gb SanDisk memory card, I download the upgrade file to the memory card, I verified that the file was on the memory card and I placed the memory card in slot 1 with empty slot 2. I then turned off the camera and inserted the memory card into slot 2 with empty slot 1, followed the same start-up procedure, same failure resulted.


Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong and how to remedy the problem so I can update the firmware to the latest will be most appreciated.

[rawr]

I download the upgrade file to the memory card

Did you place the unzipped firmware binary (fwdc228b.bin) on the SD card?

[jefan]

According to the instructions on the Ricoh website for upgrading firmware to the K-1, I should insert the memory card with the downloaded file into the camera while off. Done.

I then should hold down the "Menu" button and turn on the camera. I should see "Update the camera firmware on the camera monitor". No. I see the regular standby screen.

My workflow: formatted a new 32gb SanDisk memory card, I download the upgrade file to the memory card, I verified that the file was on the memory card and I placed the memory card in slot 1 with empty slot 2. I then turned off the camera and inserted the memory card into slot 2 with empty slot 1, followed the same start-up procedure, same failure resulted.


Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong and how to remedy the problem so I can update the firmware to the latest will be most appreciated.

Please confirm you have copy the firmware file ".bin" (not the .zip file you downloaded from Ricoh website) into the root directory in the SD card.

With full battery and camera powered off, insert the SD card into Slot #1. Turn on camera while holding down MENU button. Follow on screen instruction to initiate update. Turn off camera when "COMPLETE" is displayed on screen.

[cpoteet]

According to the instructions on the Ricoh website for upgrading firmware to the K-1, I should insert the memory card with the downloaded file into the camera while off. Done.

I then should hold down the "Menu" button and turn on the camera. I should see "Update the camera firmware on the camera monitor". No. I see the regular standby screen.

My workflow: formatted a new 32gb SanDisk memory card, I download the upgrade file to the memory card, I verified that the file was on the memory card and I placed the memory card in slot 1 with empty slot 2. I then turned off the camera and inserted the memory card into slot 2 with empty slot 1, followed the same start-up procedure, same failure resulted.


Any suggestions as to what I am doing wrong and how to remedy the problem so I can update the firmware to the latest will be most appreciated.

I solved the problem, one which I am 99% responsible for.


The fact is the upgrade file has to be copied to the root, repeat root, directly of the memory card. My Win 7 using Mozilla Firefox browser automatically created a DCIM file on the blank memory card and copied the upgrade file into the DCIM file.

The instructions on the Ricoh website do, indeed, say to copy the downloaded file to the root directory of the memory card. My brain did not fully appreciate that statement.


I say my error in not reading literally the instructions caused 99% of the problem. I will stand by my conviction that if the instructions had said something such as "...be sure to copy the downloaded file to the memory card's root directory and not to a folder," my brain would have absorbed the message correctly as I am used to seeing DCIM folders on my camera memory cards.

I thank those who have tried to guide me and I shall try to be more careful in my reading and interpreting in the future.

[rawr]

if the instructions had said something such as "...be sure to copy the downloaded file to the memory card's root directory

They do already:
"Copy the above Firmware file [fwdc228b.bin] to the root directory in the SD card."
Latest PENTAX K-1 Firmware Update : Software Downloads | RICOH IMAGING

I think one simply needs to slowly and systematically follow the procedure outlined.

Note that once you've successfully done it, all future firmware upgrades are a breeze.

BTW, Pentax firmware upgrades are easy. Some manufacturers make it much more clumsy and annoying.

[VSTAR]

I have not upgraded the K-1 firmware from ver 1.0 since I bought the camera.

I am a bit trepidatious about updating as the instructions on the Ricoh site say to make certain a full battery is in place before starting (no problem) and that if the "camera turns off due to lack of battery power, the camera will become inoperable. If this happens, a charge will be made for repairs even if within the warranty period (problem)".

If I use a full battery, should I be concerned; in other words, has anyone had a battery fail during upgrade?

Thank you.

Stop worrying! Just follow Ricoh’s instructions step by step. The actual upgrade time is really short. A full battery charge could do more consecutive upgrades than you could count. I have done all K1 updates, easy as can be.

[Lowflyer48]

I bought an unboxed K-1 two weeks ago and when I got it home, having had a range of Pentax DSLRs before, the first thing I did was to check the Ricoh website for any updates and found that my camera was two versions out of date. I had a fully charged battery and a formatted SD card to hand, downloaded the firmware and installed it in probably no more than 5 or 6 minutes. From the little icon in the LCD display the battery power appeared not to have altered.

Go ahead and install the firmware. You'll probably find that even a half-charged battery would be good enough but do what the manual says and you won't go wrong.

[BigMackCam]

Go ahead and install the firmware. You'll probably find that even a half-charged battery would be good enough but do what the manual says and you won't go wrong.

You may be right, but best not to find out, since it's not just the level of charge in the battery but the current drain. I would always recommend either a fully-charged OEM battery, or the correct AC/DC power supply. Anything else is adding potential risk that I wouldn't be comfortable with myself, and couldn't recommend to others accordingly

Glad you managed to carry out the firmware update successfully. It's definitely worth doing for any camera, and really nothing to worry about if the manufacturer's instructions are followed to the letter

[clickclick]

I do get paranoid about this type of stuff and like to use OEM batteries that are freshly charged. For another total level of double check inanity, Go into your menus and tell the camera you want to do a sensor cleaning. That will do a battery check as well, and if the camera doesn't think the battery can hold the shutter open and mirror up, it won't go. Figure if it passes that as well as the check done at the start of the firmware update, you should be all set. I will note I was surprised when going to do a sensor cleaning not long ago, and two batteries of mine that had sat, but still showed full when powering on the camera, did not pass the battery check done at the start of the sensor cleaning.

[amstel78]

Just updated my K-1 II to 1.03. Put the .bin file in a freshly formatted 8gb SD card I keep around just for firmware updates. Took less than 30 seconds to complete. It's not a big deal; just make sure you use a freshly charged battery and don't power the camera off before the words COMPLETE appear on the LCD screen.

I understand some people's trepidation for firmware updates, but in this case, I think they're making it more difficult than it really is.

[tabl10s]

I have not upgraded the K-1 firmware from ver 1.0 since I bought the camera.

I am a bit trepidatious about updating as the instructions on the Ricoh site say to make certain a full battery is in place before starting (no problem) and that if the "camera turns off due to lack of battery power, the camera will become inoperable. If this happens, a charge will be made for repairs even if within the warranty period (problem)".

If I use a full battery, should I be concerned; in other words, has anyone had a battery fail during upgrade?

Thank you.

Instead of stressing, use a full battery or use the A/C adapter.

[agkchang]

I have never had a problem for any of my Pentax cameras.