[Nickrs]

Help, help.

I went to use my KP yesterday and I discovered the battery was flat so I charged it, so far so normal. When I put the recharged battery in my KP and switched it on the beast goes mad. A second after "on" the shutter starts firing without any human intervention and the only way to stop it is by powering down, the screen is dead and all controls don't work. Before I send it back to Pentax has anybody any insights into what has happened?

[vonBaloney]

So it is dead now, or it works again? Sounds like a problem one of the earlier models had (was it the K-5 II? can't remember) -- some of them had machine gun shutters once in a while with a freshly charged battery -- voltage problem or something.

---------- Post added 03-12-18 at 12:35 AM ----------

I seem to remember making a mental note "don't go straight from the charger into the camera" (which is something I would probably not do as I have numerous batteries so the most recently charged one is last in line to go back in the camera) -- sounded like almost all of these cases were not just of a fully charged battery, but a battery that had JUST been charging. Was that the case here?

[Unregistered User 8]

Hi Nick, other members with different cameras have experienced " mirror flap." The K-3 had it until a firmware update seemed to cure it. If it becomes a regular occurrence, then yes, you may have a problem. Other members have reported it happening only once, and never again. My 1st time hearing about the KP doing it. Good luck, and please keep us informed if it happens again.

[HelenJo]

Oh My ! Will be following this thread closely.

[stevebrot]

Before I send it back to Pentax has anybody any insights into what has happened?

What you describe happens sometimes. Conventional wisdom is to consider a power issue first. A low or compromised (unable to support power draw at full voltage) battery is a common cause. One of the benefits of having one or more extra batteries is that one may swap out the suspect battery to see if the problem goes away.* The second common cause is water incursion. A third is a main board or other electronic failure. Except where the battery is the cause, these things typically don't go away by themselves or self-repair.

As for previous models with shutter or mirror "stutters", there have been defects in various models at various times, but not quite like you describe. The closest might be the runaway mirror syndrome that happened with early K-3 production, though in that case the mirror would cycle wildly, but the shutter did not.


Steve

* I have three batteries (the original Pentax that came with the camera and two Wasabi-brand) that I use in rotation. The camera always has a battery and I always have at least one backup.

[mikesbike]

My first Pentax DSLR began eating battery power after a few months. It was still under warranty and was fine after the repair. Mine was an isolated case. Others had no similar problem. It looks like you have some odd problem going on. I would contact Pentax service asap- they might have you send it and the battery in it. But Steve is right- might be a defective battery. Always have more than one battery!

[Jonathan Mac]

This has been an affliction of Pentax cameras for some time, I remember reports when I first joined the forum around eight years ago. I recently read a suggestion that the problem is due to faulty batteries which perhaps do not provide a sufficiently constant current, but it's by no means unique to the KP. It hit my K3 once but hasn't happened again.

[Nickrs]

Thanks for the help so far, I changed to my spare battery (a none Pentax clone) and ............. my KP is still barking (flapping) mad. :-(

I will speak to my dealer (SRS) this afternoon for advice, perhaps with a view to returning it under warranty, I have a K3 and a K-01 in reserve.

This is the first time I've had a problem with a Pentax.

Nick

[Nickrs]

My Pentax KP is now winging it's way to Johnsons Photopia of sunny Stoke-On-Trent, they are the UK warranty repair agents for Pentax.

I will let you know what transpires.

Nick.

[stevebrot]

My Pentax KP is now winging it's way to Johnsons Photopia of sunny Stoke-On-Trent, they are the UK warranty repair agents for Pentax.

I will let you know what transpires.

Nick.

Let's hope that a few days at the spa "taking the cure" will clear up your camera's ills and make it good as new.


Steve

[caliscouser]

Thanks for the updates Nick. I'm sure many of us will be following this closely.

Would you mind posting your camera serial number? Might be a useful data point down the road if this turns out to be be more than a one-off event.

[Nickrs]

Thanks for the updates Nick. I'm sure many of us will be following this closely.

Would you mind posting your camera serial number? Might be a useful data point down the road if this turns out to be be more than a one-off event.

I bought my KP on the 20th September 2017 and the serial number is 7300727.

The shutter count is about 2,400 and date of manufacture was 19th January 2017, the lens I was using at the time of failure was a HD PENTAX-D FA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 ED DC WR + 1.4x converter.

The last photograph taken is attached.

[caliscouser]

Interesting, so this was one of the very first few hundred production cameras produced.

Were you shooting in the snow, rain, going back and forth from cold to warm, could that be a factor? Did the camera get wet?

[mikesbike]

Neither cold nor wet should cause such a problem. That said, however, when coming in from cold weather, i always let my equipment, cameras, lenses, etc. sit in the bag for awhile to acclimate in the warmer environment. After at least 1/2 hour, I unzip the top cover and open it just slightly, then let it sit another couple of hours.

But I think this is a case of some defective part failure.

[Nickrs]

Hi,

My initial thoughts (after Oh Sh*t!) was that the camera had suffered water damage, but thinking back I can't see how it could have unless there was a problem with the weather sealing. I was using a WR spec lens and converter on a weather resistant camera in lightly falling snow at around 0C. The camera was dried carefully with paper towel and left to air on my desk with the lens extended. There was no sign of water ingress in both lens and body. I bought into Pentax some years ago specifically because of the headline WR ability, I have never had a problem with my K50s and my K3, not even with my K-x, K-01 and MX-1 which are not WR. I await the results of my KPs stay at the spa with interest.

If the KP can't take the my outdoor handling it may get traded in for a K1ii!

Nick