[mtngal]

In the past I’ve usually bought extended warranties with my cameras but I’ve only once used them. So when I bought the KP I didn’t bother.

The camera is over a year old now and the directional buttons on the back of the camera no longer work. The camera still takes great photos, I just can’t use the menu much.

Has anyone had this issue and had their camera repaired? I haven’t talked to anyone about repairs, not quite sure who is doing Pentax repairs any more.

I’m leaning toward replacing the camera instead of repairing it, but would be interested in any opinions. I’m guessing it’s something like a loose connection but it’s possible it’s something else - while I’ve tried to be careful, I’m a klutz and have traveled in the desert in summer.

[Kath]

I haven’t had the issue you’re having. But love my KP and sure would lean toward at least checking out the cost of repair. You’re fortunate in California to have a number of authorized repair centers:

Pentax Repairs U.S.A., Pentax Service Centers

[Vmax911]

Long shot but...

...when I first got my KP, the 4 way buttons stopped working. I couldn't use them to change the ISO, shooting mode, etc. Turns out the directional buttons were changing the focus point, I had to click/hold the OK button to switch modes.

Make sure that's not the case before sending in for repair.

[mtngal]

Thanks for the list of repair centers! That’s very helpful!

And I guess I better change my account info, I’m a nomad now and not planning on being in California until tax time when I’ll see my accountant and file my last state tax form. I will be spending the winter in Arizona and Vegas, I can talk to the center in Yuma as I have a friend there and will probably drop by his place every so often. I could use his address and then pick it up sometime.

My problem isn’t connected to the focus point-function difference, it’s the buttons all the time - they don’t work in the menu system either. And it seems to be intermittent, they won’t work for a couple of days, but today they do work. That’s why I suspect a loose connection somewhere. With all of the micro sized connections, I’m not sure just how repairable it would be. I’m enough of a klutz that my equipment gets knocked around a bit.

If it’s not repairable I’ll replace it - I find that the weight and size of the KP works better for me as a walk-about camera than the K1. I also love the KP/DA300/1.4 combination, easier for me to use than a K1/FA150-450 combo would be.

Thanks again for the list of repair centers!

[mikesbike]

If you used a credit card for your purchase, some of them will extend the product warranty by at least another year. You might check on that possibility.

I also agree- the KP is too much wonderful camera in a petite body not to have! I liked mine so much I bought a second body, both in silver. The older one I bought 2-1/2 years ago, the other around one year later. No troubles with either so far. These on top of my much older but very good Pentax K-5 IIs, and the extra-lightweight K-S2, which I bought in a spectacular deal when the K-70 came out. I still also use both of these. The point is, though both of these are very fine performers, I liked the KP so much I bought another one!

[chipchops123]

Long shot but...

...when I first got my KP, the 4 way buttons stopped working. I couldn't use them to change the ISO, shooting mode, etc. Turns out the directional buttons were changing the focus point, I had to click/hold the OK button to switch modes.

Make sure that's not the case before sending in for repair.

Hi! I’m pretty new here but I’ve been searching the threads for an issue/result similar to this. For me my KP (only purchased New a few months ago) the four way buttons are fine but pressing and holding the OK button doesn’t work anymore - any ideas how to fix?

[cport]

1st option - the button is wrong --> I would send it for repair under warranty


2nd option - older bodies had this functionality (pressing and holding OK changed the mode of the four-way controller), but I am not sure that KP has this too ...

[Mikesul]

Check how you have Menu C 3 18 set. That controls the OK button as a switch.

[acoufap]

Didn‘t read all posts but sounds like a „problem“ I also had.

The AF mode has to be set to a SEL mode (by example AF-S/SEL 1 - shown in the OVF). This mode you can chose by turning the back wheel while pressing the AF mode button or by menue item (Menue Camera - Tab 1 - Autofocus when shooting with viewfinder > AF active area ...).

If SEL x is selected the OK button toggles by applying long press between „usual functions“ and „AF point navigation“. The AF point navigation is indicated by an icon in the OVF. If in „normal“ mode the icon is hidden.

Hope this helps.

[cport]

Check how you have Menu C 3 18 set. That controls the OK button as a switch.

I have tried this and this changes nothing in the behaviour of OK button.

[Mikesul]

I have tried this and this changes nothing in the behaviour of OK button.

Sorry to hear that. It sounds like a repair is needed.

[cport]

I am not the one who asked, but I wanted to try this. And I am sure that my KP is all right - OK button works in many different situations.

[mtngal]

I don’t have an answer about the OK button not working - I would think that might be a warranty repair.

As far as my camera goes, I ended up replacing my KP. It seemed like the buttons would quit working when the camera got hot and seemed to work again once the camera was out of the sun and cooler. Then I relocated to the mountains where it’s cooler and the buttons still didn’t work, so I ordered a new one.

After setting up the replacement camera and removing everything from the old camera (including the battery), it occurred that I should at least try to reset the menus to default even though I didn’t expect I’d be able to do so. I put the battery back in and tried - the buttons worked again. I have no idea why that should have made a difference, but I thought that was interesting. I guess I’ll hang onto the old camera for a while, may play with it some more. I don’t mind having an extra camera, some day it might come in handy.

[cport]

I am not the one who asked, but I wanted to try this. And I am sure that my KP is all right - OK button works in many different situations.

Maybe I did not write this clearly - I think that the camera could be all right, just this functionality of OK button (pressing and holding OK) is deactivated due to some setting. As I said, my OK button works normally, but I was not able to change functionality of the four-way controller. But I do not use this regularly, changing functionality of the four-way controller can be done though some Fn button - this is also my case.

[cport]

I think I have a solution -


my Fx2 button is mapped as "Change AF area" --> pressing OK and holding it does nothing

I have changed Fx2 button to something else --> pressing OK and holding it switches the four-way controller

So firstly check your Fx buttons. They I would try reset to factory setting, Then warranty service ...