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p38arover · 07-25-2016, 12:18 AM

I'm trying both PKTether and PKTriggerCord with macro-photography in a light box.

Both programs cause the K-5 (and K-7) LCD screen backlighting to flash. It stops flashing whilst transferring the image, then starts again. Does anyone else have this problem?

Also, both cause lock-ups of the K-5 (I haven't tested enough with the K-7 to see if it happens with it) which requires battery removal to reset the camera. Again, does anyone else have this problem?

I'm using both on a laptop with an i7 processor running Windows 10.

MarkJerling · 07-25-2016, 02:13 AM

Yes. You need to turn off the top LCD, then the problem goes away. Menu C4, item 22 on my K-5.

I've not had lock-up problems with my K-5 and PKTehther. What firmware are you on, with your K-5? I'm using PKTether version 0.7.0.

DeadJohn · 07-25-2016, 07:21 AM

My K-5 used to frequently lock up with PKTether. I had to remove the camera battery each time to unfreeze it. There was no ongoing development for PKTether so I stopped using it.

MarkJerling · 07-25-2016, 02:25 PM

Originally posted by DeadJohn

My K-5 used to frequently lock up with PKTether. I had to remove the camera battery each time to unfreeze it. There was no ongoing development for PKTether so I stopped using it.

Did you turn off the top LCD backlight?

p38arover · 07-25-2016, 03:29 PM

Thanks, Mark. I just checked firmware and I'm two versions behind. I've downloaded the latest and will try that - and turning off the backlighting as soon as I get home from dropping my wife at the airport (she's off on holiday leaving me with the guide dog we are care caring for

).

The last time I tried a firmware update, it bricked my Q and it had to go back to Japan.

MarkJerling · 07-25-2016, 04:10 PM

Originally posted by p38arover

Thanks, Mark. I just checked firmware and I'm two versions behind. I've downloaded the latest and will try that - and turning off the backlighting as soon as I get home from dropping my wife at the airport (she's off on holiday leaving me with the guide dog we are care caring for

).

The last time I tried a firmware update, it bricked my Q and it had to go back to Japan.

Oh dear! Remember, full, healthy battery for firmware update is the most important thing!

p38arover · 07-25-2016, 10:55 PM

OK, the K-5 is updated - I'll do the K-7 later. Back-lighting is off.

Now to try again.

---------- Post added 26th Jul 2016 at 16:52 ----------

Hmm, more reading required.

Neither app leaves the images on the memory card - or they stop the camera saving them from the camera's buffer.

They save the images to the computer. I still want them on the memory card.

Why is it so? (to quote Prof Julius Sumner Miller).

I've got the light cube set up on the dining room table with a camera on a tripod and the laptop also on the table. I want to be able to review the images on a decent screen (not the camera's) before taking them into my computer room and transferring them to my desktop PC which has LightRoom installed.

Having said all that, the set up works well for viewing the images. I have some items to photograph for insurance purposes and number of lenses to photograph for sale. I might take pix of my watches, too, just for fun and practice.

bobD · 07-26-2016, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Neither app leaves the images on the memory card - or they stop the camera saving them from the camera's buffer.

Correct.

simply choose a removable drive (usb flash disk or sdcard) to save to as the image folder on the client device. Then take that to your pc.
Or save to disk on the client device and copy to sdcard or flash-drive and take to pc.
Otherwise, as you have found, once the camera buffer is full it crashes the application.

see also for pktriggercord...https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/16-pentax-news-rumors/310893-k-3ii-usb-te...ml#post3625568

p38arover · 07-26-2016, 02:24 AM

Ahh, good suggestion, Bob. I never thought of plugging an SD card into the laptop.

Sometimes one can be too close to the problem!

I didn't realise a full buffer caused the crash. I didn't think I'd filled it but maybe I had. More playing required.

Aha! Just reading your linked post.

DeadJohn · 07-26-2016, 08:07 PM

Originally posted by MarkJerling

Did you turn off the top LCD backlight?

Yes, deactivating the backlight was one of the first configurations I made to the K-5 years ago, to preserve my night vision for astrophotography.

p38arover · 07-26-2016, 10:40 PM

Originally posted by bobD

Otherwise, as you have found, once the camera buffer is full it crashes the application

PKTether simply advises that it cannot take another pic until one saves/deletes a file (or more) in the buffer.

Iustus · 08-27-2016, 04:48 PM

Hello everyone.
Im new to this forum and hope ask the question in the appropiate thread. Sorry it not the appropiate thread.
I have a Pentak K30 and trying several tethering programs.
I have tried pktether, pktriggercord and even entangle for linux.
they work and i can control the camera from them but i cant see the image until the pic is taken. I cant see what i want to take in pic.
If im not wrong the normal should be i can can see on screen the image im focusing with the camera.
could this be because of the programs, or maybe im doing something wrong?
i turn on camera and connect to computer. Programs recognize the camera as the Pentax k-30.

Thank you very much.

Greetings

07-25-2016, 12:18 AM	#1
p38arover Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Western Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,084	PKTether and PKTriggerCord I'm trying both PKTether and PKTriggerCord with macro-photography in a light box. Both programs cause the K-5 (and K-7) LCD screen backlighting to flash. It stops flashing whilst transferring the image, then starts again. Does anyone else have this problem? Also, both cause lock-ups of the K-5 (I haven't tested enough with the K-7 to see if it happens with it) which requires battery removal to reset the camera. Again, does anyone else have this problem? I'm using both on a laptop with an i7 processor running Windows 10.

07-25-2016, 02:13 AM	#2
MarkJerling Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wairarapa, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 20,423	Yes. You need to turn off the top LCD, then the problem goes away. Menu C4, item 22 on my K-5. I've not had lock-up problems with my K-5 and PKTehther. What firmware are you on, with your K-5? I'm using PKTether version 0.7.0. Last edited by MarkJerling; 07-25-2016 at 02:30 AM.

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07-25-2016, 07:21 AM	#3
DeadJohn Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,834	My K-5 used to frequently lock up with PKTether. I had to remove the camera battery each time to unfreeze it. There was no ongoing development for PKTether so I stopped using it.

07-25-2016, 02:25 PM	#4
MarkJerling Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wairarapa, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 20,423	Originally posted by DeadJohn My K-5 used to frequently lock up with PKTether. I had to remove the camera battery each time to unfreeze it. There was no ongoing development for PKTether so I stopped using it. Did you turn off the top LCD backlight?

07-25-2016, 03:29 PM	#5
p38arover Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Western Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,084 Original Poster	Thanks, Mark. I just checked firmware and I'm two versions behind. I've downloaded the latest and will try that - and turning off the backlighting as soon as I get home from dropping my wife at the airport (she's off on holiday leaving me with the guide dog we are care caring for ). The last time I tried a firmware update, it bricked my Q and it had to go back to Japan.

07-25-2016, 04:10 PM	#6
MarkJerling Moderator Site Supporter Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wairarapa, New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 20,423	Originally posted by p38arover Thanks, Mark. I just checked firmware and I'm two versions behind. I've downloaded the latest and will try that - and turning off the backlighting as soon as I get home from dropping my wife at the airport (she's off on holiday leaving me with the guide dog we are care caring for ). The last time I tried a firmware update, it bricked my Q and it had to go back to Japan. Oh dear! Remember, full, healthy battery for firmware update is the most important thing!

07-25-2016, 10:55 PM	#7
p38arover Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Western Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,084 Original Poster	OK, the K-5 is updated - I'll do the K-7 later. Back-lighting is off. Now to try again. ---------- Post added 26th Jul 2016 at 16:52 ---------- Hmm, more reading required. Neither app leaves the images on the memory card - or they stop the camera saving them from the camera's buffer. They save the images to the computer. I still want them on the memory card. Why is it so? (to quote Prof Julius Sumner Miller). I've got the light cube set up on the dining room table with a camera on a tripod and the laptop also on the table. I want to be able to review the images on a decent screen (not the camera's) before taking them into my computer room and transferring them to my desktop PC which has LightRoom installed. Having said all that, the set up works well for viewing the images. I have some items to photograph for insurance purposes and number of lenses to photograph for sale. I might take pix of my watches, too, just for fun and practice.

07-26-2016, 12:35 AM	#8
bobD Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Waikikamukau Photos: Albums Posts: 1,248	Quote: Neither app leaves the images on the memory card - or they stop the camera saving them from the camera's buffer. Correct. simply choose a removable drive (usb flash disk or sdcard) to save to as the image folder on the client device. Then take that to your pc. Or save to disk on the client device and copy to sdcard or flash-drive and take to pc. Otherwise, as you have found, once the camera buffer is full it crashes the application. see also for pktriggercord...https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/16-pentax-news-rumors/310893-k-3ii-usb-te...ml#post3625568

07-26-2016, 02:24 AM	#9
p38arover Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Western Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,084 Original Poster	Ahh, good suggestion, Bob. I never thought of plugging an SD card into the laptop. Sometimes one can be too close to the problem! I didn't realise a full buffer caused the crash. I didn't think I'd filled it but maybe I had. More playing required. Aha! Just reading your linked post.

07-26-2016, 08:07 PM	#10
DeadJohn Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: New York Posts: 4,834	Originally posted by MarkJerling Did you turn off the top LCD backlight? Yes, deactivating the backlight was one of the first configurations I made to the K-5 years ago, to preserve my night vision for astrophotography.

07-26-2016, 10:40 PM	#11
p38arover Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Western Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,084 Original Poster	Originally posted by bobD Otherwise, as you have found, once the camera buffer is full it crashes the application PKTether simply advises that it cannot take another pic until one saves/deletes a file (or more) in the buffer.

08-27-2016, 04:48 PM	#12
Iustus New Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 1	Hello everyone. Im new to this forum and hope ask the question in the appropiate thread. Sorry it not the appropiate thread. I have a Pentak K30 and trying several tethering programs. I have tried pktether, pktriggercord and even entangle for linux. they work and i can control the camera from them but i cant see the image until the pic is taken. I cant see what i want to take in pic. If im not wrong the normal should be i can can see on screen the image im focusing with the camera. could this be because of the programs, or maybe im doing something wrong? i turn on camera and connect to computer. Programs recognize the camera as the Pentax k-30. Thank you very much. Greetings