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r2studios · 03-16-2015, 04:05 AM

Was just wondering if anyone else has been experiencing a camera freeze up that requires a battery pull?

I have had the same issue happen 4 times since I purchased the camera from B & H back in November and am running software v1.20. The camera will just freeze rendering it in-operable and requiring a battery pull to get it working again. At first I thought it was just a fluke but now am a bit concerned. I contacted Pentax who had me send it in to Precision Camera in CT.

jquill · 03-16-2015, 05:52 AM

I have had one freeze up requiring a battery pull. More disconcerting was that I also lost around a half dozen pictures taken before the freeze up. I have not been able to get out to shoot since that event, but will keep a closer eye on things from now on.

John

Royce Howland · 03-16-2015, 07:18 AM

I've had 2 or 3 hard freezes requiring a battery pull. I believe mine have all occurred in Live View, probably while shooting AEB sequences. That's as close as I've come in pinning down a possible trigger for my freezes. I personally believe it's a firmware bug of some kind...

r2studios · 03-16-2015, 07:35 AM

This last freeze (no. 4) that forced me to send it back to Pentax was becaue I lost about 10 images that I had shot for a client while shooting on location.

I do have to give it to Pentax, they were super responsive. Let's see how long it will take to get it back.

Will keep this thread posted.

Originally posted by jquill

I have had one freeze up requiring a battery pull. More disconcerting was that I also lost around a half dozen pictures taken before the freeze up. I have not been able to get out to shoot since that event, but will keep a closer eye on things from now on.

John

jquill · 03-16-2015, 08:15 AM

Originally posted by r2studios

This last freeze (no. 4) that forced me to send it back to Pentax was becaue I lost about 10 images that I had shot for a client while shooting on location.

I do have to give it to Pentax, they were super responsive. Let's see how long it will take to get it back.

Will keep this thread posted.

I'm curious, was there a gap in the image file sequence numbers on the SD card? In my case there was no gap in the sequence; the original shots were just lost - now I'm wondering if something went wonky with the file sequence number assignment and they were somehow overwritten by the newer shots before the camera finally froze up.

michaelz · 03-16-2015, 09:11 AM

First one last night during a 30sec live view Image during 3 bracketed shots. I'll watch it now.

r2studios · 03-16-2015, 10:04 AM

It was the same SD card and the files were in sequential order when I imported them into LR. On two of the 4 occasions, the freeze-up happened upon turning on the camera. The very last time it happened was the first time that it happened while shooting.

Originally posted by jquill

I'm curious, was there a gap in the image file sequence numbers on the SD card? In my case there was no gap in the sequence; the original shots were just lost - now I'm wondering if something went wonky with the file sequence number assignment and they were somehow overwritten by the newer shots before the camera finally froze up.

672 · 03-16-2015, 11:52 PM

Best of luck with the repair. Don't forget to note which battery and which memory cards and what lens is on when trouble shooting these freeze ups.

Kolor-Pikker · 03-17-2015, 07:39 AM

Been shooting with my 645Z since November too, and after a thousand shots or so I haven't had any problems yet. SD cards are 32GB Sandisk and Lexar. Shot in just about every mode available, in bursts and single shots, so I'm just knocking on wood here for the time being.

gary alan · 03-17-2015, 11:44 PM

I have had mine freeze up 5-6 times, narrowed it down to the mirror lockup function. First one happened within the first 100 shots and regularly after. Stopped using the mirror lock up and its yet to happen again, up to about 1400 shots all up. I also believe its a firmware issue as I have had the screen just black out on me aswell, camera shutter ect fuction ok just no screen. Also on one occasion the first SD card was not recognized and the images were writen to the second card, even though both were slotted properly. Still waiting for a firware update..hint hint wink wink..

michaelz · 03-18-2015, 05:53 AM

I happened again last night during a 30 sec exposure. This is obviously a problem for Pentax! I hope they come up with a firmware fix STAT!

Royce Howland · 03-18-2015, 08:04 AM

Thinking back, I suspect my freezes also happened on 30 second exposures... the longest exposures on the tail end of AEB sequences.

Kolor-Pikker · 03-19-2015, 12:24 AM - **1 Like**

I shot several 30 sec. exposures just yesterday evening, no hiccups.

note* I had long exposure NR turned off.

r2studios · 03-22-2015, 12:46 PM

Hey all, thanks for sharing your experience. Just enacted to update everyone.

Pentax US and their east coast service center Precision Camera in CT have been ultra responsive.

Unfortunately or fortunately, they could not replicate the problem. They asked if I wanted the camera shipped back to me or shipped to Japan for further testing.

I opted to have it shipped back to me and if the issue persists, I will document it every time it happens and have it shipped to Japan.

I have too many client projects coming to give it up for an extended period of time.

Plus I have my Nikon back up gear.

Fingers crossed that it was a fluke and it won't happen again!

Will keep everyone posted if anything changes.

03-16-2015, 04:05 AM	#1
r2studios Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Bloomfield, NJ Posts: 28	645Z Freeze Up Requiring A Battery Pull Was just wondering if anyone else has been experiencing a camera freeze up that requires a battery pull? I have had the same issue happen 4 times since I purchased the camera from B & H back in November and am running software v1.20. The camera will just freeze rendering it in-operable and requiring a battery pull to get it working again. At first I thought it was just a fluke but now am a bit concerned. I contacted Pentax who had me send it in to Precision Camera in CT.

03-16-2015, 09:11 AM	#6
michaelz New Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 17	First Freeze up last night First one last night during a 30sec live view Image during 3 bracketed shots. I'll watch it now.

03-18-2015, 05:53 AM	#11
michaelz New Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Posts: 17	It Happened again I happened again last night during a 30 sec exposure. This is obviously a problem for Pentax! I hope they come up with a firmware fix STAT!

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03-16-2015, 05:52 AM	#2
jquill Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Ocean City, MD Posts: 2,933	I have had one freeze up requiring a battery pull. More disconcerting was that I also lost around a half dozen pictures taken before the freeze up. I have not been able to get out to shoot since that event, but will keep a closer eye on things from now on. John

03-16-2015, 07:18 AM	#3
Royce Howland Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 275	I've had 2 or 3 hard freezes requiring a battery pull. I believe mine have all occurred in Live View, probably while shooting AEB sequences. That's as close as I've come in pinning down a possible trigger for my freezes. I personally believe it's a firmware bug of some kind...

03-16-2015, 07:35 AM	#4
r2studios Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Bloomfield, NJ Posts: 28 Original Poster	This last freeze (no. 4) that forced me to send it back to Pentax was becaue I lost about 10 images that I had shot for a client while shooting on location. I do have to give it to Pentax, they were super responsive. Let's see how long it will take to get it back. Will keep this thread posted. Originally posted by jquill I have had one freeze up requiring a battery pull. More disconcerting was that I also lost around a half dozen pictures taken before the freeze up. I have not been able to get out to shoot since that event, but will keep a closer eye on things from now on. John

03-16-2015, 08:15 AM	#5
jquill Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Ocean City, MD Posts: 2,933	Originally posted by r2studios This last freeze (no. 4) that forced me to send it back to Pentax was becaue I lost about 10 images that I had shot for a client while shooting on location. I do have to give it to Pentax, they were super responsive. Let's see how long it will take to get it back. Will keep this thread posted. I'm curious, was there a gap in the image file sequence numbers on the SD card? In my case there was no gap in the sequence; the original shots were just lost - now I'm wondering if something went wonky with the file sequence number assignment and they were somehow overwritten by the newer shots before the camera finally froze up.

03-16-2015, 10:04 AM	#7
r2studios Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Bloomfield, NJ Posts: 28 Original Poster	It was the same SD card and the files were in sequential order when I imported them into LR. On two of the 4 occasions, the freeze-up happened upon turning on the camera. The very last time it happened was the first time that it happened while shooting. Originally posted by jquill I'm curious, was there a gap in the image file sequence numbers on the SD card? In my case there was no gap in the sequence; the original shots were just lost - now I'm wondering if something went wonky with the file sequence number assignment and they were somehow overwritten by the newer shots before the camera finally froze up.

03-16-2015, 11:52 PM	#8
672 Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: santa monica Photos: Gallery Posts: 486	Best of luck with the repair. Don't forget to note which battery and which memory cards and what lens is on when trouble shooting these freeze ups.

03-17-2015, 07:39 AM	#9
Kolor-Pikker Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 345	Been shooting with my 645Z since November too, and after a thousand shots or so I haven't had any problems yet. SD cards are 32GB Sandisk and Lexar. Shot in just about every mode available, in bursts and single shots, so I'm just knocking on wood here for the time being.

03-17-2015, 11:44 PM	#10
gary alan New Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 13	I have had mine freeze up 5-6 times, narrowed it down to the mirror lockup function. First one happened within the first 100 shots and regularly after. Stopped using the mirror lock up and its yet to happen again, up to about 1400 shots all up. I also believe its a firmware issue as I have had the screen just black out on me aswell, camera shutter ect fuction ok just no screen. Also on one occasion the first SD card was not recognized and the images were writen to the second card, even though both were slotted properly. Still waiting for a firware update..hint hint wink wink..

03-18-2015, 08:04 AM	#12
Royce Howland Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Calgary, Alberta Posts: 275	Thinking back, I suspect my freezes also happened on 30 second exposures... the longest exposures on the tail end of AEB sequences.

03-19-2015, 12:24 AM - 1 Like	#13
Kolor-Pikker Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 345	I shot several 30 sec. exposures just yesterday evening, no hiccups. note* I had long exposure NR turned off.

03-22-2015, 12:46 PM	#14
r2studios Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Bloomfield, NJ Posts: 28 Original Poster	Hey all, thanks for sharing your experience. Just enacted to update everyone. Pentax US and their east coast service center Precision Camera in CT have been ultra responsive. Unfortunately or fortunately, they could not replicate the problem. They asked if I wanted the camera shipped back to me or shipped to Japan for further testing. I opted to have it shipped back to me and if the issue persists, I will document it every time it happens and have it shipped to Japan. I have too many client projects coming to give it up for an extended period of time. Plus I have my Nikon back up gear. Fingers crossed that it was a fluke and it won't happen again! Will keep everyone posted if anything changes.

645Z Freeze Up Requiring A Battery Pull

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