Did I break my K-x?

ptx101 · 01-23-2011, 10:37 AM

I had my K-x on a gorillapod (SLR Zoom Model) sitting on a table. I bumped the table and the camera fell forward landing on the bottom front of the DA L 18-55 lens and the corner of the camera body (about where the little finger of your right hand rests while holding the camera). The camera was nonfunctional in that it wouldn't turn on. I happened to remove the batteries to check out the battery compartment and as soon as I reinstalled the batteries the camera starting working. The pictures appear fine - at least when viewed on the LCD. It kind of has me freaked out since I am leaving on a short trip this week and in a few weeks will go on my 3 week trip to Costa Rica which was the reason for buying the camera in the first place. Has anyone had a similar occurence? Do I now have some sort of intermittent problem?

Thanks for any help!

GerryL · 01-23-2011, 10:46 AM

The only way to determine is to take some photos with the extra time that you have before your trip.
There is no more proof than in the testing.
You have the camera, so shoot away!
Do all sorts of tests too for all the settings just to make sure everything works as it should.

GerryL · 01-23-2011, 10:48 AM

Chuck the gorillapod since those are unstable anyway and buy yourself a more sturdier tripod.
Keeping that thing is an accident waiting to happen since this wouldn't be your first time that you will leave that thing unattended on a table...it would happen again!

JeffJS · 01-23-2011, 01:14 PM

There are probably more people here who have knocked their tripods over than would admit it. Your camera may work flawlessly forever or it may fail the day you step off of the plane in CR. The battery compartments are pretty tight on these cameras so I cannot say why removing and reinstalling them revived your camera. As suggested, check it out. Look at your photos on a real screen however. The rear LCD can give a very wrong impression of actual sharpness in photos.

Ira · 01-23-2011, 03:54 PM

The camera's working now, so I say you're fine.

ptx101 · 01-23-2011, 04:03 PM

Well, I just got back from taking a few hundred pictures in the park. Everything from 18 mm to 55 mm at a variety of shutter speeds, apertures, and ISO ratings all seem to be OK.

GerryL - I don't have room in my luggage for my large tripod so I'm stuck with the gorillapod for the trip to CR

JeffJS - I looked closely at everything in the battery compartment and can't see anything that looks broken but the way it started working after reloading the batteries still has me concerned about some sort of lose connection between the batteries and the circuit board. Failing the day after I step off the plane in CR is my concern. I already have looked up the camera shop in Costa Rica and will have their address with me. Not to mention I'm also taking my pocket camera just in case.

Ira - yep, the camera's working OK now, I hope you are right.

Thanks everyone!

crazysaint222 · 01-24-2011, 01:59 PM

The K-Xs have a voltage protection circuit, in case your flash trigger tries to fry the camera. Tjis is re-set when the batteries are removed and replaced after any residual voltage has dissapated. It could be the knock triggered this "surge" protection.

KxBlaze · 01-24-2011, 11:51 PM

Definitely give it a good testing before you leave. I have had my camera not turn on but have never dropped it. Most of the time I just switch the power button off and on again and it works but I have had to remove the batteries too. It seems to be a somewhat common occurrence with the Kx, so your camera is probably fine.

ptx101 · 01-25-2011, 12:52 AM

KxBlaze - Sorry to hear of your problems regarding your K-x not turning on at times but it is encouraging to me that I may not have broken anything on mine.

crazysaint222 - I wasn't aware of the surge protection but I guess the fall may have caused a battery to push against its contact on one end so far that the other end disconnected and caused some sort of transient that triggered the protection circuit. If that is the case I should be fine.

Thanks folks - In addition to the 300 pictures I took yesterday I'm off on a short trip this week where I'll be taking a lot of pictures so I should have the camera pretty well tested by this weekend.

crazysaint222 · 01-25-2011, 09:12 AM

ptx101, I only found out about the surge protection when I tried using a cobra Auto 250 with my K-X, I had to remove and re-install the batteries after each firing. Not good, those guns have a 60-66v trigger, so went back to my old Braun 320BVC which has 4.8v trigger.

DaveHolmes · 01-25-2011, 01:36 PM

Originally posted by GerryL

Chuck the gorillapod since those are unstable anyway and buy yourself a more sturdier tripod. Keeping that thing is an accident waiting to happen since this wouldn't be your first time that you will leave that thing unattended on a table...it would happen again!

I think thats a bit harsh... I frequently use my OH's Gorillapod and find it perfectly stable... It can of course be made to be unstable (please read: user error...) but if used sensibly it's a good little alternative to a traditional tripod, which allows the photographer to create a stable base in places where a traditional tripod simply can't.

DaveHolmes · 01-25-2011, 01:40 PM

I'll add that you should have a decent tripod as well of course which should be used as a primary... But I do thing a gorrillapod has the capacity to earn a place in your kit bag for situations where a tripod is unfeasable.

01-23-2011, 10:37 AM	#1
ptx101 New Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 15	Did I break my K-x? I had my K-x on a gorillapod (SLR Zoom Model) sitting on a table. I bumped the table and the camera fell forward landing on the bottom front of the DA L 18-55 lens and the corner of the camera body (about where the little finger of your right hand rests while holding the camera). The camera was nonfunctional in that it wouldn't turn on. I happened to remove the batteries to check out the battery compartment and as soon as I reinstalled the batteries the camera starting working. The pictures appear fine - at least when viewed on the LCD. It kind of has me freaked out since I am leaving on a short trip this week and in a few weeks will go on my 3 week trip to Costa Rica which was the reason for buying the camera in the first place. Has anyone had a similar occurence? Do I now have some sort of intermittent problem? Thanks for any help!

01-23-2011, 04:03 PM	#6
ptx101 New Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 15 Original Poster	seems OK - for now Well, I just got back from taking a few hundred pictures in the park. Everything from 18 mm to 55 mm at a variety of shutter speeds, apertures, and ISO ratings all seem to be OK. GerryL - I don't have room in my luggage for my large tripod so I'm stuck with the gorillapod for the trip to CR JeffJS - I looked closely at everything in the battery compartment and can't see anything that looks broken but the way it started working after reloading the batteries still has me concerned about some sort of lose connection between the batteries and the circuit board. Failing the day after I step off the plane in CR is my concern. I already have looked up the camera shop in Costa Rica and will have their address with me. Not to mention I'm also taking my pocket camera just in case. Ira - yep, the camera's working OK now, I hope you are right. Thanks everyone!

01-25-2011, 12:52 AM	#9
ptx101 New Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 15 Original Poster	That's encouraging news KxBlaze - Sorry to hear of your problems regarding your K-x not turning on at times but it is encouraging to me that I may not have broken anything on mine. crazysaint222 - I wasn't aware of the surge protection but I guess the fall may have caused a battery to push against its contact on one end so far that the other end disconnected and caused some sort of transient that triggered the protection circuit. If that is the case I should be fine. Thanks folks - In addition to the 300 pictures I took yesterday I'm off on a short trip this week where I'll be taking a lot of pictures so I should have the camera pretty well tested by this weekend.

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01-23-2011, 10:46 AM	#2
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	The only way to determine is to take some photos with the extra time that you have before your trip. There is no more proof than in the testing. You have the camera, so shoot away! Do all sorts of tests too for all the settings just to make sure everything works as it should.

01-23-2011, 10:48 AM	#3
GerryL Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: CA Posts: 2,731	Chuck the gorillapod since those are unstable anyway and buy yourself a more sturdier tripod. Keeping that thing is an accident waiting to happen since this wouldn't be your first time that you will leave that thing unattended on a table...it would happen again!

01-23-2011, 01:14 PM	#4
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	There are probably more people here who have knocked their tripods over than would admit it. Your camera may work flawlessly forever or it may fail the day you step off of the plane in CR. The battery compartments are pretty tight on these cameras so I cannot say why removing and reinstalling them revived your camera. As suggested, check it out. Look at your photos on a real screen however. The rear LCD can give a very wrong impression of actual sharpness in photos.

01-23-2011, 03:54 PM	#5
Ira Inactive Account Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Coral Springs, FL Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,216	The camera's working now, so I say you're fine.

01-24-2011, 01:59 PM	#7
crazysaint222 Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northamptonshire Photos: Albums Posts: 37	The K-Xs have a voltage protection circuit, in case your flash trigger tries to fry the camera. Tjis is re-set when the batteries are removed and replaced after any residual voltage has dissapated. It could be the knock triggered this "surge" protection.

01-24-2011, 11:51 PM	#8
KxBlaze Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: California Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,602	Definitely give it a good testing before you leave. I have had my camera not turn on but have never dropped it. Most of the time I just switch the power button off and on again and it works but I have had to remove the batteries too. It seems to be a somewhat common occurrence with the Kx, so your camera is probably fine.

01-25-2011, 09:12 AM	#10
crazysaint222 Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northamptonshire Photos: Albums Posts: 37	ptx101, I only found out about the surge protection when I tried using a cobra Auto 250 with my K-X, I had to remove and re-install the batteries after each firing. Not good, those guns have a 60-66v trigger, so went back to my old Braun 320BVC which has 4.8v trigger.

01-25-2011, 01:36 PM	#11
DaveHolmes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,501	Originally posted by GerryL Chuck the gorillapod since those are unstable anyway and buy yourself a more sturdier tripod. Keeping that thing is an accident waiting to happen since this wouldn't be your first time that you will leave that thing unattended on a table...it would happen again! I think thats a bit harsh... I frequently use my OH's Gorillapod and find it perfectly stable... It can of course be made to be unstable (please read: user error...) but if used sensibly it's a good little alternative to a traditional tripod, which allows the photographer to create a stable base in places where a traditional tripod simply can't.

01-25-2011, 01:40 PM	#12
DaveHolmes Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,501	I'll add that you should have a decent tripod as well of course which should be used as a primary... But I do thing a gorrillapod has the capacity to earn a place in your kit bag for situations where a tripod is unfeasable.