[kpenske]

I have an ist dl. When I take a shot the preview screen shows a message "delete" along with the trash can. Everything comes up black. I'm not getting any photos.
I reset to factory default settings. I tried another SD card. I reformatted the SD cards. Nothing.

[Pauld]

Time to upgrade to a newer body.

[kpenske]

New camera body? Perhaps. I do occasionally get the itch. But I have two 30 year old 35mm cameras still working (one is a Pentax). I have a second ist DL, working pretty good, but minor problems. A professional photographer friend works with all kinds of very "out dated" equipment. I'd prefer not to get wrapped up in "keeping up with technology" just so I can have the latest and the greatest. Would rather just have a highly dependable sidekick. These days, equipment can make the photographer - but only to a point. I'm a bit old school and feel it's still the eye behind the lens that should be making the photo. Problem is, both my Pentax DSLRs are letting me down.

[bigdavephoto]

Shot in the dark but is it possible that the trash button is stuck?

[eddie1960]

Shot in the dark but is it possible that the trash button is stuck?

that would be my guess a little contact cleaner may work wonders

the problem with electronics running the show is they aren't as reliable as the old mechanical kit

[kpenske]

Bigdavephoto - good sugestion. Shot a picture using my other ist DL, while holding down the "trash" (delete) button. Could not duplicate the problem. Lesson learned? Even if you hold down the delete button while shooting you still get your shot. Probably not something everyone needs to know - but helps eliminate one more possibility. Fortunately this ist DL was already in worse shape than the other one. Still hoping for a solution.

[Tom Woj]

Not sure as i've never used that camera. But is it giving you a preview after a shot and deleting it at that point, or when you review them?

If it is the first one, perhaps theres a menu option to disable preview after taking a shot. At least that way they'll be saved, you just won't be able to review them in-camera :P

[GibbyTheMole]

But I have two 30 year old 35mm cameras still working (one is a Pentax). I have a second ist DL, working pretty good, but minor problems. A professional photographer friend works with all kinds of very "out dated" equipment. I'd prefer not to get wrapped up in "keeping up with technology" just so I can have the latest and the greatest. Would rather just have a highly dependable sidekick. These days, equipment can make the photographer - but only to a point. I'm a bit old school and feel it's still the eye behind the lens that should be making the photo. Problem is, both my Pentax DSLRs are letting me down.

Film cameras are by nature more reliable than any DSLR regardless of brand, because of all of the electronics in a DSLR with those tiny circuits and ICs. I wouldn't expect a DSLR to work for more than a few years.

Good news is you can buy a second hand *ist DL body for $150 or a K100D for only a smidgen more & keep on shooting. If you can afford it, a used K-x would be worth buying just for the high ISO performance alone.

I'll probably never buy a new body. Not when I can spend 1/3 of the money and get something with 90% of the image quality.

[kpenske]

Tom Woj - No preview at all. I shoot, the preview screen is black - and at the bottom left I get the "deleting image" message.
I'm still stumped.

[Tom Woj]

Damn, seem's like it's just broken then

One last idea, have you accidentally flipped the 'lock/write-protect' on your sd card?

[kpenske]

SD card is not locked. I've tested everything on both ist DLs I have. One camera fails - one works - every setup and every test.
To all who've tried to help - I believe the culprit is a failed CCD. I read some old Pentax Forum posts about CCD Bleeding, and some 2006 press releases on defective CCD's in numerous cameras, numerous manufacurers. Images were either blank or had purple or green blotches. Although the camera was telling me "deleting image" there remained a blank image on the SD card. As a curiosity I tried viewing the image in Photoshop - both RAW and 6M shots. Also tried "auto correcting" in Windows picture manager - and got heavy green edges - exact same color as shown in prior "Forums" post. With no other data to go on - a CCD failure is the best answer to my problem. I'm assuming the camera's post processing might just not be getting any info to process so it takes over and says "I got nuthin to work with here" - Delete".
Pauld - you were right from the start - time to upgrade.

Ken

[bummerpentax]

Ken,
My *istDL is doing the same thing as yours since I downloaded the card onto my computer's Picasa 3 program and had Picasa delete all the images from the card. I have tried new cards, formatting, batteries, recover program,etc., etc. Still just get a blank screen and card.
Have you found a fix yet or are you sure it is a buggered CCD?
Thanks,

[kpenske]

I'm going with "it's toast". Looking for another body - haven't yet decided what to get.

[Jazz28]

Have you updated the firmware?

[bummerpentax]

I have now updated my firmware to latest 1.03 but nothing has improved (still no images being saved to LCD or memory card). Just a "delete" message on the LCD.
Acts like a software clitch or the delete button is permanently stuck in "on" position???