istDL... MAJOR PROBLEM... Please Help!!!!

Bedlam · 08-18-2012, 07:50 PM

Thanks everyone for your input... I seriously think this is terminal... just a shame I don't have a backup Camera... I'll just have to get saving and purchase a new body.... It'll have to be a Pentax as I have 8 pentax lenses and I can't afford to replace them as well... and all the pentax to other camera convertors don't allow you to use any automatic systems and you tend to get really bad shutter lag...... Thanks again...

Bedlam · 08-18-2012, 07:52 PM

@ KONA...... I just wanted to keep using the DL as long as possible.... it is a great camera and it is like loosing a relative or a favorite pet.... LOL

**pentaxus** · 08-18-2012, 08:25 PM - **1 Like**

Don't be too upset with Monique. I used to manage a camera store in a company that sold a fair amount of Pentax. Those cameras can have battery problems that look a lot like a circuit board problem. Monique's script is how you figure things out. People keep asking about the batteries because just like anything else, they work until they stop working. I do consulting for that company still, and I just saw a DL come back as "parts not available" so I guess you can try sending it out hoping yours needs part that are available or think K-30.

Bedlam · 08-18-2012, 10:08 PM

@ pentaxus... Definitely not a battery problem... I have run the internal down for 3 days.. My Rechargeables are Good... I have tried BRAND NEW Lithium (Duracell)..and have even tried a Power cord.... All comes out as the same end result...(see past posts). I don't blame Monique at Pentax... but instead of putting me in touch with one of the Pentax Techies you get fobbed off with a scripted Diatribe from someone that probably really doesn't know too much about cameras (like I don't know anything about flying to the moon) which really doesn't help..... I just wish Companies like Pentax would train people better or use real techs to field calls or Internet inquiries ... I would have been better off going to BestBuy and asking one of the spotty teenagers there for advice... at least I would have got out of the house and maybe done some shopping afterwards.....I'm sure I'm not the only one that has been unsatisfied with Pentax's Bad Customer Service..... But as a last thought I think I'll be upgrading when I can because as I said earlier I cannot afford to buy new lenses as well as a new camera......... Thanks Again EVERYONE for your input.

Last edited by Bedlam; 08-19-2012 at 09:37 AM.

gp1806 · 08-20-2012, 03:16 PM - **1 Like**

You will know that the internal battery has gone flat when on power up (preferably with an A/C wall plug adapter), the camera will ask for date and time. The wall adapter is the accessory that will bypass battery issues and show you what is really going on. You said that you tried this and got the same symptoms. Unfortunately, this does indeed sound like a board problem. You could buy a used Pentax, but the K-30 is looking mighty nice.

pinholecam · 08-21-2012, 12:18 AM - **1 Like**

Try clean the contacts on both your batteries and camera.
I had this problem on my A590 and thought it was the camera contacts, but after 2 years I chanced on cleaning my batteries and it worked fine after that.

Anyway, I think even a very cheap 2nd hand Kx will run circles around the istD (no offense intended, just that technology has really moved on)
I can understand the sentimental value you attach to it.
(I still have my non working film cameras as display)

Bedlam · 08-21-2012, 06:39 PM

Thanks again everyone.... Would love a K30... but has anyone got any other suggestions on second hand body's good for Landscape or wildlife
and capable of allowing me to take shots like this again

Attached Images

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View Picture EXIF

tuggie76 · 08-22-2012, 06:44 AM

I had a similar problem with mine after spraying cleaner inside to get rid of some persistant dirt. I dried it with a hair drier and it works fine now, but it didn't get rid of the dirt! Finally got rid of that with a Nikon cleaning brush.

I also have a K200d, and that will get pictures as good as that.

Tuggie76, originally from Brighton.

eddie1960 · 08-22-2012, 07:05 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Bedlam

@ pentaxus... Definitely not a battery problem... I have run the internal down for 3 days.. My Rechargeables are Good... I have tried BRAND NEW Lithium (Duracell)..and have even tried a Power cord.... All comes out as the same end result...(see past posts). I don't blame Monique at Pentax... but instead of putting me in touch with one of the Pentax Techies you get fobbed off with a scripted Diatribe from someone that probably really doesn't know too much about cameras (like I don't know anything about flying to the moon) which really doesn't help..... I just wish Companies like Pentax would train people better or use real techs to field calls or Internet inquiries ... I would have been better off going to BestBuy and asking one of the spotty teenagers there for advice... at least I would have got out of the house and maybe done some shopping afterwards.....I'm sure I'm not the only one that has been unsatisfied with Pentax's Bad Customer Service..... But as a last thought I think I'll be upgrading when I can because as I said earlier I cannot afford to buy new lenses as well as a new camera......... Thanks Again EVERYONE for your input.

Sorry to hear about it. As nice as the ist cameras were (i sold off my ds recently) i don't think i would invest many $ in one anymore.. You can't blame her for not putting you through to a tech. I'm pretty sure there are a very limited number of techs and if people are being put through to them other diagnosed work and work in progress is being delayed. Effectively they will walk you through simple possible diagnoses on the phone and have you send it in for a tech to look at otherwise. they will never tell you it's not worth sending in because it is a revenue stream (I'm certain a used ist body would cat less than any repair)
Sadly for digital there is no service like eric around

**Just1MoreDave** · 08-22-2012, 10:01 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Bedlam

Thanks again everyone.... Would love a K30... but has anyone got any other suggestions on second hand body's good for Landscape or wildlife
and capable of allowing me to take shots like this again

I like the K-7 which I think is pretty cheap right now. (Depends on your idea of pretty cheap.) I upgraded from a *ist DS. It has a few features I did not think were important at first, but now are valuable to me.

The rear LCD is not only bigger than your DL, but has more dots so it's much easier to check images.
Live view is useful for many situations besides pretending you have a P&S.
Contrast-detect AF is sometimes an excellent alternative to normal AF.
The battery lasts longer and requires less attention than AAs.
The extra pixels are great for cropping - not that my framing is ever wrong.

SR is nice to have. The build is great. AF is faster. Metering is better. It's sealed, which I never use. I like the size. ISO, I think about 1 stop better, plus more at either end if you need it. It's a pretty good package, not far off the K-5.

The K20D is pretty close to the K-7, with a sensor that's a bit better because they left off the video stuff. I have taken three terrible videos so far so I'm in the who cares camp, but the video stuff made live view possible, so it's not totally useless. Otherwise it's a very good camera and sometimes available at a great price.

gp1806 · 08-22-2012, 10:05 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Bedlam

Thanks again everyone.... Would love a K30... but has anyone got any other suggestions on second hand body's good for Landscape or wildlife
and capable of allowing me to take shots like this again

The K100D or K100Ds would be similar to the performance of your camera with added features (like shake reduction). The K200D has a better sensor (10M), but lower high ISO with the added feature of weather resistance. The K-X adds more mega pixels and very good high ISO performance and video too. All of the listed cameras will use the same batteries that you have now. This list starts with low price and goes up.

Bedlam · 08-23-2012, 10:21 AM

Thanks Everyone

**arnold** · 08-29-2012, 10:30 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Kona

Sounds like a good reason to upgrade to a K30 or the now cheap K5. Why stress over such an old body? All electronic devices die. Seven years is a good life. ***** This is the consumer age, most electronics are designed to die after a few years so you get a new model. Seven years is an exceptionally long lifespan by any modern standards. As unfortunate as it is, it's just how things are.

That is why I will never love my K5 as I love my MX. Manual cameras stay with you till you die. .

NancyOldSuperMEF · 09-10-2012, 08:46 PM

sigh... I'm a real dinosaur then... I'm trying to get my film, Super MEF working again... I love that camera...

08-22-2012, 10:01 PM - 1 Like	#25
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	Originally posted by Bedlam Thanks again everyone.... Would love a K30... but has anyone got any other suggestions on second hand body's good for Landscape or wildlife and capable of allowing me to take shots like this again I like the K-7 which I think is pretty cheap right now. (Depends on your idea of pretty cheap.) I upgraded from a *ist DS. It has a few features I did not think were important at first, but now are valuable to me. The rear LCD is not only bigger than your DL, but has more dots so it's much easier to check images. Live view is useful for many situations besides pretending you have a P&S. Contrast-detect AF is sometimes an excellent alternative to normal AF. The battery lasts longer and requires less attention than AAs. The extra pixels are great for cropping - not that my framing is ever wrong. SR is nice to have. The build is great. AF is faster. Metering is better. It's sealed, which I never use. I like the size. ISO, I think about 1 stop better, plus more at either end if you need it. It's a pretty good package, not far off the K-5. The K20D is pretty close to the K-7, with a sensor that's a bit better because they left off the video stuff. I have taken three terrible videos so far so I'm in the who cares camp, but the video stuff made live view possible, so it's not totally useless. Otherwise it's a very good camera and sometimes available at a great price.

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08-18-2012, 07:50 PM	#16
Bedlam New Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Two Harbors M.N (Originally From LONDON) Photos: Gallery Posts: 16 Original Poster	Thanks everyone for your input... I seriously think this is terminal... just a shame I don't have a backup Camera... I'll just have to get saving and purchase a new body.... It'll have to be a Pentax as I have 8 pentax lenses and I can't afford to replace them as well... and all the pentax to other camera convertors don't allow you to use any automatic systems and you tend to get really bad shutter lag...... Thanks again...

08-18-2012, 07:52 PM	#17
Bedlam New Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Two Harbors M.N (Originally From LONDON) Photos: Gallery Posts: 16 Original Poster	@ KONA...... I just wanted to keep using the DL as long as possible.... it is a great camera and it is like loosing a relative or a favorite pet.... LOL

08-18-2012, 08:25 PM - 1 Like	#18
pentaxus Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 1,313	Don't be too upset with Monique. I used to manage a camera store in a company that sold a fair amount of Pentax. Those cameras can have battery problems that look a lot like a circuit board problem. Monique's script is how you figure things out. People keep asking about the batteries because just like anything else, they work until they stop working. I do consulting for that company still, and I just saw a DL come back as "parts not available" so I guess you can try sending it out hoping yours needs part that are available or think K-30.

08-18-2012, 10:08 PM	#19
Bedlam New Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Two Harbors M.N (Originally From LONDON) Photos: Gallery Posts: 16 Original Poster	@ pentaxus... Definitely not a battery problem... I have run the internal down for 3 days.. My Rechargeables are Good... I have tried BRAND NEW Lithium (Duracell)..and have even tried a Power cord.... All comes out as the same end result...(see past posts). I don't blame Monique at Pentax... but instead of putting me in touch with one of the Pentax Techies you get fobbed off with a scripted Diatribe from someone that probably really doesn't know too much about cameras (like I don't know anything about flying to the moon) which really doesn't help..... I just wish Companies like Pentax would train people better or use real techs to field calls or Internet inquiries ... I would have been better off going to BestBuy and asking one of the spotty teenagers there for advice... at least I would have got out of the house and maybe done some shopping afterwards.....I'm sure I'm not the only one that has been unsatisfied with Pentax's Bad Customer Service..... But as a last thought I think I'll be upgrading when I can because as I said earlier I cannot afford to buy new lenses as well as a new camera......... Thanks Again EVERYONE for your input. Last edited by Bedlam; 08-19-2012 at 09:37 AM.

08-20-2012, 03:16 PM - 1 Like	#20
gp1806 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chicago suburbs Photos: Albums Posts: 848	You will know that the internal battery has gone flat when on power up (preferably with an A/C wall plug adapter), the camera will ask for date and time. The wall adapter is the accessory that will bypass battery issues and show you what is really going on. You said that you tried this and got the same symptoms. Unfortunately, this does indeed sound like a board problem. You could buy a used Pentax, but the K-30 is looking mighty nice.

08-21-2012, 12:18 AM - 1 Like	#21
pinholecam Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: North Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,706	Try clean the contacts on both your batteries and camera. I had this problem on my A590 and thought it was the camera contacts, but after 2 years I chanced on cleaning my batteries and it worked fine after that. Anyway, I think even a very cheap 2nd hand Kx will run circles around the istD (no offense intended, just that technology has really moved on) I can understand the sentimental value you attach to it. (I still have my non working film cameras as display)

08-22-2012, 06:44 AM	#23
tuggie76 Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,214	I had a similar problem with mine after spraying cleaner inside to get rid of some persistant dirt. I dried it with a hair drier and it works fine now, but it didn't get rid of the dirt! Finally got rid of that with a Nikon cleaning brush. I also have a K200d, and that will get pictures as good as that. Tuggie76, originally from Brighton.

08-22-2012, 07:05 AM - 1 Like	#24
eddie1960 Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Toronto Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,666	Originally posted by Bedlam @ pentaxus... Definitely not a battery problem... I have run the internal down for 3 days.. My Rechargeables are Good... I have tried BRAND NEW Lithium (Duracell)..and have even tried a Power cord.... All comes out as the same end result...(see past posts). I don't blame Monique at Pentax... but instead of putting me in touch with one of the Pentax Techies you get fobbed off with a scripted Diatribe from someone that probably really doesn't know too much about cameras (like I don't know anything about flying to the moon) which really doesn't help..... I just wish Companies like Pentax would train people better or use real techs to field calls or Internet inquiries ... I would have been better off going to BestBuy and asking one of the spotty teenagers there for advice... at least I would have got out of the house and maybe done some shopping afterwards.....I'm sure I'm not the only one that has been unsatisfied with Pentax's Bad Customer Service..... But as a last thought I think I'll be upgrading when I can because as I said earlier I cannot afford to buy new lenses as well as a new camera......... Thanks Again EVERYONE for your input. Sorry to hear about it. As nice as the ist cameras were (i sold off my ds recently) i don't think i would invest many $ in one anymore.. You can't blame her for not putting you through to a tech. I'm pretty sure there are a very limited number of techs and if people are being put through to them other diagnosed work and work in progress is being delayed. Effectively they will walk you through simple possible diagnoses on the phone and have you send it in for a tech to look at otherwise. they will never tell you it's not worth sending in because it is a revenue stream (I'm certain a used ist body would cat less than any repair) Sadly for digital there is no service like eric around

08-22-2012, 10:05 PM - 1 Like	#26
gp1806 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chicago suburbs Photos: Albums Posts: 848	Originally posted by Bedlam Thanks again everyone.... Would love a K30... but has anyone got any other suggestions on second hand body's good for Landscape or wildlife and capable of allowing me to take shots like this again The K100D or K100Ds would be similar to the performance of your camera with added features (like shake reduction). The K200D has a better sensor (10M), but lower high ISO with the added feature of weather resistance. The K-X adds more mega pixels and very good high ISO performance and video too. All of the listed cameras will use the same batteries that you have now. This list starts with low price and goes up.

08-23-2012, 10:21 AM	#27
Bedlam New Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Two Harbors M.N (Originally From LONDON) Photos: Gallery Posts: 16 Original Poster	Thanks Everyone

08-29-2012, 10:30 PM - 1 Like	#28
arnold Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Queensland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,294	Originally posted by Kona Sounds like a good reason to upgrade to a K30 or the now cheap K5. Why stress over such an old body? All electronic devices die. Seven years is a good life. ***** This is the consumer age, most electronics are designed to die after a few years so you get a new model. Seven years is an exceptionally long lifespan by any modern standards. As unfortunate as it is, it's just how things are. That is why I will never love my K5 as I love my MX. Manual cameras stay with you till you die. .

09-10-2012, 08:46 PM	#29
NancyOldSuperMEF New Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Wolcott, CT Posts: 3	sigh... I'm a real dinosaur then... I'm trying to get my film, Super MEF working again... I love that camera...

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