dark almost black photos k20d

wave trust · 09-28-2012, 05:50 AM

hi guys.
I've recently purchased a k20d with a tamron af xr di 28-300 lensn and i have some issues. whenever the lens is in A mode, the pictures come out very dark, almost black, no matter what mode i use on the dial. even in green one they still come out black as night. If i set the lens to 3.5, 5.6 or any other value with the ring close to the body, the pics come out ok, but the mode dial remains stuck in the Aperture mode. I turn it round and Av only appears on the lcd.
what am i doing wrong? i've tried all kinds of settings, but the pics are black (almost 100% blak) every time the lens is set on A.
help would be much appreciated.
thanks!

wave trust · 09-28-2012, 06:32 AM

clarification, when the ring close to the body is set on 3.5 the pics are ok. when i move it towards 16 ,22 and then auto, they pics become black. In A they almost 100% black. Shouldnt't the camera recognize the A settings of the lens and set the appropriate f? what shoul i do?
thanks!

JohnX · 09-28-2012, 06:47 AM

First thing I'd do is clean the contacts on both the lens mount and the camera body as there could be a comms failure between them.

Another possibility is the way the camera has been set up. Re-set it to factory default settings, especially if the body and lens came from different sources. Who knows how the camera body was set up and what for?

(Select 'Reset' in the Set-up menu; use the four-way controller to display the Reset screen; follow the instructions)

Next, try another lens if you have one available.

elliott · 09-28-2012, 08:52 AM

Post one of the black pictures with the EXIF intact.

wave trust · 09-28-2012, 08:53 AM

Thanks JohnX!
I did that. I wiped the contacts on the body and lens with a clean cloth. I've also reset the camera from the Settings menu. Still the same thing. When the lens is on A it takes only black photos. Even with the flash on.
What could it be? When the lens is set on 3.5 the pics are perfect. When it the ring goes towards A they become darker and darker. Damn! In A mode they are black as hell. And the camera is on Auto - green.....

wave trust · 09-28-2012, 08:59 AM

IMGP0040 | Flickr - Photo Sharing! - here 's a photo with exif intact. It was bright in the room.

wave trust · 09-28-2012, 09:06 AM

... same thing happens on live view. If the lens is set on A i can't see anything on the lcd. then, as it goes towards the 3.5 the lcd brightens up and i can see the scene.

**paulh** · 09-28-2012, 09:14 AM

It really sounds like dirty contacts. Try using a cloth & a bit of rubbing alcohol to clean the contacts on the lens & the camera.

elliott · 09-28-2012, 09:19 AM

That is very strange, the camera is definitely seeing it as an A lens, so it doesn't appear to be a contact issue.

With the lens removed and the aperture ring on A, the aperture should be fully stopped down, if you move the aperture lever in the mount does the aperture open?

wave trust · 09-28-2012, 09:51 AM

with the lens removed and aperture to A, the blades close almost perfectly. It remains only a little spot open, about 1mm wide.

wave trust · 09-28-2012, 09:52 AM

with the lens removed and aperture to A, the blades close almost perfectly. It remains only a little spot open, about 1mm wide. and if i mode the ring, the aperture opens.

**paulh** · 09-28-2012, 09:59 AM

If you flip the aperture lever on the lens, is it quick & snappy? (set it wide-open at f/3.5 using the aperture ring) Or is it sluggish? Do you have problems with your other lenses, or just this one?

wave trust · 09-28-2012, 10:06 AM

hi guys, another photo with the mount: DSCF4070 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
if you can zoom in, you can see that there are 6 contact poinnts, and one of them seems to be missing. the third from the left. I don't know if it is supposed to be there in the first place, that's why I'm asking. you've seen thousands of lens by now and are familiar with mount types...
If it is a broken contact, could that be the reason for black photos? and can I get it fixed?
thanx!

wave trust · 09-28-2012, 10:08 AM

flipping the aperture is ok, not sluggish. unfortunately I don't have any other lens to try on for a few days....

L33tGreg · 09-28-2012, 10:21 AM

I bet the stop down lever in his body isn't working correctly. Do you have another lens that works?

09-28-2012, 05:50 AM	#1
wave trust Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 32	dark almost black photos k20d hi guys. I've recently purchased a k20d with a tamron af xr di 28-300 lensn and i have some issues. whenever the lens is in A mode, the pictures come out very dark, almost black, no matter what mode i use on the dial. even in green one they still come out black as night. If i set the lens to 3.5, 5.6 or any other value with the ring close to the body, the pics come out ok, but the mode dial remains stuck in the Aperture mode. I turn it round and Av only appears on the lcd. what am i doing wrong? i've tried all kinds of settings, but the pics are black (almost 100% blak) every time the lens is set on A. help would be much appreciated. thanks!

09-28-2012, 06:32 AM	#2
wave trust Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 32 Original Poster	re clarification, when the ring close to the body is set on 3.5 the pics are ok. when i move it towards 16 ,22 and then auto, they pics become black. In A they almost 100% black. Shouldnt't the camera recognize the A settings of the lens and set the appropriate f? what shoul i do? thanks!

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09-28-2012, 06:47 AM	#3
JohnX Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: London Posts: 1,116	First thing I'd do is clean the contacts on both the lens mount and the camera body as there could be a comms failure between them. Another possibility is the way the camera has been set up. Re-set it to factory default settings, especially if the body and lens came from different sources. Who knows how the camera body was set up and what for? (Select 'Reset' in the Set-up menu; use the four-way controller to display the Reset screen; follow the instructions) Next, try another lens if you have one available.

09-28-2012, 08:52 AM	#4
elliott Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North Carolina Photos: Albums Posts: 1,720	Post one of the black pictures with the EXIF intact.

09-28-2012, 08:53 AM	#5
wave trust Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 32 Original Poster	Thanks JohnX! I did that. I wiped the contacts on the body and lens with a clean cloth. I've also reset the camera from the Settings menu. Still the same thing. When the lens is on A it takes only black photos. Even with the flash on. What could it be? When the lens is set on 3.5 the pics are perfect. When it the ring goes towards A they become darker and darker. Damn! In A mode they are black as hell. And the camera is on Auto - green.....

09-28-2012, 08:59 AM	#6
wave trust Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 32 Original Poster	IMGP0040 \| Flickr - Photo Sharing! - here 's a photo with exif intact. It was bright in the room.

09-28-2012, 09:06 AM	#7
wave trust Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 32 Original Poster	... same thing happens on live view. If the lens is set on A i can't see anything on the lcd. then, as it goes towards the 3.5 the lcd brightens up and i can see the scene.

09-28-2012, 09:14 AM	#8
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,262	It really sounds like dirty contacts. Try using a cloth & a bit of rubbing alcohol to clean the contacts on the lens & the camera.

09-28-2012, 09:19 AM	#9
elliott Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: North Carolina Photos: Albums Posts: 1,720	That is very strange, the camera is definitely seeing it as an A lens, so it doesn't appear to be a contact issue. With the lens removed and the aperture ring on A, the aperture should be fully stopped down, if you move the aperture lever in the mount does the aperture open?

09-28-2012, 09:51 AM	#10
wave trust Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 32 Original Poster	with the lens removed and aperture to A, the blades close almost perfectly. It remains only a little spot open, about 1mm wide.

09-28-2012, 09:52 AM	#11
wave trust Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 32 Original Poster	with the lens removed and aperture to A, the blades close almost perfectly. It remains only a little spot open, about 1mm wide. and if i mode the ring, the aperture opens.

09-28-2012, 09:59 AM	#12
paulh Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: DFW Texas/Ventura County, CA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 33,262	If you flip the aperture lever on the lens, is it quick & snappy? (set it wide-open at f/3.5 using the aperture ring) Or is it sluggish? Do you have problems with your other lenses, or just this one?

09-28-2012, 10:06 AM	#13
wave trust Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 32 Original Poster	hi guys, another photo with the mount: DSCF4070 \| Flickr - Photo Sharing! if you can zoom in, you can see that there are 6 contact poinnts, and one of them seems to be missing. the third from the left. I don't know if it is supposed to be there in the first place, that's why I'm asking. you've seen thousands of lens by now and are familiar with mount types... If it is a broken contact, could that be the reason for black photos? and can I get it fixed? thanx!

09-28-2012, 10:08 AM	#14
wave trust Inactive Account Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 32 Original Poster	flipping the aperture is ok, not sluggish. unfortunately I don't have any other lens to try on for a few days....

09-28-2012, 10:21 AM	#15
L33tGreg Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Charleston, SC Photos: Gallery Posts: 369	I bet the stop down lever in his body isn't working correctly. Do you have another lens that works?