K5 shutter not working properly

halonp · 01-19-2013, 02:44 AM

Today I was photographing at a friends party with my K5 and tamron 28-75 lens. Suddenly after half pressing the shutter and focusing, then fully pressing the button the shutter just wouldn't work. Nothing happened. I changed lens to my pentax 70mm and it still did the same thing. I tried many, many times - focusing first, locking focus on the subject then trying to take the photo with no luck. Finally I gave it to my husband who removed the lens and flicked the mirror in the camera body and voila! Fixed!
Anybody experienced this before? Or know what may have caused it?
Thanks

VisualDarkness · 01-19-2013, 05:17 AM

Was it low on battery? Did you try to pull the battery first?

halonp · 01-19-2013, 02:44 PM

Originally posted by VisualDarkness

Was it low on battery? Did you try to pull the battery first?

No, the battery was fully charged, I didn't try to take it out. The memory card still had plenty of space left on it also.

tibbitts · 01-19-2013, 07:28 PM

I don't know, but I'd be concerned about "flicking" the mirror. I'd definitely try removing the battery first, then maybe try sensor cleaning mode (to trigger the shutter/mirror), etc.

Paul

halonp · 02-02-2013, 03:26 PM

I took it in to our local camera house store last week and explained the problem. The manager there told me it's because I didn't have my aperture ring 'locked in' and set to A. He asked if I always used it in Manual mode, because it's easier just to set it to automatic :/
Anyway, I left it with him to give the camera and the lens a clean. Used it again on the weekend and it's still doing the same thing - working fine, snapping away then all of a sudden it just freezes up! The shutter makes a sound like it's trying to close but the screen just goes slightly dim then opens up again??? I turned it off, removed the battery, then switched it back on again and it works for a while before doing it again. It's really annoying, especially when you miss the moment you're trying to photograph!

chromo · 02-03-2013, 03:43 AM

It does sound like the camera has gained a fault.
Try doing a factory reset in the hope it will return to normality.

StephenHampshire · 02-03-2013, 04:28 AM

Originally posted by chromo

It does sound like the camera has gained a fault.
Try doing a factory reset in the hope it will return to normality.

Yes, this is a known problem with the K5. Not terribly common but has been reported here before
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5/212510-scary-issue-k-5-a.html

The normal explanation is a failing mirror motor. I recently had mine replaced under warranty.
Rather than flicking the mirror, a gentle tap on the bottom of the camera normally fixes it. Some have reccomended pulling the battery out and then re-inserting, but I think all that does is nudge the mirror when you turn the camera upside down or when you physically remove the battery.

chromo · 02-03-2013, 04:44 AM

Originally posted by StephenHampshire

Yes, this is a known problem with the K5. Not terribly common but has been reported here before
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5/212510-scary-issue-k-5-a.html

The normal explanation is a failing mirror motor. I recently had mine replaced under warranty.
Rather than flicking the mirror, a gentle tap on the bottom of the camera normally fixes it. Some have reccomended pulling the battery out and then re-inserting, but I think all that does is nudge the mirror when you turn the camera upside down or when you physically remove the battery.

Sounds like a bad connection to the main board causing similar to a brown out...("The shutter makes a sound like it's trying to close but the screen just goes slightly dim then opens up again").

That's def a pull apart job.

01-19-2013, 02:44 AM	#1
halonp Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: nsw Posts: 82	K5 shutter not working properly Today I was photographing at a friends party with my K5 and tamron 28-75 lens. Suddenly after half pressing the shutter and focusing, then fully pressing the button the shutter just wouldn't work. Nothing happened. I changed lens to my pentax 70mm and it still did the same thing. I tried many, many times - focusing first, locking focus on the subject then trying to take the photo with no luck. Finally I gave it to my husband who removed the lens and flicked the mirror in the camera body and voila! Fixed! Anybody experienced this before? Or know what may have caused it? Thanks

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01-19-2013, 05:17 AM	#2
VisualDarkness Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,439	Was it low on battery? Did you try to pull the battery first?

01-19-2013, 02:44 PM	#3
halonp Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: nsw Posts: 82 Original Poster	Originally posted by VisualDarkness Was it low on battery? Did you try to pull the battery first? No, the battery was fully charged, I didn't try to take it out. The memory card still had plenty of space left on it also.

01-19-2013, 07:28 PM	#4
tibbitts Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Oklahoma USA Posts: 2,193	I don't know, but I'd be concerned about "flicking" the mirror. I'd definitely try removing the battery first, then maybe try sensor cleaning mode (to trigger the shutter/mirror), etc. Paul

02-02-2013, 03:26 PM	#5
halonp Forum Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: nsw Posts: 82 Original Poster	I took it in to our local camera house store last week and explained the problem. The manager there told me it's because I didn't have my aperture ring 'locked in' and set to A. He asked if I always used it in Manual mode, because it's easier just to set it to automatic :/ Anyway, I left it with him to give the camera and the lens a clean. Used it again on the weekend and it's still doing the same thing - working fine, snapping away then all of a sudden it just freezes up! The shutter makes a sound like it's trying to close but the screen just goes slightly dim then opens up again??? I turned it off, removed the battery, then switched it back on again and it works for a while before doing it again. It's really annoying, especially when you miss the moment you're trying to photograph!

02-03-2013, 03:43 AM	#6
chromo Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: North Coast NSW Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 581	It does sound like the camera has gained a fault. Try doing a factory reset in the hope it will return to normality.

02-03-2013, 04:28 AM	#7
StephenHampshire Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Winchester Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,523	Originally posted by chromo It does sound like the camera has gained a fault. Try doing a factory reset in the hope it will return to normality. Yes, this is a known problem with the K5. Not terribly common but has been reported here before https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5/212510-scary-issue-k-5-a.html The normal explanation is a failing mirror motor. I recently had mine replaced under warranty. Rather than flicking the mirror, a gentle tap on the bottom of the camera normally fixes it. Some have reccomended pulling the battery out and then re-inserting, but I think all that does is nudge the mirror when you turn the camera upside down or when you physically remove the battery.

02-03-2013, 04:44 AM	#8
chromo Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: North Coast NSW Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 581	Originally posted by StephenHampshire Yes, this is a known problem with the K5. Not terribly common but has been reported here before https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-k-5/212510-scary-issue-k-5-a.html The normal explanation is a failing mirror motor. I recently had mine replaced under warranty. Rather than flicking the mirror, a gentle tap on the bottom of the camera normally fixes it. Some have reccomended pulling the battery out and then re-inserting, but I think all that does is nudge the mirror when you turn the camera upside down or when you physically remove the battery. Sounds like a bad connection to the main board causing similar to a brown out...("The shutter makes a sound like it's trying to close but the screen just goes slightly dim then opens up again"). That's def a pull apart job.