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12-01-2013, 09:19 PM   #1
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K-5 II switches aperture to 8.0 occasionally

Hi all! I will love you if you can give me any ideas on this. I have a minor but annoying problem.

I have a K-5 II, less than a year old. I've noticed lately that it occasionally will change the aperture to 8.0 when I come back to it, but the ISO and SS always seem to be untouched. It SEEMS like it only happens when I have taken the camera card out of the camera, uploaded photos, and put it back in. I'm not clearing the card when I do this, just importing into Lightroom. I can't tell you if it's because I turned it on or off or something first, I just notice it when I go to grab it to shoot a photo of my kids, which are always closer to 2.0 so I'm never leaving it at 8.

I sat here and tried two lenses, turning it off and on, and taking the card out and putting it back in, and I can't seem to get it to happen, it's retaining all the settings perfectly. I have only ever noticed it doing so with my 50mm, but that lens remains on my camera 90% of the time.

Has anyone ever experienced this? Is there a bug or a setting or something I'm unaware of? I have not checked on or updated firmware, and should probably do that. I realize this is minor in the grand scheme of things, but man, it's bothersome when I want it to be at whatever I left it at!


Last edited by geekkt; 12-01-2013 at 09:21 PM. Reason: spelling
12-01-2013, 09:45 PM   #2
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Which 50mm is it? Are you able to change the aperture back immediately?
12-01-2013, 10:08 PM   #3
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It's the SMC Pentax-FA 50/1.4, I suppose I could have included that. I can immediately put the aperture back to where I want it, and the camera functions normally. I just have no idea why it happens in the first place.
12-01-2013, 10:24 PM   #4
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My first thought was intermittent contacts making the lens appear to have a maximum aperture of f8, which could happen if 1, 2 and 4 appear to be insulators instead of conductors. I don't know if that is the case though, since if that were happening your aperture values would go from f8 to f45 and you wouldn't be able to immediately put it back where it was. It is still worth a shot cleaning the contacts of the lens and body as a precaution.

Other than that a flaky e-dial might cause it, but the fact that it only happens with one lens and you don't mention any strangeness when changing apertures normally makes me doubt that as well.

I don't remember a firmware bug anything like this, but are you on the latest firmware?

12-01-2013, 10:50 PM   #5
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did you swap batteries? I got caught out once, changed battery mid-shoot, completely forgot that re-powering defaulted back to F/8 and promptly tried to shoot athletics at insanely slow shutter speed for a dozen shots or so, lol. That's on a k5, i assume a II would be the same.
12-01-2013, 11:06 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by saladin Quote
did you swap batteries? I got caught out once, changed battery mid-shoot, completely forgot that re-powering defaulted back to F/8 and promptly tried to shoot athletics at insanely slow shutter speed for a dozen shots or so, lol. That's on a k5, i assume a II would be the same.
My thought, too. Whenever I replace the battery on any Pentax camera I've used (K-r, K-5 IIs, K-01), the aperture goes to f/8, and the shutter speed goes to 1/125 if it's in a mode where the shutter is set manually.
12-02-2013, 01:55 PM   #7
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Nope, it's not battery related, that I can tell. I don't wear the battery down all that fast and it has definitely happened a few times per charge. It may be that the SS goes to 1/125 as this happens well and I just haven't noticed - that's close to what I generally shoot at so it would slip past me more easily.

I'll clean things and check the firmware, too, thanks for the suggestions.
In all other respects the camera and controls act perfectly, which is why I'm having trouble pinpointing what the problem is.

As I typed this I turned it on, not realizing I hadn't put my card back in and the little door was still open. Closed the door, and it's at aperture of 8.0, SS 1/125, and I know I didn't leave it at that. Changed both values and tried to repeat it but it retained the settings I put in. Gremlins? :P

12-02-2013, 04:34 PM   #8
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No idea really. But had few thoughts anyway. Off camera always before doing anything with memory cards. Any change pressing green button to change f8.
12-02-2013, 08:07 PM   #9
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Thanks, all! I've cleaned all the contacts and will do a firmware upgrade tonight. Then I think I'll just keep watching it and see if I can pinpoint what's causing the problem. It's so minor in the grand scheme of things but it's pretty annoying to pick it back up and not realize all my shots are now off. To be continued, I suppose.
12-02-2013, 08:38 PM   #10
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It's always a good habit to check your settings before you start shooting. I often forget and e.g. don't understand why my shutter speeds are through the roof till I realize that I'm still using ISO 1600 or higher after a low-light shoot or why shutter speed does not follow aperture changes after using flash and manual settings
01-31-2014, 09:26 PM   #11
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Just a followup to this. It got progressively more annoying and constant until I gave up and called tech support and sent it in for warranty repairs. I used my K-r the entire time it was gone with no issues whatsoever. They replaced the K-5ii circuit board and it came back today. So far, so good. We'll see if it stays that way.

Thanks again, all.
02-02-2014, 07:25 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by geekkt Quote
Just a followup to this. It got progressively more annoying and constant until I gave up and called tech support and sent it in for warranty repairs. I used my K-r the entire time it was gone with no issues whatsoever. They replaced the K-5ii circuit board and it came back today. So far, so good. We'll see if it stays that way.

Thanks again, all.


This post has been moved to my post below. Please allow this moderator. Its to make sure people understand Pentax, Ricoh, C.R.I.S cameras official view of my issue quoted in the post below. Although I believe what I wrote. The matter is settled. Ricoh and C.R.I.S and Pentax put customers first so far as I can tell

Still to the OP
I am glad your repair went well.

Last edited by jamesm007; 02-11-2014 at 05:13 PM. Reason: Change in facts
02-11-2014, 05:08 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by jamesm007 Quote
My K20D did that a couple years ago. When I sent it to CRIS Camera repair, CRIS sent it to Pentax or had a high level Pentax Tech look at it. He (Pentax tech) told me the K20D does not, nor ever remembers the aperture or shutter speed. We had an argument (not heated; a dispute) because I remembered it did. I told him I would do a poll on the internet, he told me he would hold on to the camera. He was strong arming me. If he knew it was OK, why wait for me to do a poll? To this day Pentax USA official position is their dSLRs only remember the settings that are in the menu that you can pick. But for some reason like with my K20D it will stop remembering the aperture and fstop when you turn it off and right back on. It would default to f/8 and ~ 1/125 (about). I just weeks ago emailed a complaint with CRIS for Pentax lying to me. CRIS was honest it seems! I was talking to and have talked to Pentax so C.R.I.S Camera is not the guy who told me I was wrong and basically seeing things. But I had to go through them to get to Pentax. Also when I said I will do a poll the Pentax representative/tech said people are paid on the forums to write bad things. So he let me call someone at Pentax as he did not have a K20D to test. The person at Pentax confirmed the behavior of going back to f/8 and 1/125 every time you shut it off, even for a second and turn it on. And I decided why would both of them lie to me? So...


Here is the bad part. I believed them (Pentax). And believed something was amiss with my memory. I must be getting old. The reason I am bringing it to Pentax attention again is about one year latter I bought a new K-5 and it also defaulted back to f/8 and 1/125 when I turned it off and on. Then I noticed my K-5 was remembering the settings in question with use over time. Then I check the K20D and holly c... it also remembered once again the aperture and shutter speed to this day. And no I did nothing to my K20D. It just stopped remembering for some time then started back. I can pull the battery out for awhile and it still remembers. I don't know what type of setup Pentax has for the memory on those settings. But you won't find it in the owners manual and the official stance from Pentax USA is their dSLRs do not remember the settings at least on the K20D; I have it in writing. My two Pentax dSLRs remember both settings no problem now. And I did nothing. But for a long time I believed Pentax and thought I was wrong, my memory failed me big time.


Pentax USA to this day denies any mis information but gave you a whole new motherboard and me the run around. Well you have given me more evidence of the fact that most customers expect Pentax dSLRs to remember those settings. In fact yours was repaired for not doing so.

I am glad your repair went well.

This is Jamesm007 the author of the above*.

I received a call from Ricoh at my request to discuss this issue. Its been fully resolved to my satisfaction. From Pentax, Ricoh and C.R.I.S Camera Repair. C.R.I.S camera has been a first class business from the word go. Pentax under Ricoh is looking real good, very good I am happy. And no I did not receive anything materialistic. Just clarity; and a common ground with those guys above.

As I understand the conversation, Ricoh forgive me if I get small details wrong. Pentax dSLRs do remember the f/stop and shutter speed when turned off and back on. That is Ricohs official stance on the matter for Pentax dSLRs. Some caveats; when left without a battery for a bit of time, it may take time for it to begin remembering the f/stop and aperture. If you take the battery out the camera may not remember the f/stop or aperture for long or at all. I won't group all Pentax dSLRs into this. I will say from the K10D and newer models.

This is why when I first bought my K-5 it did not remember the f/stop and aperture, then started to. The camera needs time to store power to hold those two settings in memory. Those settings are not fixed like the settings in the custom menu. Or even the date and time which the camera will remember for a longer period of time with no battery (~two days).

So yes some users may see the settings go back to the defaults of f/8 and 1/125sec if the battery was taken out long enough. No your not seeing things or accidently changing the settings.

Now why did my K20D stop remembering those settings at all. Then started to after I bought the K-5, Well I don't know for sure. It remembers now and I am happy with Ricoh, Pentax, C.R.I.S.

Thank you Ricoh, Pentax, C.R.I.S for taking the time to speak with me.

Kind Regards
Jamesm007

*I feel this benefits the whole Pentax community that's why I am posting it here. Its relevant to this this thread.

Last edited by jamesm007; 02-11-2014 at 06:24 PM.
04-05-2015, 02:30 AM   #14
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Same thing with my K5 iis and 16-45. It's annoying. No i did not touch battery, just turned on camera and this sometimes happens. Any ideas? Camera works great and i don't have any problems but this "glitch" is really annoying.

Last edited by SMeK; 04-05-2015 at 02:45 AM.
04-06-2015, 05:28 AM   #15
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Man, thread bump from forever ago! I forgot about this!

You can read the thread to find out what ended up happening with mine. It ended up going in for service.

Mine was a camera fault and not a battery fault. I completely understand how that might be the case (i.e., camera with low battery wont store settings until it's able to hold charge, might be an internal battery, etc) but mine was not doing that. After it came back from repairs it was 100% reliable and solid until I sold it last fall, and the D750 I now shoot with (I know, I know :P) retains its settings while turned off as well.
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